Photographic proof

I've been swimming all winter.  And this week an excellent and talented photographer came along with a partner to steer the canoe while he shot.  He got some excellent shots, including these of me.

I'm in the back there, and this is me swimming with my two best swim friends (BSF). We always goad each other into the water. And if I do crawl, I can keep up with them.  When the water is choppy and I do breast, I'm a bit slower.

Doing breast. I love that he got the background in this one to give perspective. And you can see the temperature, by the way the walker is dressed.

I wear the black gloves in the winter to keep my hands warm.  Without them I probably could only stay in about half as long.  This swim was 26 minutes.

This is probably my favorite of the set. I hate breathing on the left, but am glad I was practicing the bilateral that day!

Body Image and Bathing Suits

I've posted a lot of photos of myself in a swimsuit or wetsuit here on this blog.

So you probably all have a sense of what I look like. One of the things that swimming, and this blog, (and possibly being in my 40's and maybe having a good F-off Fairy) have done for me is given me an "I don't care" attitude about being photographed in my bathing suit.

I look at these photos and generally think "that was a great swim".  I'm focused on how much swimming helps me love my body. When I saw this meme, I thought "YES, that's it!!"

When I swim I remember who I am.  I get to absolute pleasure of feeling the power of my body move me through the water. I get the playful feeling of buoyancy lifting me off the ground. I get to be an orca.  I get the feel of the water on my skin. I get to sense the changes in temperature, in wave motion, in smell. Swimming helps me love my body and all it can do.

During a recent group swim, I heard one of the other swimmers refuse to be photographed in her bathing suit without a cover-up.  This made me sad.  Swimming is about celebrating my body.  Rejoicing in its strength. Enjoying the sensuality of the water.  Any photo taken just documents that joyful experience. Nothing could make me happier.