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Sunday, February 21, 2010

Swimming

Those of you who know me well, know that my whole family is REALLY into swimming. It consumes the majority of our free time. All 3 of my kids are competitive swimmers and they practice for several hours each day. My boys competed in their High School Sectional meet yesterday, and did quite well. In fact, they will be swimming in the IL. State meet on Friday and possibly Saturday.
Through the years, the swim suits competitive swimmers wear have changed dramatically. Many years ago, you may have seen boys wearing suits that looked like their Mother's had knitted them. (See above) These suits did not help the swimmer swim fast, but merely offered those that wore them a sense of modesty. The cost?...a skein of yarn.
Until recently, the suits looked like they were made of rubber and covered their entire bodies. (Circa Michael Phelps at the 2008 Olympics) These suits were intended to help the body to swim fast, and those that wore them, broke all established records to date and cost the swimmers upwards of $400!...for a swim suit!
Now, however, the suits have come full circle, minus the Mom knitting part. The suits today are made of a high tech fabric and resemble bike shorts. The kids at the sectional meet yesterday, all wore the "bike short" suits and low and behold....STILL broke even the newest records established with those "fast rubber" suits! Cost? ...$50-$100...not bad by today's dollar.
The motto? Speed is between your ears and your training. A suit is needed because the law will not allow them to swim naked. All the money in the world will not make you faster.
Way to go boys!

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