Holy July Swim-fest, Batman!
When my ribs healed up, I jumped right back into full-blown summer swim mode! I realized my mental health was slipping, but I hadn't realized the extent until I got my gills wet. Clouds parted, mer-angels sang, and vitality flooded my soul, hydrating the husk of a human I had become. Getting back in the water, I found myself returning to where open water swimming started for me four years ago: River Huggers. Seeing old friends reminded me of why I started swimming outside in the first place, its fun! The last two summers I had gotten wrapped up in swimming longer and longer distances, and my ambitions of ultra-marathon swimming overshadowed why I loved open water. I find myself swimming slower and shorter, pausing to dolphin dive, baby ottering my buoy to look at the sky, and swimming backstroke to bask in the sunlight. Rather quickly, my need for distance crept back into my heart, but for a wholly different reason than before. I want to spend as much time in the water