Back on the Board ~ After 30 Years!

Well - stage two of my training started yesterday.  I went over to the pool with my daughter and decided that it was time to get up on the board and see how it felt.

I have lost 13 pounds over the last 6 weeks and have definitely gained some strength at the gym.  I was a combination of anxious and excited to see how things would go on the board.

The mechanics of diving is all about form.  Even though it has been 30 years since I have dove competitively - the muscle memory is incredibly resilient.  Doing a hurdle every day for 15 years makes the motion almost second nature.  I was pleasantly surprised how comfortable it was after all these years.

With that said - it was certainly rusty.  My balance is not quite the same - and I hope that over time the motion will become more confident.  My body seemed to be holding up, especially after the six weeks of focused training.  Movement was easier with half of my beer gut now gone. It will be MUCH better when the other half goes away...

I spent about an hour diving with my daughter Brighid coaching me.  I was certainly a curiosity at Potomac Swim and Tennis Club.  After the first few dives I had a gaggle of little kids watching me.  They didn't know what to expect - and were incredibly curious as to who I was and why I was being coached by my daughter.
It was a lot of fun to listen to them speak among themselves - discussing who I was - and how I could dive so well.  They were wondering how old I was - when I heard one of them say - he must be at LEAST 30!

As I went through my list of required dives - I could tell I was taxing some muscles that I had not used for a while.  After about an hour - I was tired and decided it was enough for the day.  Overall - I am thrilled that I got this first session on the board under my belt.  Diving at the pool starts in earnest on the 17th of September.  Two weeks from today?  Ready or not - here I come.....