I don’t know if you follow Olympic swimming or not, but this year I’m intrigued by 41 year old Beijing-bound Dana Torres. Typically I only follow (hot-bodied) Men’s swimming, but Dana Torres has inspired me!

Did I mention that she’s 41!?  That certainly isn’t old by any stretch of the imagination, but she is competing against people half her age…and BEATING them.

I’m not sure I could even beat a child a quarter my age in a swim race.

She is also a mother of a toddler (which could explain her continued athletic prowess!).  Watching her swim and knowing she’s only a few years older than me and a mother, it makes me feel like "hey!  I could exercise and get fit!"

Growing up, I was never into team sports, but I enjoyed competitive swimming.  I liked that no balls were thrown at me that I was expected to catch, I wasn’t criticized for throwing like a girl, and an entire game didn’t rest on whether I hit the ball.  With swimming, success was measured by my own, individual achievements.  Sure I had to swim in a race against someone, but I was also trying to beat a previous time I’d set.

I’ve been considering joining a fitness center, especially one with a pool.  Realistically, I’m not looking to make the next Olympics, but I think that swimming is something I could stick with since I already know I enjoy it.

Thanks Dana Torres for the inspiration!  Good luck in Beijing!

[photo source: SI.com]