New swimming challenge

I have reconsidered my challenge to Michael Phelps. Now, after my second lesson, I am just thinking maybe I can beat Kelly.

Kelly and I went to kindergarten and high school together. She was kind to me in high school even though she was a thousand times cooler than I.

For one thing, she was a swimmer. Athletes were everything at my school, as they are at most. As I recall, her upper arms were the size of my thighs.

Now, I am counting on her being out of shape and sluggish, so that my time in the back stroke will beat her. Also, I hope she will have really poor sight and won't notice the guy holding my head above water.

The teacher is well-aware of my choking habits and doesn't want my face going under water. For now anyway.

But I "swam" -- I use quotes because of my head holder -- 6.5 laps today, with some exercises in between. That is about 275 yards for those counting at home.

The hardest exercise was actually just trying to put my feet down on the floor of the pool and standing.I think it was because the water was high enough that my body wanted to float.

I just realized this was the year of my 20th high school reunion. Maybe at 25, I can slap Kelly with a glove.