Taking the plunge

Everyone knows how I feel about the ocean - it's the place where I rediscover myself and what I'm capable of. Where I am my most elemental. Thinking ahead to the next time I get up and surf, I decided I need more of a push than even aquajogging or occasional lane swims can give me. So I've committed.
I signed up for the first in a series of swim courses that will put me through my paces and incidentally, requalify me as a lifeguard. It starts Friday. The first one is bronze medallion - six classes packed into three short weeks. Each session is 4 and a half hours long! I'm assuming not all of that is in the pool itself - some of it is likely classroom time to refresh my knowledge of lifesaving techniques.
No matter - three weeks is not a lot of time to meet the speed and endurance required to pass the test.
As a comparison, the last time I did this it was at least a 6 week course - one session a week. That was so much more time to get my body into shape, and now I'm twenty years older with a recent back injury.
That means I'm going to have to practice in-between. No more letting the Yukon's morning darkness fool me into going back to sleep. I'll need to be at the pool EVERY morning. The Canada Games Centre offers a public swim from 5:30 to 8 - a.m. I'll be there, yawning and craving coffee, but there.
So cheer me on - post a comment and help keep me going!
surfergrrl, signing off