Tuesday, March 26, 2013

H2O : Two parts Heart and one part Special Obsession.

With the onset of summer in Mumbai,  our Institute organizes a Swimmathon every year. This is a 12 hour swimming exercise, at the pool, where you notch up distances  as you swim back and forth in our new 50 metre pool. Anyone can participate, and it is an all night swim, to avoid the daytime heat and sun. 

Participants range from school kids, to students of engineering, middle aged adults,  housewives and regular swimmers.  

R, a special child , who attempts and completes this every year, despite Down's Syndrome, maybe be seen in the last photograph , standing to the coach's left. Read all about him and his swimming, in a post written here 

(Two years ago , I  won with a distance of 32 kilometres swum in 12 hours. Many years ago, my Mom did 3 kilomtres in 3 hours  in a daytime version (and then went home to cook lunch ....  :-)    ).   This year, I was an official .)

While many dropout within hours,  everyone who completes the 12 hours gets a  IIT Swimclub Tshirt...



Some clicks, to show, so many having so much fun .....



3 Young schoolboys and serious chap !



Young Schoolgirls



Several folks in a single lane, and people keeping track and marking off laps on specially made tabular forms.




A few Moms and older ladies doing their thing....



One of our good swimmers,   and a glance at the forms .




 Engineering students of IIT



During a short breather...


This overall view doesn't show the several folks stroking their way across the 50 metres, while these folks change direction...


At the end of it all, as dawn breaks,  the tired lot , those who lasted all the 12 hours, cheer the coach.....




 A group photograph , of the successful folks, with the coach, Dr Reddy, second from right.  Our Special Champion, R, to the extreme right.  The Scroll of Honor in the background.