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by Louise Allan | Jan 20, 2015 | 0 comments

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At the weekend, I swam in my first ever WA State M

At the weekend, I swam in my first ever WA State Masters Swimming Championships. I’ve put together some of the highlights in this video and doubled the speed because if you watched them at actual pace it would be rather like watching a snail!

About 18 months ago I returned to swimming after a 40-year break. I was never a serious swimmer in my youth, but I always enjoyed being in water, so going back to the pool felt like coming ‘home’.

Since then, I’ve committed rather obsessively to improving my technique, all the time wondering if it was too late, if I might be ‘past it’. But thanks to the encouragement and expertise of @eswimelena, and a great club in @claremont_masters, who are so generous with tips and support, everything about my swimming has improved.

I nearly pulled out of these Champs a million times. I injured my shoulder a few weeks ago, which kept me out of the water for a while.

I must admit, it wasn’t just the injury that made me want to pull out – it was also nerves. I had to keep telling myself: nothing is riding on this. Absolutely nothing. It’s not like medical exams or handing my novel to my agent or that I need to swim for my livelihood.

I’m just doing it for me: for fun, for fitness, and for personal achievement. All of which I achieved.

As well as two PBs and a couple of events I’d not raced in before. In my 200m freestyle, I came 6/6 in my age group, but that doesn’t matter – I did a 7 second PB so I’m elated.

It’s been a stressful year to date, which has taken up way too much of my time and energy, and meant I haven’t had the bandwidth to write as much as I normally do.

But through it all, swimming’s kept me sane. Every time I dive into the water, everything else fades. It becomes about my body in the water, my stroke, my kick, how the water feels. They don’t call it black line therapy for nothing!

Then there are the people I swim with, the friends I’ve made, who all ‘get’ the need to swim.

I feel so happy to be doing this. Onwards and upwards from here!

💦🏊🏻‍♀️💦

#swimming #loveswimming #toomuchswimmingisneverenough @mastersswimmingwa

Yesterday was massive and I was a very tired lady

Yesterday was massive and I was a very tired lady by the end of the day. We ran the third FAWWA Sunday Sessions, which is the culmination of many weeks of work on behalf of the organising committee: Emma Bladen, Holly Craig, Susan Cullen, Annie Fursland, David Allan-Petale and myself.

Word seems to be spreading about how wonderful these workshops are. Yesterday the weather even co-operated – the first Sunday of sessions we didn’t need umbrellas. The weather behaved perfectly – we couldn’t have asked for a better day.

The sessions were immediately followed by the Tom Collins Poetry Prize Announcement – I’ll make Reel of that soon, when my eyes aren’t so square!

There was something for everyone yesterday, with workshops by Natasha Lester, AJ (Amanda) Betts, Amanda Kendle and Amanda Bridgeman. Many faces have become familiar, including Ana, who’s attended every single one of our sessions and stays all day! There were lots of new faces, too, and it’s always lovely to meet new writers. What a lovely community we have here in Perth!

Not only do we pride ourselves on the authors we invite to present and the quality of their workshops, but we are very proud of our great morning and afternoon teas, and lunches.

I hope everyone enjoyed themselves as much as the organisers did! We’re hoping to run another set of sessions in Spring, but right now we need a break and time to catch our breaths!

#writing #writingcommunity #writingworkshops #author #writingcourses

TOM COLLINS POETRY PRIZE The Fellowship of Austr

TOM COLLINS POETRY PRIZE

The Fellowship of Australian Writers WA are delighted to announce the shortlist of the 2023 Tom Collins Poetry Prize, selected by our judge, Rose van Son.

Congratulations on making this list out of a record-breaking 379 entries!

The winner and place-getters will be announced at Mattie Furphy House at 5.30pm this Sunday, March 19.

There will be poetry readings, as well as wine and catering by French Resistance, Nedlands.

Tickets for the event are free, but please RSVP for catering purposes via Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/myevent?eid=573033678157

We can’t wait to see you, and to celebrate our talented poetry community!
#perthpoets #perthpoetry #fawwa

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