The MIT 100 yard swim test was today. Everyone is required to pass it at some point in their career here.
I did, but just barely, and the last quarter was running on raw, brute “DO NOT FAIL” determination. Which I guess the body can convert, marginally, into energy. The first 25 yards (across the pool), I was just fine. In fact, I almost ran into the guy ahead of me. On the return, things started to slow down. On the third run, I barely made it across, and the very last leg, it was just “close eyes, keep head above water, think of good things in life”.
Afterwards, it took almost all my mental stamina just to remain standing as I was so sore. But I got a t-shirt out of it too. On the back, it says “Because there is more to life than being really, ridiculously smart.”
Yes, really, ridiculously awesome and sexy. Nowhere does it say athletic!