— DANIELLE O'HANLEY

I’m lucky enough to be living near so many parks and paths. This summer, I’ve been  channeling my energy into swimming a few times a week. Earlier in the year, I was taking a swimming class with the city — as an ex-lifeguard, I wasn’t expecting much, but I’ve managed to master a stroke I never thought I’d be able to do: butterfly. This has boosted my confidence and I’ve been trying hard to keep it up.

So, all summer I’ve been heading over to High Park outdoor pool a few times a week to swim and practice. Then I heard about the Ontario Women’s Triathlon and I saw a new challenge. This Sunday, I’m doing the race as part of a team, and doing the swimming leg. I’m equal parts excited and terrified.

I went for my first outdoor swim last week at Cherry Beach. Put on a full wetsuit for the first time, and I’ve gotta say — those things are damn slimming. They take forever to put on, though. So I wouldn’t suggest putting one of those on for a night out.

Cherry Beach is beautiful. I’ve only ever associated it with late night swims, but this past Thursday, it was filled with sail boats and picnickers.

Swimming in open water is a challenge. You never have to think about swimming in a straight line when you’re in a pool. In the lake, you think you’re swimming straight towards the next buoy line until you look up and realize you’ve veered off course by about a half dozen metres.

But overall, it was a good time and full of lessons. My second training swim had to be rescheduled — it was way too windy on Sunday — but I’m hoping to get one more open-water swim in before the race. Aaaand I’m less than a week away from my first triathlon.

Wack.