Returning to her comfort zone: Linda Hunt of Halifax Trojans on backstroke and returning to swimming after 30 years out of the pool

For Linda Hunt, "There is something to be said for learning [a skill] when you're young that plays a really important role when you come back to it."

In this case, the Halifax Trojans Master is returning to the pool and backstroke. The former age group swimmer came back in 2002. She had been away for 30 years. When she left swimming at age 18, "I was at the point where I never wanted to go into the pool again."

Instead, Hunt tried new things. At 35 she played a season of broomball. Although she had never played before, she tried softball: "Fast pitch, no less."

She was into triathlon too and struggling in the water when she decided to try swimming again. She only returned to help her triathlon performance. "It was so nice to get back to something I knew and relatively well.

"Low and behold the bug caught me. Swimming took over my life again." Now she swims upwards of 5 times a week

Masters swimming is so different than when she was swimming as a youngster when there was more pressure, more drive to win, she says. Growing up in a Navy family, she swam with teams in Shearwater and Shannon Heights. In age group swimming, practices were often a chore. "Now practices are fun. There's the social aspect. You don't have the same pressure. You do it because you want to be there."

For Hunt, being the oldest female in her lane is interesting. She enjoys swimming with the younger athletes. "It's an accomplishment. You feel good."

But there are no age boundaries. Sometimes she leads the set. "I don't feel like the 52 year old. I'm the backstroker." And is she ever!

In 2005 she was ranked in the FINA Top 10 in the women's 50-54 age group in all three backstroke events: fifth in the 50m with 37.18 seconds; seventh in the 100m with 1:22.82; and eighth in the 200m with 3:01.59.

When she returned to swimming, muscle memory returned more easily in backstroke than in the other strokes, she says. When she was tired during the swim in triathlon she would flip onto her back "and it felt so much better."

Hunt is a consistent swimmer, training season-round, says Trojans' coach Nigel Kemp. She appreciates the role of competition and learning about herself and her abilities, he says.

"She continually seeks ways of challenging herself on a broad front. She has become an accomplished individual medley swimmer. The pursuit of such goals provides ongoing motivation."

Hunt is also the team's equipment manager and enjoys using all the training toys available, he adds.

"The use of hand paddles is of particular value to backstrokers. Linda has great body position in backstroke with a very flexible and ballistic arm recovery." Paddles tend to exaggerate the positive and highlight the negative, where swimmers can still pursue improvement, he says.

Hunt's 200m back has been slipping lately and she is struggling with her breathing, she says. In order to keep up in the endurance lanes where she swims, Hunt has to swim more freestyle. She believes swimming less backstroke, because she also swims the other three racing strokes, may be throwing off her rhythm.

Although she holds records, competition is personal for Hunt. "I love the whole swim for yourself, because you can, because you enjoy it and to see what you can accomplish."

For coach Kemp, Hunt's enjoyment of swimming is infectious and adds a lot to the Trojans' training environment.

Hunt has become even more excited about swimming, since she began coaching a Special Olympics swim team in Dartmouth this year. "It puts a really neat perspective on swimming. It really shows how much fun you can have at swimming."

Her team is preparing for the Regional and Provincial Championships in Antigonish in July. "It's going to be a riot."

Quick Questions:

Family status:	Married, twin daughters aged 27, a Chihuahua named Tobi, and soon to be a grandmother
Career:	Program Manager, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Halifax.
Number of years swimming:	6 years in age group and 4 years as a Master
Favourite Stroke:	Backstroke and Individual Medley
Least Favourite stroke/event:	200 breaststroke - I belong to the "Society for the Elimination of breaststroke in Individual medley"!!
Top 3 reasons to love Masters swimming:	The great people Getting back in shape Men in Speedos
Other favourite sports:	cycling and running
Favourite after sport food or drink:	frozen yogurt
Current reading:	Sylvanus Now by Donna Morrissey
Tip on how to stay motivated:	Have fun and don't take yourself too seriously.
Song or music playing in your head during workouts:	Usually the last song that played on the car radio before practice.