SWIM: 2000y in 55mins, MMM. 6x50mostly kicking, 2x100, then 3x500 as 200-100-200.
The 6x50 was supposed to be 6x100. The 2x100 I did OK. The 3x500 was supposed to be 5x500 as 200 moderate, the last 200 faster, and the 100 at the last 200 pace. 15s rest. I just swam.
This is a frustrating swim. My form is awful, I'm distracted by the chop and other swimmers, I'm always hitting the wall or worried about hitting it, and I'm going at >80% effort all the time just to keep up. I tell others that you don't need to be fast to swim this Master's but in all reality--yes you do. For the last half hour, I was the slowest person in the pool. I was swimming 3 laps to everyone else's 4-5 in my lane alone. So I can imagine that faster lanes did 3500-4000y. So why do I do this swim?
Let me start by relaying one story from today. I'm pushing along, just trying to keep out of the way. It sux but I keep going, trying to keep my pace and focus. I rest at the wall to let the other 3 swimmers go by me. As I wait, one of the women starts talking about how unmotivated she felt today and how slow she felt today and etc. She's slow? Wow, you're not that slow, cuz I'm in your way. And she's unmotivated? Then get the F out of the pool and give me space to swim!
So why do I do this swim? Because I'm motivated to get better. And that's a bit of a revelation for me today. As much as I hate swimming, as bad as I am, and as slow as I am, apparently I'm motivated to improve. Otherwise, why would I get up at 4:10am for a 5:15 swim that I don't enjoy?
I also realized that while I'd prefer to swim alone sometimes, this is like a group run. There's peer pressure to go and there's always someone pushing at you to keep up. Swims like this are the only way I'm going to improve.
And for some reason, I like to set goals by the month. Today is Feb 28 but it's also a Monday. And Monday's are the start of my week. So consider today the 1st of the month and start thinking about goals for the next 31 days. Get 'em on paper by end of day.
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