Today was quite possibly the most fun I've had at the pool to date. We were to warm up for 5 to 10 minutes with our choice of stroke, then we'd do a 750 m "open water" swim. We combined two lanes to swim and everyone took off in a mass start to swim round and round. I let the fast kids take off first then I swum hard. The rush of adrenalin as I pushed off of the wall was incredible! Bubbles and churning water were everywhere and I just went for it. I kept up for maybe a loop and then I eased back a bit or else it was going to be tough to finish up the full 750 m at the pace I was going at. I was a firm middle of the packer. I couldn't quite keep up to the fast kids (in fact they lapped me), but I lapped a good number of people too. I even got knocked about a bit, but nothing too bad! While I don't think I'm quite ready to get in the lane and keep up with the fast folks, I think I need to push my endurance in the pool a bit more so that I can keep a faster pace. It is too easy to just fall into the lull of swimming lap after lap without pushing yourself. After we were done with the open water swim it was back to our lanes for some pyramids. I got into the groove of my front crawl and I felt so comfortable in the water. I think this "open water" swim was the proverbial kick in the pants that I've been looking for with swimming. Something that shows me the greater purpose of swimming as opposed to slogging through laps at the pool just because the swim is the first part of triathlon. I always tell people that it can take awhile to discover that you like running, and I think we may be approaching the point where I like swimming...!
No running to report for the week yet. I was booked for both lunch on Wednesday and today so I missed any chance of getting a run in over the daylight hours. After sitting in the car wash line for almost an hour yesterday evening I just wasn't feeling a run. And well...tonight...it is -18C (0F), so I'm not itching to get out in that. And truthfully, my coach has given me a bit of a buy this week on moving workouts around or skipping them if I'm not quite feeling them since we don't want to risk injury right now. Not to worry...I'm sure we'll get back to our regularly scheduled programming soon!
No running to report for the week yet. I was booked for both lunch on Wednesday and today so I missed any chance of getting a run in over the daylight hours. After sitting in the car wash line for almost an hour yesterday evening I just wasn't feeling a run. And well...tonight...it is -18C (0F), so I'm not itching to get out in that. And truthfully, my coach has given me a bit of a buy this week on moving workouts around or skipping them if I'm not quite feeling them since we don't want to risk injury right now. Not to worry...I'm sure we'll get back to our regularly scheduled programming soon!
11 comments:
You're doing great at the swimming! Enjoy the break! :D
Push it in the pool. It may hurt, but you'll improve dramatically.
Also- You're not at risk for injury.
Awesome that you are really starting to like the swimming. The open water exercise sounds like a great idea to keep it interesting a simulate an actual triathlon.
I'm sure you'll be back at your bazillion workouts a week before long. :)
An hour in the car wash line? Wow!
Glad to see the swimming coming along so swimmingly (sorry had to do it)!
I love the open water swim derby practice. Got to practice your leap frog and dunking skills soon:)
Good for you with the swimming - that is one the biggest reasons I admire triathletes - no fear of the open water (Like me)
Sweet job with the swimming and actually maybe starting to like it too? Even better ;D
i loved being on swim team in high school.. just haven't joined a gym to do it now.
ok so I'm considering doing my long run outside tomorrow but dude -1 windchill.. any advice from up north?
What great practice for OWS's. Personally just hearing about it made me nervous, but we all know I'm a weenie in the water.
Cool you got your sushi suit! =)
That was the start for my last 2 tris and it freaks me out every time! I guess practice makes perfect! Good job L!
Interesting open water drill. After I finally learned to swim, the contact with other swimmers was the next thing I found really challenging to deal with in my races. I had to stop and tread water any time anyone came near me. Such a simulation would have been beneficial to me.
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