29Jun16

Met Lisa again but this time it was 0600.  Josh was also there.  Have not seen him or swam with him in a long time.  It was good to see him.  We all headed out and did the same T route as Monday but went farther on the 2nd part of the T section.  I am full blown sick right now so even with my asthma meds, I'm about 50% lung capacity.  Every time I would pick up the pace, my lungs would shut down.  As I was coming in, I saw Gords van by the ramp.  He is training Chad for Catalina.
We all got out and stood around talking for a few minutes.  It has been awhile since we have all been together in a lake talking about swimming and poking fun of each other.  I didn't realize how much I missed it.
Felt good to be in the water again and I'm SLOWLY gaining the motivation to be swimming more often.

2067 yards = 1.17 miles OW

27Jun16

Met with Lisa Gentile this morning at 0700.  One of her coworkers joined us but forgot his name.  I am getting sick and was tired so I already knew I was not going to be doing so well.  We did just a simple loop going east to the end of the buoys then back to make the small T.  Some of the buoys have been moved so the distance just going east and back no longer equals one mile.  Doing the route we did ended up being 1 mile.
I used my new GPS watch and tried it out.  The nice thing about it is that I did not notice it after 2 minutes.  The part I do NOT like is that until you get to 10,000 yards, it measures everything in yards, then after 10k, will convert to miles.  It's OW, why would I care about yards?  Now I have to convert every time I swim!  An update is coming out I was told by Chad but it just seems silly.

1851 yards = 1 mile OW

23Jun16

I was gifted a GPS watch that is waterproof last Xmas and decided to try it out.  Apparently it has an pool mode and OW mode.  My daughter is taking a diving class at the nearby pool and as she was in class, I decided to try the watch out.
I really liked the watch and after 2 laps, I did not notice it anymore on my wrist.  It keeps a good measurement as long as you KEEP MOVING.  I noticed a few times during breaks that it would go up by 25 yards even though I was on the starting wall.  The watch ended up showing 50 yards more than I really swam.  Not a big deal but it does help to keep you limited in your rests.

I just did a lot of 50's starting at the watch underwater and the most I did was a 500

1500 SCY

21Jun16

Woke up at 0530 and headed to pool nearby.  Early in the morning it is set up for 50 LCM which is great.
Took it easy today.

500
500 pull
4 x 100 hard down easy back
100 easy

1500 LCM

17Jun16 - BACK?

Well I've been SLOWLY getting back into swimming.  The break I took last year really got me into the habit of taking it easy in the mornings and sleeping in.  Once January rolled around, I started going to the pool but only 2-3 times a week with no real enthusiasm.
A few things have happened that have caused my motivation to falter a bit:
1 - Laziness
2 - Most others in our S.L.O.W. group are not swimming as much
3 - Laziness
4 - Gords quit swimming until further notice and that is a bummer
5 - Laziness
6 - No real goal this year and nothing I have had to make a financial commitment to in order to force my ass to the water.
7 - Laziness
8 - End of school year was busy and immediately after school was out, I went on a cruise.  Now I'm taking Health endorsement classes for a few weeks.
9 - LAZINESS!

I did go on a cruise last week and did swim 1 mile in Honduras so I can check that country off for my "1-Mile per country" self challenge.  Beautiful swim and had a great time.

Representing SLOW with my suit.

I have been going to the pool here and there for a few months but effort and drive are just not there.
The water is warming up and I decided to start trying OW again.  I had gone to GSL a few times earlier last month to help out my Master's coach Rebecca as she prepared for the GSL 10k.
I checked online and Jordanelle was reporting 65 degree water.  No problem.  I woke up early and headed down to the lake before the sun rose.  Just like old times.
I got my Swimmer Buddy ready and walked into the water....This is NOT 65 degrees.  I stood there with water at my waist for 10 minutes debating whether to swim or not.  I felt like such a wimp and coward.  I was shivering, anxious, and generally unhappy to be there.  I forced myself in and started going.  I got the usual searing pain between my eyes I usually get when the water is below 50.  I swam to the first buoy and took out my thermometer.  I was expecting something really bad...nope, only 57!  I was actually cold and complaining for 57 degree water.  Then I flat out got upset with myself.  How soft have I become where 57 degree water shakes me this bad?  ( I was still shivering at the first buoy...again, pathetic)
I forced myself to swim some to at least warm up.  I swam a few more buoys then turned back.  My biggest goals up getting up, getting to the lake early and at least getting in were met.
I ended up only doing .7 miles but the mental hurdle was the biggest accomplishment for today.
All the way home I kept thinking:
1 - It used to take the water to be at LEAST 55 before I would even shiver at all!
2 - Last year I would not break stride from my car to the lake, to full swimming.  It was one continuous motion.  Today I stood there for at least 10 minutes talking myself into it and convincing myself that I will be okay.
3 - I used to come here and do a minimum of a few miles per day.  Before Tahoe, I did 10 and wanted more...MUCH more but forced myself out.  Now I was done at .7.
4 - Man...I have gotten SOFT!

The good news is that when I got out, I got that rush of accomplishment you get when finishing a workout.  Silly but I had forgotten that feeling.  Knowing that feeling is coming is the only thing that has kept me swimming some days.  I also did get a spark to keep going.  I do have class again next week but I might go out a few times anyway.  I at least know I won't die!

Nice and easy

.7 miles OW