December 2007 Archives

I ran yesterday, for what was only the second time this month. Yes, I'm a non-runner. I can accept that, I guess. Certainly running 5km feels nothing like what it used to. So much has been lost.

I won't complain or grumble, though. I know where I want to be next summer, and I will get there. In the meantime, life is about so much more than just running. While I'm hardly juggling all my diverse interests flawlessly, there is a certain flow to the way things are going. If there are no shining moments of brilliance, at least everything is progressing in its own way.

Christmas was its usual mix of stress and joy, the former preceding the latter. I got a pull buoy and a Rabobank jersey. I spent a day helping family move (closer to us!), and a day or two on the continuing house rearrangement. I skipped swimming and ate too much.

In the grand scheme, I like where things are going. I ran yesterday, and will run again before my holidays are up. Swimming is a challenge, and is keeping me in shape. The house is getting in order, albeit slowly. The family is starting to converge, which can only be good. My card playing is slowly improving. Things are moving forward at work.

I'm genuinely excited about next year. Part of the focus will be on "faster", rather than "farther". The focus will also be more on "fun", and less on "training". Sure, I'll still be training, but hopefully the process will be better than slogging through five runs a week. The goal will be to stay fit, get stronger, but to better integrate the process into the process of living.

The Saturday morning group at the Master's Swim Club was hosting an fun meet. I debated whether or not to attend, especially given my form this week, but decided that, if nothing else, it would be an opportunity to get some extra practice in.

The lanes were fairly packed, and there were a lot of familiar faces, both from my old Tuesday/Thursday group and from my new Monday/Wednesday/Friday group.

We did a light warmup with some drills, and work on free, breast and back. We then did 5x50 free descend on 1:05. Then, it was time to start.

The order of events was as follows:

25 open
50 open
challenge relay
200 open
4x50 free relay
100 open

I was going to forego the 25, but it looked like everyone was going to do it, so I decided I'd try a 25 fly for fun. I managed to only breathe once to the end of the pool, and was rewarded by breaking 15 seconds with a 14:23. I was pretty pumped.

For the 50 fly, I decided to see how my fast 25 metre fly time translated over 50 metres. On the starting block, I resolved to try to only breathe once on each 25, and of course on the turn. On the way out, I managed to only breathe once, but after the turn it occurred to me that I wasn't going to make it. I think I breathed 3 times, which isn't bad. Nor was my time, at 34.95 it was a PB over the distance for any stroke. Best of all, TWO!!

The challenge relay was interesting. 4x25, with a foam 1metre x 1metre square. Each 25, a different relay member had to be sitting on the foam. Any method of propultion was allowed, including pulling on the lane ropes.

We managed to avoid finishing last. Barely.

I jumped immediately into a 200 breast, the event I was most looking forward to. I tried to start slowly and build, but at about 115m I wondered if I could even finish. Rather than strengthen my kick and pick up my turnover, I was struggling. It was Friday's dizziness in the water all over again. I ended up at 3:18.

(Afterwards, I chatted with my coach, and he said that he had timed me at 3:16. (Aside - the Qual time is 3:17.) Either way, I know I can go faster, based on how it felt.)

I got sucked into doing a 50m free as part of a relay. Our team did not do very well, and I'm sure my slow lead lap didn't help.

At the end, I was rested enough to try a 100m free. I wasn't expecting much, but was pleased to break 1:25 (1:24.35 I think). Not horrible.

My arms, however, are stupendously sore this morning. I guess I must have worked. :P

I got sick a couple of weeks ago - survived on saltines for a few days. Bleh.

Got out for a run on Sunday. It had been four weeks.... I was slow and sore. Small wonder.

Monday's swim I had to wimp out and leave early. I just didn't have it. I expected to be a bit off from missing 4 swims in a row, but it seemed much harder than that even.

Wednesday the car ran out of gas in the driveway. I kid you not. I had gotten up early, warmed the car up, and shovelled the driveway. Then it stalled. Fun times.

Today was a tough swim. I soldiered through the best I could, but got dizzy on a couple of the tougher 3x100 sets. Weird, but given the rest of my week, maybe I lost a bit more than I thought I had when I stopped eating.

My strength will come back, but I guess sometimes it still all catches you off guard.