Nemo had some "spunk" today!

Ever since I returned from Austin, my swim has changed…for the better actually!! I am not sure what it was, the ability to exert myself more at sea level that translated to a more “swim like” form/feel, or the drills I had been working on; regardless something clicked.

And no, this is not one of those I went from 1:20 min per 100 meters to 1:10….I can’t even swim that fast in my dreams!! Honestly, the triathlon “race” for me is the bike and run…so don’t laugh when I list my swim times (for the benefit of my ego, I use the “I don’t do flip turns excuse”).

I have been feeling smooth and strong in the pool coming in constantly at 2 min per 100 meters; no matter if the interval is fast or slow, it is a 2 minute pace for me…100 meters, 200 meters…….500 meters.. Ahhh, another perk of endurance! The problem is when I try to go fast, I tense up, worry, my form goes to crap and I might end up slower than if I had considered it an “easy interval”…oh, and Wolfgang says I “can’t kick worth s#*T”…no wonder my times in a wetsuit are ummm 10-15 seconds per 100 meter faster!! LOL!

Today I think I was too tired to care…we had to do 100’s on the 2 min….I was tired and all I cared about was getting it done with good form. I focused on the hips and pull…low and behold I hit the wall at 1:55!!!...three times!! Then 1:57….for a few more….now folks, this is progress!! This will keep me coming back for more!!

Honestly up until a month ago I dreaded going swimming because it hurt, made me tired and I was not improving. I was honestly getting depressed about the whole darn thing…turns out swimming only works when you want to swim and can relax!! Volume in swimming pays off when you have the correct form (which I did not!!)

I love the “off” season because it means I don’t have to swim, and I don’t! Yet, I still do casual runs/bikes…but honestly, I will take a month completely off of swimming. During that time whatever little upper body strength/muscle I had built withers away, the coordination goes to crap and I am like a cat in the water when I return…Wolfgang probably bangs his head till it hurts when I return from an off season!....and he should!!

So, my math tells me it has taken 2.5 months to build up to a “respectable” swim fitness for me (this is strictly based upon me as I know it is ridiculously slow to others)….hmmm, 1 month off and 2.5 months to build back to normalcy… I think I will never ever take another swim “off season”

All of this aside I am finally beginning to enjoy the swimming again, which really helps with those early morning wake-ups!!

Keep swimming Nemo!!