Thanks Wes! I finally have a swim plan and my first structured pool workout behind me. Getting in the pool is an important step to reach my 2008 goals. I am eyeing a very short sprint tri at the end of May and time in the pool will determine if I can build enough base to sign up. With only 2 months before the decision must be made and some pretty weak swim endurance, I have some work to do!
As per the plan, I swam 20 pool lengths with a 20 second rest between each, give or take 5 seconds per pool length. Sometimes I felt graceful, sometimes I felt like I was fighting the water, always I was amazed that I was swimming again. It is not as easy as I remember as a kid. Tonight the muscles in my hips ache. Since I am waiting for re-employment before hiring a swim coach, I went back to my swim book to read the description of the freestyle kick to see if I did something wrong. I don’t think I did but will be more conscious of the kick at my Thursday swim.
I do have a couple of questions:
-Do all goggles leave raccoon eyes or are mine too tight?
-Do other people have issues with water trapped in their ears? I have tried alcohol, Auro-Dri AND peroxide but my left ear does give up the water easily. Guess it goes without saying that I suffered with swimmers ear every summer as a child.
Running is my favorite sport and always on my schedule so I went to Cherokee Blvd (close to my house and safe) before the swim to put in 5.2 miles (out 2.6-miles and back). I ran the upper and lower sections, which translates for 3-miles of rolling terrain and 2.6-miles of hills, actually two major hills. The effort was slow and quite pleasant!
