Tuesday, June 10, 2008

I DID IT!!

I don't really know why I have had a HUGE mental block to showing up to masters swim at my gym. I paid for it...I should just go...but I came up with a zillion excuses not to go.

I'd tell myself : "I'll just swim on my own," Except swimming on my own bores me to tears.

I've done a couple of masters swimming things in my past, even just a few times back in my pre-tri days. I just tried it. I didn't think about it and showed up and somehow swam a zillion laps on no previous swim training. So I'm not sure why I was inhibited to show up aside from the knowledge that I would be the slowest. But I did it!! I had a no excuse day and I went! It was sorta a non-event in the end, probably because it was a 'recovery' day. (good day for a first time to show up). Someone had some pity on me when I was looking lost and wondering where the coach was and told me just to jump in and start warming up. That at least made me feel a little more welcome.

As I predicted, I was slow...but I got a good workout in and more laps than I would have done on my own. We did this horrible drill where we were doing 8 x 75's where the first twenty five you would breathe every 7 strokes, the next 25 you would breathe every five and on the last 25 you would breathe every 3. Not a fan. But we had to do it again later in the workout 4 x 75's and the second time around the breathing was a little easier for me to get the hang of. Masters swimming will definitely become more a part of my training, WAY better than swimming by myself...for sure!!

Yoga helped a little with the hips this morning, but not as much as I was hoping. My legs were pretty tired from two days of back to back hilly running but I managed. Yoga felt good. I really am not doing enough of it these days...but it is so hard to fit EVERYTHING in I want to do!! And hard to convince my body that it really can handle everything I want it to do. I'm off of crossfit this week because I'm doing a fitness/VO2 max/lactic acid threshold test on friday. Yes, i'm a nerd...i want the data. I know the numerous debates on the how helpful VO2 max really is...but I think the lactic acid threshold test would be useful. Shall see.

8 comments:

J said...

Yikes! Remindme never to go to a masters swim class!

Benson said...

Totally awesome!
you're only a little slow now. keep it up and speed will come along.
Swimming and yoga are favorites of mine too.

Runner Leana said...

Congrats on making it to that swim class! I made it to the pool last night too. Keep up with the yoga - after you get a chance to go a bit more regularly you'll really notice the benefits. I think for me the biggest thing has been more core strength, but I find that those annoying little glitches in my running don't come up as often when I'm getting to yoga a bit more. I know what you mean about trying to fit everything in. Between running, biking, yoga, boot camp and now the pool I wonder when I'll get some non-exercise "me" time.

Paul said...

Master swimming is so much better. Swimming solo is like rubbing sand in your eyes. :)

Formulaic said...

Way to go!

Master Classes are so hard and therefore good for you.

Keep it up.

Also, make sure to take pictures of your testing!

Sarah said...

Yaaaaaaay masters!!! I'm so glad you made it!! See, once you go...you're so happy you went. And it is SO MUCH better than going at it alone.

I know what you mean about fitting it all in. Just can't do it all, but we can try. That's all we can ask!

VO2 max stuff is interesting. I'm scared to do it because it will hurt like a MOFO (getting to your max HR would just plain hurt!), but I'm interested in the data too.

Have fun!

triguyjt said...

I love to swim...to improvise my own workouts, but everyone once in a while i go with a coach and its always a good thing....

Sunshine said...

Good luck tomorrow.
Will check in to see how it went.