Training Journal #9

Today is a day off. Hurray!

I gained a new respect for tri-athletes this week after doing spin class. Biking is hard work when you're actually trying! Not to mention having to do a run at the end of it all!

I swam 4km straight this week in 1 hour 15 minutes, and I swam my fastest 100m so far at 1:25!! I'm no longer in the slow lane at Brock Masters, I've graduated to almost swimming with the faster half of the team. Total mileage was 15.6km this week.

At Kiwanis Masters however I underwater-cried this week. Christine made us do another kick set/drill that was a combo of flutter kick and breast stroke pull among other things. It was really really hard to make it through the 6 repetitions she made us do. But when we were told that we misunderstood and were actually doing it 10 times I was sent over the edge. I've made a very strict pact with myself to never let anyone hear me complain about my training. This is all 100% voluntary. I chose this, so I don't get to whine about it. But I think something significant happened during that practice where I hit a wall and was screaming and crying with my face in the water as I started round 7. I was physically done. I was emotionally done. But that's where mental strength came into play and I kept going because I told myself I had to. I completed the work out, which was mostly fuelled by an intense hatred for Christine in that moment, but which I'm sure I'll be grateful for later. We are stronger than we think.

On April 6th (Easter Monday) I'm going to have a friend during my test swim. Her name is Anita and she's a mom and she's also looking at doing a long distance swim in the next year or two. I'm actually so thrilled to have a companion on that day. I don't think she'll be faster than me, but I also don't think I'll be lapping her like crazy. We'll hopefully be able to push each other on just the right amount.

Something I've taken to saying when talking to people about my swim is that everyone's mountain looks different. The most common thing I hear is "I could never do that!", and they're probably right, but there's lots of things I could never physically do either (Like do a back bridge, or run a marathon. Ha! Sorry lets get real, I couldn't run 10km.) Lake Erie isn't their mountain at this moment, it's mine. Sometimes our mountains aren't even physical things, actually most of the time they're not. I also can't compare myself to people like Christine who have done "bigger" things like Lake Ontario. Lake Erie is my mountain, and its plenty big enough for me.

I've told the world about my intentions now via Facebook. It's been awesome to receive so many messages of encouragement!