Double Dip Sunday

I woke this morning with a headache and I know I promised myself I would start training in earnest for my ultimate goal of 10k...but it's so easy to just roll over and forget about swimming. I think it's because things aren't going too well for me personally and it is spilling over into my swimming. I know I shouldn't let it, because my swimming will be with me for the rest of my life whereas my issues won't be. The saying "you are one swim away from a good mood" is so true...but sometimes, just sometimes, it doesn't work out like that.

Nevertheless, my dedication kicked in and I knew that if I didn't go for an early morning swim, I would regret it. SO I had to force myself to go. It wasn't easy...I went out of the front door three times before I had everything in my bag. Forgot my tablets, forgot my swim hat, forgot my shampoo...!!!

Eventually I got to the pool and sluggishly started to swim..it is so different to swimming in the sea and I have to say it isnt as enjoyable...but if I want the prize I have to do it. If I want something bad enough..I usually go to the ends of the earth to get it. A 10k medal is no different!

I managed to do a mile...1600m, but because I had a load of rests, I had to get out of the pool while they took the lanes out and then get back in again to do just four lengths...that'll teach me for hanging around the pool edges! LOL

my stats were:

Linda has completed a 1625m swim at Gosport Leisure Centre with SWIMTAG
Swim Time: 43min 8sec | Ave Pace: 159.3sec/100m | Ave Stroke Rate: 23strokes/min | Calories: 417 kcal | Ave DPS: 1.61m/stroke

I didn't actually do 65 lengths, so when I edited the final length of backstroke (where swim tag got that from I don't know!) the time came in at 42min 37secs.

You know, all I want is to get round London in under 40 minutes...it's just beginning to look further away...sometimes all this monitoring is demoralising!!

Tonight I went back to the pool and swam with Bayside Tri...we had the whole pool available, so it was nice to just have one other in the same lane and for that person to be about the same speed!! Luxury!

My stats tonight were:

Linda has completed a 1600m swim at Gosport Leisure Centre with SWIMTAG
Swim Time: 40min 52sec | Ave Pace: 153.3sec/100m | Ave Stroke Rate: 26strokes/min | Calories: 410 kcal | Ave DPS: 1.50m/stroke 

Sea Swim v Pool Swim

This week I have done more swimming in the sea and only been to the pool on Friday to train with Bayside Tri...I have to admit that when standing on top of hot ovens at work, the idea of a sea swim is far more appealing than getting into a crowded pool full of lane rage. It just has a feeling you cannot match in the pool and that is the freedom. Come and go as you please, plenty of space...beautiful view...what more can you ask for? The only thing is, I just swim, I don't practice anything I have been taught as my stroke depends on the state of the sea...sometimes the waves crash over your head and bilateral breathing goes out of the window as you can only breathe on one side, unless you want a mouthful of sea water each time. The benefit of the pool is that you can train in a controlled environment, albeit constrained into one length roped off..walls each end..lol. I think they both have benefits and I have always believed that I should learn it in the pool and then bring it outdoors to the sea, lake or river.

Today I intended to go for a sea swim, but my Grandson decided he didn't want to go at the last minute...but there was time to get to the pool for the final session...so that's what I did. Fortunately there wasn't many there and I got a whole lane to myself! Brilliant..! Only wish my stats were as brilliant though! :(

Linda has completed a 1650m swim at Gosport Leisure Centre with SWIMTAG

Swim Time: 41min 45sec | Ave Pace: 151.8sec/100m | Ave Stroke Rate: 27strokes/min | Calories: 433 kcal | Ave DPS: 1.43m/stroke

I just can't see any improvement in my swimming at all..the only thing I have improved on is the distance I can swim now...ie the two 5k swims I have done, but other than that, I haven't improved my times at all. Perhaps I am just feeling a bit demoralised with the way I have everything recorded, times, strokes, DPS, and it's taken all the enjoyment out of it...perhaps I'm being negative!!

This evening I went for a walk along Stokes Bay...very pleasant, had my friends dog and he went running up to a young lady who came out of the toilet block..she had just been swimming, but I hadn't noticed her earlier as I walked from one end of the beach to the other...but anyway, we had quite a conversation in the short time I was talking to her....she was lovely to talk to, I gave her a lift home as she was staying just around the corner from my friends house. Hopefully I meet her again, her name was Anne. 

Which brings me to the other side of swimming...I had always felt fairly lonely swimming, particularly as I was doing it mostly at the pool and any interaction ended at the nods and hellos from the regular swimmers. This year I have changed that and joining Bayside Tri was the beginning..training with like minded people is so much fun...we all have the same goal..to get better, faster and win medals..lol...moving on from that came The Shack Sharks at Hillhead and then came the lovely people at Shore Road..it doesn't have to be lonely at all..thankfully!