Too many miles on the tri bike may have resulted in some bad habits! The posture evidently had carried over to the water. Something about keeping your nose to the grindstone may have had something to do with it. But an innocent bystander observing my stroke on Friday morning asked if she could make a suggestion.
I was both thinking, "You have no idea what you're doing" meaning- giving me more things to frett about weeks before swimming longer than I've ever swam, in water colder than I've ever swam, with more people than I've ever swam...you get the idea!
However, I did have the common sense to identify that she had a beautiful stroke herself and was swimming with such ease that I was trying to emulate her even before she spoke to me. I called Tim Hansen and scheduled one of the half hour swim lessons I've had on my books for over three years!
Sat am at 7 I asked him to observe me as I started my long workout for that day and not give me too much to overwhelm me but tips that would make the biggest impact on economy and efficiency to help cut down on fatigue and ensure I could relax sooner into my own swim pace.
With his tips I cut 6 seconds off my 25yd and 16 off my 100. Plus, it felt easy- as if I was gliding rather than working harder expending more energy.
I wasn't sure about whether to laugh or cry.....the months of maybe less than good form- expending energy that could have been reserved for more distance, or for better recovery.
I laughed instead- how fun was that!
No one ever accused me of being fast! OK- one person, and I at the time felt sorry for him, thinking that he really needed lessons!
A friend of my son's commented to him on how slow I was in the pool while swimming laps at the country club this summer. Something like a "your mamma" joke I suppose. I couldn't hold telling the truth against him! All I could do was think, if you think that's bad you should see my run and bike! It's true I was getting slower every day !!
At least some light at the end of the tunnel.
New book by my nightstand. I finished "Seventeen Hours to Glory" and am reading the lone from swim coach, "Becoming an Ironman." It's exactly what I need this next three weeks. Triumph from all walks of athlete and the simple reminder that mere mortals do do this.
I may be learning the most about what to pack in my special needs bags from this book. The expert books all tell it like a bullet point list, but this one, from the trenches tells me what worked for these people. So far the common denominator? Advil, Aleve and some kind of treats to look forward to!
19 days to go. OMG.
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