Swimming with a Purpose

I started back with Total Technique Training tonight for swimming. I took their month-long clinic in February and absolutely loved it. Now, swimming is definitely my weakness and if I skip a workout, it's always the swim. Basically, I'm paying not only for the instruction, but mainly for the discipline of having structured workouts 3x per week. As usual, I was a little (ok-a lot) trepidatious about going. 'I'm going to be the slowest...' 'I suck at swimming.' All of my usual negative self-talk was pervasive all day today. I kept willing it away. Even when I drove up to the pool, it was with an impending sense of dread. However, the second I got in the pool, I felt great. Coaches Maurice and Chrissie are great and know quite well which lanes to place their swimmers. Naturally, I'm in the lane with the "least experienced" swimmers (i.e. slower ones), but that's totally o.k. I'm used to being in the slow group. I just hate being last. I was pleasantly relieved to hear that all of the other women were experiencing the same self-doubt that I was. No one wanted to go first. Everyone verbally expressed their apprehension about holding the group back. As it turns out, we all had different strengths that served us well. I'm terrible with the kickboard, but great with the fins, etc.

The workout was an unforgiving "Welcome Back." Our total workout was 2700 m tonight with a little bit of everything thrown in for good measure...drills, pull bouy, kickboard, fins, paddles and even intervals with no gear. Out of the 6 of us in Lanes 1 and 2, I was one of 3 who stayed and completed the entire workout. We were supposed to finish at 8:30pm and I was still swimming at 8:45p. Why? Because I want to experience completion. I want to know what it's like to finish the workout and still feel strong. I want to be a good student so that I make the necessary improvements. It felt good being one of the last out of the pool because I DID IT.

Nutrition:
5:15am 1/2 w.w. tortilla with PBJ
9:15am Kashi with berries and yogurt
12:30pm see above--same thing, cup of other fruit as well (pineapple, melon, berries)
3:45 1/2 w.w. tortilla with PBJ
6:30pm couple of bites of leftover Firebowl with chicken, brown rice and veggies...a few bites of oreo blizzard from last night.
9:15om Finished off the Firebowl and had a couple more bites of blizzard...1/2 glass of red wine.