Day 37

Boston Qualifying Training. I am glad I went to bed when I did last night. Had I stayed up to watch all the Monday Night Football game I’d have been exhausted. My workout had to be short this morning, I had to be home so Kim could be at the school by 7 AM.

At the pool, there is a very small crowd, most of the racers from Augusta are getting to sleep in, it is well deserved. The temperature outside is 50 degrees, so today we swim inside, likely that will be the case from here forward.

I share with Mike, the swim coach I need to leave early and I jump right in and get started. With warm ups over, we have 5 x 300, with the first 50 all out. My lungs are burning with the first 50, this will be a good main set.

During the last set, I see Mike walking along as I swim, I think to myself, "Wow I am really doing better", I feel sleek and slim in the water, a real streamlined positioned. The guy swimming in the lane next to me is right along side me. My competitive nature kicks in, I decide I want to keep pace or better with his pace. I know he is faster, but do not care, it is the last of the set. I dig in thinking form, power… the first 100 we are on pace together. I can see that he has picked it up too. The next 100 I take a lead by a body length, it feels good, but I was doing some serious work to make that happen.

Finishing, I look at the time and I need to leave. Hopping out of the water, Mike stops me, he had video taped my swimming. I think yeah, he is going to tell me how much better I have gotten, how streamlined my body has become in the water, after all, I was really feeling it.

Wrong. I look at the tape, my legs which I thought were tight together were never any closer than 8 inches apart, my right leg looked as if it was moving independently from my body in a completely different rhythm, my toes were not pointed so I looked as if I were wearing boots, my shoulders seemed to just bulldoze the water in front like a steam shovel. It was really surprising, as that was my "good form". Clearly more work to do there.

Kim is off to the school... I am in charge. Wil and I miss his bus because we are watching Curious George. I have to drive Wil to school. I'll never hear the end of this from Kim. At least George got the man with the Yellow Hat his bowling ball back, not knowing would have killed me.

Weight 178.