Yesterday morning while plowing through my breakfast bagel, I read a blogpost on swimming by Elizabeth Waterstraat and she talks about how challenging herself with swimming, putting herself in a faster lane, forcing herself to meet more demanding set intervals, was key to her making improvements over the years. Reading this post got me all jazzed about my Tuesday AM swim - I was going to promote myself up a lane whether I liked it or not! I've been on the fence for awhile about doing this - I feel like I am between lanes right now. I'm a PITA in my original lane and I'm risking being a PITA in a new, faster lane. Tuesdays are usually a pretty safe day to take such a risk because there aren't typically any lung-busting sets and hopefully that would save me from being lapped n a 50. Anyway, I had second thoughts when I pulled into the parking lot. "Maybe this isn't your week. Maybe you should stay safe and think about a lane promotion, but don't actually act on it until next week." I was hopscotching the fence all the way to the edge of the pool. And I saw my normal lane had twice as many people as the lane I was considering moving into. And the sets didn't look too bad (alas, I didn't look very closely, the last set was 10x100 IM: I-freaking-M).
Long story short. I moved up a lane. I survived. And I'm going to give it another go on Thursday (when there usually are lung-busting sets). Oh, and my butterfly is as unpretty as a caterpillar. Bleck.
4 comments:
That is great, Caroline! You will see progress by moving up! If I work hard(er) maybe I'll be able to join you one day! :)
this is why i'm scared of master's swim :) congrats!
And here I thought you had slept in. Now that you are two lanes up, I can hardly even see how that far away! Maybe I'm due for a lane promotion too. Maybe I'll apply your advice to me. Maybe I'll wake up on time and get to swim practice in the morning. See you there! --Kgo
Nice work! Keep pushing.
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