Today I set an end-time limit, and thought I’d get in as many laps as possible before that time, as opposed to setting a lap goal, and swimming that no matter how long it takes.

The problem is, I’m not sure of the exact time I started!  I think it was around 6:15 AM, and my end time was 7. It’s been three weeks (?) since my last swim workout, and I could feel it.  I wanted to quit the whole time, whereas usually when I swim I’m so excited to actually be in the water that that is what usually propels me through the workout.  The warmup was hard, as usual.  I swam 50 free, 50 back, and repeated that set.  I always want to do 100 free, but I am wiped out by the end of 50.  After the first set, I swam 100 breast.  That’s the warmup.

Now I was tired, so I swam 50 elementary back for a cool down, but I kept moving.  Then I set my watch to time my IM.  I swam the 100 IM in 2.50.12, which is just shy of a second slower than my last swim.  I didn’t know this at the time, but I knew it was slower.  I was relieved to see how close the time was; that made me feel more consistent.

After this IM, I swam another 50 elementary, followed by another 100 IM.  I did this two more times, bringing my butterfly total to 100 yards.

I was brushing up againat my time limit by this point.  I had 5 minutes until 7 AM, and I wanted to swim 100 more yards.  I wanted to swim faster without killing myself, so I didn’t rush.  My watch beeped 7 AM somewhere around my 950th yard.  I swam 50 more to reach 1000, my goal for the day.  I jumped out of the pool at 7:03.

I plan to get to the pool earlier next time and swim 1500.  And I plan to do that next week!  Wish me luck.