So I went swimming again this morning. I stepped into the pool at 5:50, and out of the pool at 6:52. I love my (Timex Ironman) watch, if I must say.

I knew that today was a swim team day at the Y, so that at some point in the 6 o’clock hour, the pool would be full, so I got in the slow lane, the double lane near the door that they reserve for lap swimming even during swim team practice.

I had the lane to myself at first, but I was soon joined by an older man doing the doggie paddle. I’m one of those folks that likes to swim near the wall. Call me crazy, but it’s probably left over from my days as a non-swimmer. Gotta make sure the wall is still there, you see?

ahem.

I must have swum 200 yards when a woman joined us, swimming down the middle. That kind of thing used to bother me. Now I’m used to it. Or so I thought.

When it came time in my workout to do my IMs, I clicked my watch to time myself. I swam the first 100 IM in 2:57.22. That was much slower than last week, when I swam it at 2:50 and some change. That was discouraging.  So I decided to time my second IM. 2:58.46. Wow!

I accepted the fact that no matter what I did, each IM would be slower than the last, and I was just having an off day. My third IM was even slower: 3:00.75. Then the old man left the pool. The only way I could tell was that the woman had moved over. I moved over. More specifically, I moved off the wall, which I had been hugging for most of my set. I timed my fourth IM. 2:52.37. That was more like it! That was more in line with last week.

Who knew? The wall can slow you down that much. In fact, the wall was an even bigger factor than stopping to catch my breath before the last length.

I can’t say enough good things about that watch. . .

btw, I reached two goals in the pool this morning:  to swim 1500 overall, and to swim a 100 free in my warmup.  Next goal:  to swim 100 free in warmup and cool down.