Lack of Motivation

I ended last week on a total of 7kms after nursing my shoulder and generally recoving from the minor cold. This week saw me lose motivation completely. I think, having got out of the momentum of morning swimming that I had created, I just couldn't force myself to get enthusiastic about swimming. I felt tired most mornings and enjoyed spending a bit of extra time in bed and having lesiurely breakfasts not forcing a bagel down whilst squashed into a smelly tube carriage. I swam on Tuesday morning but an overnight at Cranwell mid-week and my parents being over from France meant I was doing a lot more socially than normal. I think the later returns home contributed to not wanting to get up and a subsequent missing of any evening swims I might have used to catch-up the missed sessions. By Friday I decided that the 3kms I had done on Tuesday were pitiful and I had to force myself to do more so I dutifully headed for the pool on Friday morning only to find someone had put too many chemicals in and it would be unsafe to swim in until after 7.30am! I was fuming. Anyway, it was obviously not to be and I did console myself that I was spending all of Saturday playing Water-Polo so at least I was in the water. I have decided that maybe I was trying to do too much to soon and so I am going to try and get it a steady 3times a week coupled with some running and yoga to keep the variety. If I can managed two mornings and an evening that will see me hit at least 10kms a week which should be fine for the moment. I am also starting to pencil in some summer races which will really start to give me a feel for things. It is annoying that I won't be able to confirm whether I can do the relay or not for a good three months yet but c'est la vie! I must just continue to train as if I am. Fingers crossed this week goes a bit better in term of motivation - I just think life is making me think rather too much at the moment with regards career, house etc. and that is probably not leaving too much capacity for swimming.

Rest, rest, rest

Due to my aches and pains I decided to have Thursday off to try and recover a little. Had a nice lie in which helped and I was glad of this decision. Still had a bit of a sore throat/ear going on and did spend most of the day at my desk massaging my shoulders. My right shoulder is really achy and keeps tightening sporadically so that it feels like the burn of a long work out. Not that great. Got home and put a Deep Heat patch on it. I found it as a trial sample in a magazine and thought I'd give it a go. Despite not feeling that 'warm' unless I pressed on it there was none of the horrid normal smell of Deep Heat and it seems to have really helped. This morning I woke up and it felt looser than it has for a good while. I'll maybe try roping them in as a sponsor as I am sure I'll need many more patches over the months!

I was due to swim this morning to try and make a reasonable total but I still wasn't feeling 100% so hit the snooze button without any of the guilt of Wednesday - a good sign I felt! I didn't feel bad but there was just a small hint of a sore throat and I just didn't feel fully right so I decided not to risk it and just enjoy the rest. It does mean that the total for this week stands at a measly 7kms but I have AGES to go (I bet it goes like lightening!) so, as long as I keep plodding on, I am not that worried.

Have a fantastic relaxing weekend planned with no travelling and all my favourite people around me. Claire (Adam's sister) is down in London this weekend so we are meeting up for a drink this evening when Adam arrives down which will be lovely. And tomorrow my parents arrive from France for a week or so, so Adam and I are having dinner with them and my sister tomorrow night and heading to the Ideal Home Show on Sunday. What a nice casual weekend! Just what I need to get rested and ready to hit it again hard on Monday!

Ladies night...

Well I was a little late getting in the pool due to the finishing of the adult lesson session just prior. My shoulders felt a little tight but generally I felt really strong in the water and was really looking forward to the session. Looking for inspiration earlier I found a pyramid build up alternating between full stroke and arms only so I used this as a basis for the swim first working 100m to 500m then working 500m to 100m. I also did a lot more kick than normal which always takes me a long time and reduced my total from the anticipated 4.5kms to 4.2kms. Still it was a good swim which I ended with some sprints as I know speed is my main weakness. Did 4 x 50m off 60secs with the sprints ending up around40secs. Not bad for the end of a long workout without a dive and having to time myself!! I took it as a good sign that when the session came to an end I wanted to keep swimming for much longer - it is annoying there are not really any times where I can get a really long swim in.

This morning I woke up tired and with a bit of a cold which I don't think I have properly shaken off from last week. Had a massive debate with myself about whether to go swimming or not with comical in bed/out of bed moments. I spoke to Paul Hopfensperger yesterday who was extremely helpful and answered lots of my questions but I'd promised him I wasn't going to push too hard this far away from the swim. However, in the end the guilt got too much and I headed to the pool promising I could have a sleep tomorrow morning as I am going out to meet an old friend tonight. However, I was super-tired when I hit the pool and after about 1km my ear and throat really started to hurt. I decided to cut the swim short at 2.8kms and live to fight another day - this far from the swim it is about consistency, building up strength and speed and keeping healthy and not bored. The time to push myself will come I am sure!

Am currently sitting at my desk with very achy shoulders so I am sure the decision to stop the swim early was a good one. I have been contacted by a Sqn Ldr at RAF High Wycombe who has asked whether I would represent the South-East in the Inter-Regionals. We talked over some times and I am not sure my speed will be adequate to make the team but I've promised to do some splits either tomorrow or Friday morning and see what she thinks. At least it would mean a couple of days off work and, as the champs are at Cranwell, more time with the lovely Adam!

Damn the Bank Holiday!

As Adam had to go to work (boo!) I had assumed that the pool at Cranwell might be open and I could get a session in yesterday lunchtime. As I've been off since Thursday it is definitely time to be back in the pool; my test a few posts previously seemed to suggest no more than 48hours between swims. However, it was not to be and upon arrival at the pool I found it empty and the poolside door locked. Very frustrating! Oh well, I am going to try and make up for it by forcing myself to another night-time session this evening. The pool at Princes Risborough has a 90mins Ladies Only session which will hopefully be not too busy and I can get a long swim in - aim is around 4.5kms. Will let you know if I manage!

Easter week

This week's total was always going to be a bit reduced from the good progress I made last week as I spent the Bank Holiday weekend walking in the Lakes which meant no swimming for me! I was tempted to use Windermere, Derwent Water et al. for a bit of acclimitisation but the snow we had put me off somewhat! Monday saw a good start to the total this week with my longest swim to date - 4kms! I forced myself to go swimming Monday evening as I had been off since Friday and missed Monday morning because of the journey from Doncaster. Was very pleased that I made myself go - shows it is possible to get me out of the house of an evening! Tuesday morning saw a steady 3.7kms to add to the total though I was quite stiff at the start having only got out of the water 8hrs previous; my shoulders loosened off during the session though. Monday evening saw me feel brilliant in the water - strong and efficient - I did 7x500m of 9.30mins which felt easy for most of the time. In comparison I was tired and not as relaxed on Tuesday but that is probably not being used to doing back to back sessions. I felt tired and a bit fluey on Tuesday night and decided that Wednesday morning would be better utilised sleeping and trying to shake off the minor cold coming my way. Adam had been fluey over the weekend so I had probably picked something up from him. I have decided to be very holistic in my training - 18months out is not the time to stress about missing sessions - I need to look after myself, build a routine and keep enjoying swimming. It's no good getting bored with it and stale at this stage - plenty of time for that over next winter!!!

The boss gave me Thursday off as apparently most people were trying to get away for the Bank Holiday weekend so I spent a great 85mins in the pool resulting in a nice 4.3kms. Felt a bit longer than normal but not tiring and not really boring either which was great. These 3.7/3.8/4km length type swims are starting to feel like a normal session length which is great - shows I am building a good base up. Thursday afternoon saw me heading up to Doncaster to start Adam's birthday weekend in the Lakes. I have hired an old school vw camper van called Percy and we are off to the Lakes to spend some time together, do a bit of walking and eat cream teas. Should be great! Total swim for the week ended up at 12kms therefore which is fairly consistent. Happy with my progress to date!

The perfect week!

Having made a commitment last week to establish some routine I managed to have a great week. I swam on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and clocked up 15kms! I couldn't swim on Thursday as I had an early start to Portsmouth but I am really happy with what I acheived. Was hoping to also swim today but Adam forgot his swim stuff and we decided that it might be nice to actually have a lie in this week sometime! So we forgo swimming for a few more hours in bed and brunch at Frankie and Benny's! Next week swimming may be a little haphazard again because of the long weekend taking me away from London but I will definitely swim Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings and must force myself to put a session in on Monday night! It'll be tough because I know I'll be tired but I will really try and make it. I hope then to hit the 15kms weekly target I have set myself as a good start point.

Unfortunately, having spoken to the RAF Swimming Association Chairman it is looking unlikely that I will be allowed to swim the relay which will be a massive blow. I am hoping for good news but I am not getting my hopes up and am preparing for having to complete the solo without having had that experience. However, if it falls through I think I will use the extra money to have a swim trek holiday - many people have rated them and it will get my long distance experience up. Just keeping everything crossed at the moment.......

How long is too long?

So after a good start on March on Monday with my longest swim to date, trips out of London meant I couldn't swim again until Thursday. On Thursday I did my normal early-bird pool routine but, as I had to get an early train, I had only 45mins or so to train in. So I put in a quick 2.4kms. Hmm, quick is a misnomer I think. Fair enough, it was pretty standard speed - 20 x 100m off 1.55 but it was hard work. So, I think I can now deduce that 48hrs is really the maximum time I can be out of the pool without it feeling like I am going backwards (literally and metaphorically!) in my next training session. Eager to make up losses I headed in this morning aswell for a 75minute session where I broke my longest swim barrier to reach 3.6kms. I did a ascending/descending 500m pyramid and though the 500m set felt a bit boring (less than ten minutes, how will I cope with 10+ hours?!) I felt good and powerful in the water again.

All in all a good end to the week. Won't be swimming per se this weekend as I am at Cranwell all weekend training and competing for RAF Water-Polo. I am however, going to try and fit in a 500m set somewhere. After all, then I will have made my first 10km week!!