That's (DEATH BRICK) all I had to see on my schedule to know that it is CRUNCH time!!! Rev3 Cedar Point is only ONE month away... That's only THREE more weekends of SERIOUS work left! And it all started today. Last week was 'thankfully' a rest week as my schedule (and maybe my mind/body) needed it to be, but as we all know that rest week makes me feel... well, out of shape! I know it's silly, but it is. Along with that my mind kind of goes on vacation as well. Know scheduling, scheming and planning to get all my work outs in... now here I am HARD AT IT! No skipping or skimping now. We are all out GAME ON my friends!
Today started day 1 of the next three weeks of my triathlon life! :) 2000 meters in the pool! HARD meters... not the stuff I've been doing. Not just nice sustained get the yards done swimming... in the ocean. Nope.. eyes down, mind focused, body working HARD swimming. After a nice warm up it was time to get to BUSINESS! 10x100 HARD on 20seconds rest, then 10X50 HARD on 10s rest. I tried to ignore what was to come as I headed into it. Just pretend it's not there! Well, it was there! I'm not so great at pushing myself in the pool.
I DID IT! When I was on 100 number 3 I was skeptical that I would get through it, but I kept putting my face back in the water and pushing off the wall... when I was ALMOST done w/ my set of 100s some dude jumped in the lane next to me. (He was a nice enough guy ... I chatted with him when were were all done... but I'm till referring to him as "some dude".) So I'm all cruising along and not beating myself up for taking 2:00 minutes to complete a hundred when I'm swimming HARD. (okay maybe I was thinking about that a bit.. like EVERY time I looked at the clock.)
"Some dude" was using a pull buoy and still beating me to the end of the pool. No big surprise. It happens to me a lot. Then I happened to catch a glimpse of his form... well, it wasn't great. That shit just pisses me off. His form is off and HE'S STILL beating me. GRR. I was getting tired at this point, but plugged along. During ONE set it really got to me for a second, but I got my head straight. It matters not what 'some dude' in the next lane is doing. He is not a measure of MY abilities as a triathlete. I have come a LOONNNGGG way in the water since I started swimming. So I pushed the negative thought away and kept trucking. Happy with my effort and DAMN proud of myself for setting the negativity aside. THAT IS NEW for me. Particularly in the water.
SOLID WIN on my part! In the past I would have let this pretty much ruin my workout.
More on the DEATH BRICK this weekend!
Do you let this kind of thing kill your spirit and ruin your workout/day?
Nice work Laura! You know, I am always getting my butt kicked in the pool by people who either don't look like they are fast or seem to have bad form. I used to let it get ot me, but found that if I just stay in my own zone and just worry about ME and what I have to do to get it done for the day, I am way better off mentally. Great job!! LOOK OUT CP!
ReplyDeleteNah, I dont let it ruin my workout. There are TONS of people faster than me. So what? Im not racing them, Im racing me and the clock, thats it. Do I hope to do better against the clock than them? sure, but other than let them act as short term goals (keep that guy in sight, pass the guy whos limping or walking slow), I figure everyone else out there is just another person who is supposed to keep me from feeling alone.
ReplyDeleteYoure going to do great at Cedar Point.
I had a "some dude" last year. Let's call him a very "buoyant" gentleman who would ALWAYS not just be faster than me, but MUCH faster than me. I used it the same as you, motivation to work harder :D Way to go girl!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, swimming is a strange thing. I find that the more relaxed I am, the harder I can pull and the better my form is. When I try to really motor, it does the opposite. I've gotten better this season, for sure. It's just that damn catch is so difficult!
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain. I have such a poor kick that I actually swim faster with a pool buoy than freestyle though! Way to get it done!
ReplyDeletePracticing pushing away those negative thoughts is just part of the training. There will inevitably be "some guy" at an upcoming race and you've gotta practice pushing it all away and moving forward with your own thang.
ReplyDeleteWay to go Laura.