Good Times!

My training mojo is SLOWLY on its way back! Hurray! About time too! I did a five mile run at lunch which I felt I good have extended for another couple of miles which is great so I am going to push on with an 8 miler tomorrow.

The swim challenge is proving to be a great motivator. A lot of people advised me not to do it as I would get stale, might get injured etc but I knew that I would need something to keep me going and it is working well. I appreciate I am only 7 days down and it is going to get TOUGH over the next week or so but I have tried to get people from the RunnersWorld forum to help me along by swimming a session with me or posting a session for me to do. This really helps me along the way.

I have often wondered when I hear elite swimmers talking about 'fast' pools how that can really be true but I can tell there is such a huge difference between the pool at Henlow and the pool at DL. When I swam in the Henlow pool a few days ago when I still had my cold and my inner ear problems were affecting my balance it was honestly a weird, surreal experience. Everything was bathed in a weird light from my orange goggles and it was so bouncy underwater I felt like I was a bottle bobbing on an ocean - it was a bit trippy and disconcerting. I have discovered this week that ears truly are important for the old balance thing and I suppose that may explain why I have been a bit clumsier this week also? Anyway, the DL pool is a joy to swim in and feel fast and tonight when I did my 70 lengths I felt really strong. That was a bit surprising considering it was a double training day which I though might kill me after my virtual inactivity of the last 6 weeks but no! It turns out training is good for you!!

Plus I have been so boosted by two compliments I have received in the last two days. Firstly a colleague from work was swimming along in the lane next to me and confessed he had tried over his last few lengths to keep up with me and concluded I was 'shifting along a bit' (maybe not so slow and steady after all!) And then tonight at the pool after my session, the lifeguard actually came up to me and said he wished he could swim like me! I was so proud! :) He said, those other guys were swimming around the same speed as you but you made it look so easy, you have such a great slide! So there you go, even though I am not sure my super low stroke rate is going to win me any points in the Channel, it is at least easy on the eye!! Anyway, I don't know if the daily swim is making me more efficient or a better swimmer but those quotes really boosted me and will help me over the next tough weeks. The point today I think, it that compliments are ALWAYS well-received. If you want to compliment someone but are afraid they might think it a bit cheesy, I say go ahead! You never quite know what you might be encouraging!!