Back to the Pool!

I love swimming.  I always have.  I don't even mind lap swimming and don't get "black line syndrome".  Don't get me wrong, I prefer open water swimming any day to the pool, but it isn't always feasible, like in winter time here in Northern Utah. 

I love that I can completely neglect swimming and still do well in that portion in races.  It isn't like biking or running where if I take time off from it, it shows.  So, with all of this, I tend to take it for granted. Even though I love swimming, it is also the least convenient for me to do.  I can run or bike right out my front door.  Swimming requires me to pack a swim bag, be at the mercy of the pool's hours, and get in the car to get there.  I know, I know, those are just excuses, but does involve at least a 15-20 minute drive depending on which pool I go to.  If I skip a work out, it will probably be a swim one, due to all of these reasons above.

Well, excuses be gone.  Enter the new Syracuse Aquatic Center.  This is where Joshua goes for swim team practice 3x a week. It is a nice pool.  It is brand new.  It is only 5 minutes away.  However, I had read on their website that the lap swim hours were only between 6-10 am.  No can do. I have to work at 7:00 here at the high school.  They state that one can come and swim laps anytime during "open swim" time as they will leave one lane open for that.  Well, that hasn't ended well in the past.  Every time I do that I end up either swimming around obnoxious kids playing Marco Polo in the lane, or someone aqua jogging, or have 8 other people in the lane with me.  No thanks. I would rather bag a swim than deal with that. 

However, with the convenience of it, and the fact that I could go earlier (read: the 9:00 pm lap swim time at the other pools is WAY too late for me), and the price is cheaper, I thought with my return to swimming with the start of my Ironman training, I would try it.  Just once.  If it didn't work, I would force myself to stay up later and keep going to the other pools that are farther away.

I waited to get there until 7:15 when I knew the swim team would be cleared out.  There was no one there.  Just me and 5 lifeguards.  Seriously?  You mean I have not just the lane, but the whole place to myself? Yes please!  I got my swim cap and goggles on, grabbed a kick board and a pull buoy, along with my hand paddles and fins I brought.  I happily swam my work out of 1350 meters, all while the lifeguards are tackling that To-do list that only pops up when no one else is there.  It was awesome.  Loved being back in the water!!

When I finished my work out and was ready to leave I asked the head life guard if it is always this dead on a week night.  He replied that occasionally they will have youth groups or parties come through, but not usually.  Even then, he said, they stick with the other pool with the lazy river and the slides.  I asked him what the lap swimming crowd is usually like and he said I may get a couple other people on a given week night, but basically what I saw was pretty true to form.  Sweet!  I am so excited! 

I drove the quick 5 minutes home.  I was home just after 8.  I could still be in bed by 8:30. (I know this is pathetic, but this gal needs her sleep, and I do wake up well before the crack of dawn, thank you).  I thought about how I no longer have any excuses to miss my swims.  No longer late at night.  No longer a 20 minute drive away.  No longer more expensive.  No more super crowded lanes or Tools in the Pool.  I am excited to see what I can actually do with my swim now that I will actually be working at it!

It is great to be back in the water.  I know that this was only my 2nd official day of training, but I am loving it so far.  It is never the same thing, and with there being 3 disciplines, there is always something that needs work.

So, Happy training and racing!  Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.....