2,000....Doh, Only 1,900

When I hopped out of the pool this morning I was proud of myself.  I had finally worked my way up to 2,000M in the pool and I was psyched that it had only taken me around a month to do so.  Not to mention that my average 100M split is right around two minutes, slightly lower than when I first started back in January.  I walked tall into the locker room, took a well deserved long hot shower, got dressed and then sauntered out to my car with a little swagger (off to work). 

Once at my desk I looked at my watch (how I keep track of laps) and wrote down really quick all of the laps that I had done as part of my 10 x 100M set.  I kept coming up with only nine 100s.  The pround grin faded into a look of disbelief.  Ah DAMN!!!  I had miscounted at the pool and only swam nine 100s instead of ten.  Translation, I ended up only doing 1,900M instead of 2,000M.  My head dropped to my desk, I sat there saddened by the fact that I hadn't done what I set out to do.  Then a thought popped into my head.  How many yards did I swim today? 

1,900M x 1.09 (rough meter to yard conversion) = 2,071 yards

I'll take it!  I might not be the same thing as swimming 2,000 meters, but it is still a solid swim.  All it in all that 2,000M is just an obligatory number, a round number that essentially means nothing.  Whether I swam 1,900 or 2,100 meters, the fact that I have been able to increase not only my daily distance, but also lower my average times is a great thing.  I am miles (literally) ahead training-wise of any triathlon season I have ever done, I should not get discouraged by coming up 100M short during a swim workout.  I should focus on the positive and know that the next time in the pool I will swim farther and faster.

So, enough of the self affirmation for now.  What has been going on over the past four or five days?  Well, I have started a half-marathon training plan, the Runner's World Intermediate Half-Marathon Plan.  My work/running friend Chris and I are both following it so that means he will be able to push me to run faster during our training sessions. 

Saturday - I did a 9 mile run on Saturday in 8:13/mile pace, a bit slower than I wanted, but then again the first half of the run was pretty much all uphill. 

Sunday - 2nd to last race of the Bucks County Road Runners Winter Series.  It was the "Pick Your Way 5.2M".  Traditionally it has been a 5.3 mile race, but the trails still haven't been totally cleared so we had to modify the course.  I finished the run in 36:53 (7:05/mile), and in 31st place out of 171 runners.  Overall I was pretty happy with my race, especially considering that it is so friggin' hilly. 

(picture on the right is from the start of the half-marathon from last weekend.  It was a long slow start)

Monday - I was a still a bit tired from the weekend that was full of running so I opted to just do a swim workout, down at the Newtown Athletic Center (sister gym of HealthQuest).  I was working from home so I went down at lunch time; it was so great to be swimming during the daytime, with the sun lighting up the pool area.  I put in 1,500M which included some hypoxic breathing drills....holy crap were they hard.

Tuesday - 1,250M in the fish bowl at 6:15AM.  The pool was absolutely packed and I had to stand around for about 10 minutes just to get into a lane (each one already had two people occupying them).  I wanted to do 1,500 - 1,750M but time wasn't on my side and I had to get to work.  At lunch I was supposed to do a speed workout with Chris but he was late getting down so I did four miles with Bill at around 8:00/mile.  Not a tough run, but solid enough.

Tonight I am going to get ont he bike for an hour and catch up on last nights episode of "Lost" and also watch "Modern Family".  That should fill in my hour long spin session.  I have dragged on long enough and I have to get some work done.

Peace out!