This morning’s swim, my last in Florida before I head back home to Washington, was unexpectedly fabulous.
I’ve been swimming with the New Port Richey, Fla., masters team, which meets at the city’s recreation center at 5:30 a.m. weekday mornings. Today was the first day I made it to the pool for the very beginning of the 5:30 a.m. workout, and it was a hot one. How hot? When I opened the door to my parents’ house at 5:15 a.m., I felt wave of sticky heat gush in. The pool temp was 91 degrees, even with an aerator spitting cold water in to cool it down. The coach warned us to take it easy.
I really intended to. But you know how you have those days when you just need to run, or swim, or lift something out? When you feel like your workout is the only thing in the world in your control, and you just have to take it by the reins and kick your own butt?
It was one of those days today. So I swam the warmup easy, and then swam out my frustration and heartache and other emotions on several sets of 75s, which somehow, didn’t get boring at all.
The workout:
1,600 warmup: 400 pull, 400 swim, repeat
12X 75 swim: Free, stroke, free
16X75 pull
I felt so good at the end, I added:
8 X 100, choice (free, or stroke, or whatever)
Next up: Deciding whether to run with Pacers tomorrow night, my first night back home. I’ve been laying off for the past couple week, as I’ve needed some time to nurse my stubbornly sore hip. But a quick run on the beach went fabulously well yesterday morning, so I’m pondering the possibility of getting back into my routine. Wish me luck!
Amy Reinink 
Good luck running tomorrow! I wish I could swim like you! I need to actually get in a pool and swim to do so, lol…
great swim! i totally know the feeling about working frustration, thoughts, etc out through exercise. feels so good and hey at least we aren’t pigging out instead!
safe travels home and good luck deciding on the run. i know you don’t want to press your luck, but that you are ready to get back out there. hope it goes well if you do decide to run a little!
Good job on making it through the swim workout and adding more to it!
Come to Pacers tonite… you’ve been missed!
Have you ever run with the Dc Capital Striders?? I’ve been joining them on Mondays & Thursday nights (at the Smithsonian Metro stop) and really enjoying it! You should come out sometime! 🙂
I keep meaning to make it out there! I only run three days a week (seems to work best for my gimpy, injury-prone body), so it’s tough to “budget” my running nights accordingly! I WILL make it to one of the runs, though, and will make sure it’s one you’ll be at!
Nice on heading back on the roads. Where do you do hills in DC? I’m back in town for a week and going to seek new routes.
We did some near Rock Creek Park on Grubb Road near the DC-Silver Spring border: http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/md/silver-spring/184246378822. I’ll send you a couple more tomorrow, and will post a full route review on the Grubb Road route. Lotsa good hills, if you know where to find ’em!