So I swam! For the first time since the start of ski season, I swam a full, 3,000-yard pool workout, not a wussy, ear-protecting kicking workout I did once or twice in May, and not an easy few laps in the Bay in between bouts of sunbathing. And every one of those yards hurt.
Swimming is harder than just about any other activity to get back into after a break. I remember this from swimming in high school, when I’d take summers off (I didn’t have that luxury after sophomore and junior years, but that’s another story), and return to the pool for regular practices in September simply aching from the effort. But I also remember how good it felt to finally get in the groove again, and the promise of a future groove kept me going on Wednesday.
In the spirit of holding myself accountable for actually completing the workouts I intend to complete to prepare for the Allen Stone Run-Swim-Run July 21, the Virginia Beach Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon over Labor Day weekend and the Philadelphia Half-Marathon on Nov. 16, I’m going to post my weekly workouts here on Friday. I’m hoping this will end up being less of a workout log, and more of a story of my week.
Sunday: Morning: Run four hilly miles near Sligo Creek Trail, 9:15-minute-mile average pace. Felt exhausted on hills. Afternoon: Yoga for runners class at Circle Yoga.
Monday: Stationary bike, 30 minutes. Meant to swim in Bay, but thunderstorms prevented this. Legs felt exhausted, anyway, so probably best that I relaxed on the bike, just to get some blood flowing during this active-rest day.
Tuesday: Morning: TRX class. Unusually hard class—kicked my butt! And left me sore for my p.m. group run with Hampton Roads Runners. 4.2 miles. Pace uncertain thanks to accidental Garmin stoppage. Felt tired, but pre-stoppage Garmin checks suggested we went fast.
Wednesday: Swim 3,000 yards at Bayside Recreation Center. Tired. Still sore from TRX class.
Thursday: Morning: TRX. Afternoon: Run 4.5 miles, 9:15-minute mile pace. The warm, lovely sunshine felt hot once I was running on a shadeless road. I had wanted it to be a tempo run, but instead ended up feeling grateful I got out of it alive.
Friday (today): Swim 3,000 yards.
Saturday: Off. Help teach OEC CPR class.
Sunday: Swim! At Sandy Point, with some runner friends. NOT the whole Bay. (Once was probably enough for that).
Amy Reinink 
Amy, I am looking at this and wondering if you realized that this weekend is the Bay Swim. Are you going down to watch? My friend Corey will be doing it but I will be at Eagleman. Glad to see you are back in the pool and open water.
Ah, yes! I should specify that my friends and I will be meeting at noon, when the GCBS stuff will allegedly all be broken down and moved across the Bay. I have nooo desire to swim the whole 4.4 again, at least not this weekend!
not the whole bay? well that is just sad.
I totally agree that getting back into swimming is rough, or at least getting back into swimming at any speed other than easy.
Thanks for sharing this Amy. It’s motivating me to get back to a regular training program. I am so bad at returning after even a short injury hiatus.