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Showing posts from December, 2017

Old men

Why do old men always want to chat in the swimming pool? It's a not a bloody Turkish baths situation. Also in the showers. I don't need to be told that "it's nice to be under the hot water". I am under the hot water. I know its nice. All this after being told all about how hard swimming is, how hard life is, how running or walking are so hard and swimming is all he'll be able to do until he leaves this life, quote, unquote. A cheery Saturday evening all round really as the old man waits to die in the pool but is brought back to life by nice hot water. The gym closes early on a Saturday and I really didn't have time for idle life, death and hot water discussions. There was swimming to be doing or attempted anyway. Small talk aside I did achieve my 500m aim which to most swimmers probably doesn't seem like a lot but to me is amazing. Tou could say it went swimmingly. And yes by the end of the week having completed 2700m (a new weekly totals record obv

Recovery, or not?

Tonight due to a goggle malfunction, as in somehow forgetting them I was unable to swim. I did try but it's impossible to see. I switched my mind to the excuse of a recovery day. Last night's lesson and horrific sets of 100s left me wrecked. In total we completed 1100m, obviously more than I've ever completed before and it left me fecked, not so much muscle tired as tired tired. Lacking electrolytes. Similar to the after effects of a long cycle were you just want to drift off to sleep the second you get in the door. That and the continued bug I can't seem to shake off even though I'm pumped up on drugs it seems the verve were right. The drugs dont work, they just make you worse so go to the doctor and get yourself sorted out. Or similar. This feeling of very very tired continued today, and with added blocked sinuses pressure I decided to opt for a long steam room session to attempt to clear my sinuses and get some stretches done on my calves and quads. Given the

Eau de Chlorine

I smell of Chlorine. I really smell of Chlorine. I used to smell of BO but now it's consistently the stink of swimming pool chlorine. The wonderfully horrible stink of swimming pool, which can only mean one thing. I've been consistent, and to me now that smell is the smell of success, the smell that I am getting somewhere, putting in the hours and actually feeling like I'm improving. I even sweat now when I finish in the pool. Which is odd but strangely satisfying. I never knew I could do that. Another achievement. I am more confident in my stroke. Breathing to the right is somewhat successful and even though only 3 short weeks ago I was fully sure that breathing on every second stroke was too much for me it turns out is perfect. And guess what you go faster and are less tired! Who knew. Slowly but surely the jigsaw is coming together, the breathing, the arm strokes and the kick. There still is, and I assume always will be a lot of tweaking but for now, I'm relatively