Continuing my Pursuit of Swimming Adequacy

A thing is worth what it can do for you, not what you choose to pay for it.  -- John Ruskin

So we made a big decision this week.  I joined Peluso Open Water Masters - this is the same company I had been taking private lessons from, but now I'm planning on swimming with them 2-3 times per week.  Somehow, some way, I need to build up my swimming confidence - both generally and in the open water.  I am hoping that swimming with POW will increase my confidence in both areas.

Monday night I went to the Masters program and swam - it was tough, but I was able to hang in the slow lane with only minor difficulty.  And I swam much further than I ever did in the free Masters program that I had been doing at the YMCA - the folks at POW take it seriously.  I think that was part of what was missing at the Y, at least in the turtle lanes.  This morning I went to the Stroke/Technique program (it's like a mini-masters...it's only 60 minutes instead of 75 and it's in the "shallow" pool vs. the 7' pool).  Again, in 60 minutes, I swam more than I ever swam in the same time frame at the YMCA and I felt like I was actually working on something (rather than just swimming what was written).  Today's workout was focused on pacing - interestingly enough, I have one pace: slow.  :)

I'll also get to swim additional OWS with this group, assuming the river stays normal.  Unfortunately we'll have to miss this Friday's OWS because it's date night with hubby.  But we are thinking of going up to the race site for my July Oly triathlon and swimming there (as well as checking out the bike course, etc.).

This all sounds great, but the problem is that there are prices to pay for this:  not only do I have to pay fees and join US Masters Swim, but I also have to buy my own set of swim toys (pull buoy, fins, paddles) and I have to drive ~30 minutes, one way, to get there and then get back.  I do think, though, that the program will be able to do great things for me - or more accurately, if I put in the work, the program will help me to do great things, like get faster and more confident.  And that - as far as my swimming goes - is worth a lot.