Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.
-- Omar N. Bradley

Monday, May 6, 2013

Training 4/28 - 5/4...and conceding defeat...

Defeat should never be a source of discouragement, but rather a fresh stimulus. -- Bishop Robert South


Sunday 4/28 - 4 mile run
Monday 4/29 - 55 minute cycle on Freyja
Tuesday 4/30 - 20 minute swim, 2.26 mile run
Wednesday 5/1 - masters swim, 5.37 mile run
Thursday 5/2 - REST
Friday 5/3 - 3.74 mile run, 20m OWS swim training
Saturday 5/4 - 86 minute cycle (RABA (Richmond Area Bicycling Assocation) new riders' ride- 20 miles), 15 minute swim (time trial/coaching)

It is time to throw in the towel.  Not the whole towel, just the towel that assumed that I could improve my swimming sufficiently by going to masters and following plans.  I am not getting better fast enough and I am not getting faster fast enough.  The time trial on Saturday was just plain embarrassing - 7:36 over 300 meters, or 2:32 per 100 meters.  I need to swim better than that - ideally in the 2:00/100 meter range.  Hubby and I think it's time to to get some private coaching to get my form to where it needs to be - ASAP.  Doing some research today to figure out my options and which will fit into our budget.  Of course, I need to look at this as a long time investment - once I learn how to swim properly, I should be able to keep it up through personal practice and I will make improvements just by working masters swim, etc.  But continuing to swim poorly, even if I up my volume, is not going to cut it.  Thus - defeat becomes a fresh stimulus.

Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with last week's training (except for that mental thing on Tuesday).  The RABA ride was a little slow, but part of that was my forgetting to turn off my watch while we were stopped.  It stops when I stop, but it started up again when I went to use the ladies' room etc., adding a few minutes here and there unnecessarily.  I had a much better ride yesterday - but that's for next week's training update.


2 comments:

  1. Just remember, the swim is the shortest part of the whole thing. I mean, yeah, it'd be great to get closer to 2:00 per 100 yds. But that only makes a difference of 10 min in your swim time, so don't sweat it too much. :) [miche033]

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'll be your private swim instructor if you want. I'll do it for cheap :)

    ReplyDelete