I Probably Won't Be Able To Lift My Arms By Tonite

Are you sitting down? Those of you who know me better be sitting down.

I swam today. In a pool. Actual laps. At 6:00AM (probably better that way so I'm not awake to realize what I'm actually doing).

You should realize by now I am not a swimmer...I can swim, and I've done triathlon swims of all different lengths (even the 2.4 Hawaii Ironman swim in 1992), and I actually like moving through the water and feeling relaxed. My body loves it too (mostly).

But, its cold and wet and I can't just step out the front door and get it done. I have to drive to the pool. Or ride my bike to the pool. Once I'm there, I'm fine, but getting there is another story. 

My schedule is pretty full, so when something has to go, swimming goes. I can use that time...to work, run, bike, lift, eat, or, best of all, sleep. Who wants to wake up at 5:15 and jump in cold water? Really, who WANTS to do this?

But, I'm competing in a fitness challenge, and I want to not only be a good example for our TriAdventure athletes, I also want to accomplish this for myself. 

TriAdventure has a 525,600 minute fitness challenge going on in 2012. You pick a running, biking, swimming, lifestyle change goal, and try to accomplish small steps along the way until you accomplish the big goal. There is prize money involved (don't worry, employees, friends and family of the company, etc., etc. are not eligible for prizes) and, for me at least, plenty of pride in completing some not too hard, not too easy challenges.

Me being me, I decided to do the biking challenge and the running challenge (3,058 miles of biking this year, 520 miles of running). I should be able to do both of those easily, but with my time limits, it will be harder than it should be...still, I'm not too worried. 

But then I thought. Not good. I never "think" and something gets taken OUT of my schedule. But I thought... "If I am running and biking that much, I should easily be able to accomplish the one Ironman a Month also"...if I could just get in the pool four times a month. 

Sounds easy, but I went back and forth, back and forth...did I want to get up that early on one of my days off?Did I want to take the time in the morning when I could be getting work done? Did I want that pressure, all year, of having to get to the pool and swim when so much else would be going on?

No, I didn't. I even decided NOT to do that challenge, and didn't swim the first week of the New Year. Behind already. 

Then I realized, this Challenge is SUPPOSED to be a challenge. If it wasn't hard, everyone would be doing it. Right? Things are hard for all of us and no one has time to just workout whenever they want. But, if we really want to do it, we make the time. If its important to us, we get it done. 

And reaching that Ironman a month goal, pushing myself just a little further out of my comfort zone, is something I WANT to do. It is important to me. 

So, there I was, 6:00AM, hopping in the pool...well, sliding in the pool, slowly, might be a better description...

Kim Homer was already in the water and had several laps under her belt before I got in. Kim is a good swimmer. Two years ago, she couldn't swim at all, and she panics in the water and is afraid of drowning. Yet, she worked and worked at it, and her technique improved greatly, and she overcame her fears...she even did an open water triathlon swim! 

She looked good this morning, and I don't think she has swam in a long time. She will only get better and better...as will we all!

I plan to swim about 23 laps per visit, four times a month. That will put me a little over 2.4 miles, but makes the math a lot easier! But, since I missed last week, the rest of the month I have to swim 30 laps...or add another day in somewhere.

Adding an extra day is probably smarter, as it gives my body time to adapt which is important if you don't want to get injured. And, I thought about just doing 20-23 today and making up the remainder later. 

Then I swam. The water felt good and I swam pretty smoothly - for about half of a lap. I finished the first lap and stopped to rest. I haven't swam laps in a pool in over five years. Shame on me. Swimming is great for the mind and the body and very good for me. 

As I swam more, I loosened up and felt better, stringing more laps together, but definitely not overdoing it. And thinking this wasn't too bad afterall. 

Then, as I swam even more, I got tired and realized I still have a long way to go.

Kim swam 30 minutes. I swam 30 laps. Joanna, who is doing the English Channel Challenge (21 miles per month), was still swimming when I left.

I probably won't be able to lift my arms by tonite...but that tired, sore feeling will be worth it, as I will have done something good for me and my health, and I will have moved one step closer to completing my challenge. And in the end, aren't we all trying to accomplish challenges, feel better about ourselves and enjoy the thrill of the journey?