B - 56.1 miles (2 mtb rides)
R - 13.8 miles (embarrassing)
Time - 15.19 hours
The legend of my swimming volume the past 4 weeks, that is. I've thoroughly enjoyed this swimming block. In four weeks my accumulation of roughly 130,000 yards equals almost one fourth of my ENTIRE 2012 SWIMMING VOLUME. I put that whole thing in caps for emphasis. It's awesome to really focus on something that people hate focusing on...for a month.
It's been a long time since I've felt what I like to think of as TANGIBLE benefits from swimming a lot. As in, something I can actually "put my hands on," so to speak. In 2011 when I first started working with Brian, my pool times dropped but I wouldn't say precipitously. I just got "stronger" from that year of swimming. In races, I could hold threshold pace longer before breaking down and I could go out harder and "settle in" more comfortably. In 2012 my pool times seemed to be similar to 2011 but my race times got dramatically faster. I was coming out in front of people I had swam with in 2011 and not-as-far-behind the "swimmers." I had created a new group; a group of 1! Not a former swimmer but not as fast as one either... It was lonely. Now with 2013 starting off on the right foot I feel a relatively dramatic difference compared to this time last year. I can do sets now that I couldn't dream of completing last year. I didn't know how to do fly, back and breast last year. I couldn't do 10+ 100s on the 1:20 base. Nor could I do 200s consistently below 2:25. I couldn't beat Jenny in a 100 IM, but I can (and did on Saturday!) now (if she's really tired and not motivated). I think it also intimidates other people. I don't think of myself as particularly intimidating, but from a purely "on-paper" standpoint I think the amount I've been swimming is relatively intimidating to other people. I like that. Gives me a mental edge. I need all the edges I can get!
This week had some absolutely awful weather. That was partly why my running was low, but most of that blame falls entirely on myself. Oh well, control what you can and move on from what you can't. I got to "move on" a little bit this weekend at a party thrown by the Asheville Celebrity Heath Dotson. Jenny, the Caamanos and myself all drove up on Saturday afternoon to enjoy a night of partying. When I asked Heath if this was a triathlete party or a real party, he laughed in response and said it was definitely a real party. It did not disappoint. We drove back on Sunday morning where I had time to make this sweet video:
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