Just Keep Swimming

I just love Friday Eve.

Why? Well, first off, the weekend is close, of course, but weekends in the Morris household usually entail even earlier wakeup calls than the weekday's morning alarm.  But these mornings usually involve a meet, which, for us running geeks, is worth the bags under our eyes.

But why I really love Thursday is because of how great it makes me feel.  I usually fit in about eight to ten miles, then, head into the pool with some of my athletes/friends to learn to swim.  Before practice, though, I was feeling tired and forgetful, remembering that I was a "goldfish," as Rob usually calls me since I forget everything he says within two seconds of him saying it, and did not bring the frisbee for practice as I promised (for those of you who don't know, goldfish have a memory span of about 30 seconds - don't cite me on that).

But then later on (amusing story actually) after hanging out with the coaching staff before a team game of ultimate frisbee (luckily we had a spare frisbee laying around - as all XC teams should), I decided to bail on the game (to avoid getting a black eye as one of our girls probably will have tomorrow) to begin my workout, and Rob reminded me of a missing Erin, a former athlete on the team who often comes back to practice after work to train but also often ends up falling asleep in her car and missing practice, even if she drove all the way from work to Post just to run with us.  Since this nap mishap has occurred several times, I decided to search for our beloved sleeping beauty via jogging around the parking lot and peering into random gold-colored cars and found her - passed out.

After a knock on the window and a laugh, I woke up Erin, who said, "Did I miss it??" (lol) Within ten minutes, she was up, out of the car, and ready to rock.  We warmed up two miles, planned our workout loop, and took off.  Although my legs are still feeling Tuesday's workout, I felt pretty fast through the first mile.  As I checked my watch and saw 5:35, I was psyched but a little worried about what the hill (Post Peak) was going to do to my speedy and sore hammys.  I concentrated on relaxing my breathing, looking good in front of the frisbee-ers, and bullying the hills on the course.  I ended the 2-ish-mile (we had to reroute a little because of a new soccer fence on our course) tempo run in 12:50. Solid.  Erin finished up in 14 and change.  Better than sleeping, I'd say!

But more exciting than my running workout, my swim workout was a.m.a.z.i.n.g.  I finally feel like I am "getting it."  I can breathe now, without taking in TOO much water like I used to.  I am absolutely determined to give Michael Phelps a run for his money, I guess a "swim" for his money (always thinking in running terms - oops).  I am even learning how to maneuver my body to streamline my glide through the water.  I actually think I am (can be) pretty quick too.

The girls made me swim a timed length (see, Katherine, I know my terms) of the pool to see "where I am at."  Although I slowed/stopped midway through the trial to spit out a gallon of water, I made it in 22 seconds.  I don't really know what that means, but I'm just glad that I wanted to keep going today.  And I would also like to add that even when I got close to the wall during my time trial, I pulled a "Phelps" (coining that term) and sacrificed a precious gulp of air to keep my head in the water longer and get to the wall faster (remember, 2008 Olympics). With all my random drills and attempts, I completed about 8 laps (with a lot of breaks for storytelling, gossiping, and laughing too).  Last week, I had to take breaks to breathe, so I count these moments as progression.

But I think the coolest part of these Thursdays is getting to show the girls my weakness and having them help me.  For me, it's humbling.  For them, I'm sure it's amusing.  I am seriously like a three-year-old learning all these new things, well, a three-year-old that listens intensely.  Each of my swimming coaches gives me feedback, new tips, and motivation as she cheers me on or cruises through the water herself.

Swimming with the girls also makes me a better coach.  Sometimes I forget how difficult it is to calm breathing down while running.  It's easy for me, hard for them.  Well, for these swimmer girls, this scenario is exactly the same thing.  They laugh (and fix me) when my head rockets of the water as I gasp for oxygen.  Breathing with water in your mouth, ear in the water, feet kicking wildly is easy for them, not so much for me. Like I said, it's humbling.  Likewise, it's inspiring.  They inspire me, and I am inspired by myself.  I have uncovered a weakness and need to get rid of it!

I never thought I'd be able to look like a pretty swimmer in the water, but now, after today, I am closer to that image.  And although I know I'll stick mostly to my pretty running, I know that since I am already a goldfish, I'll just keep swimming too.