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Swimathon

Well what can I say! That was hard work!

I had a pants day at work, ate everything in sight (fueling up - yeah right!) and went along full of nerves.

I told myself (like when I do road races) "you've done the distance before, just take your time, relax and do it at your pace!"

Got there and changed. We were given different coloured hats so that the counters could keep track. Mine was black and soooo tight!!

I was given lane 5 with 2 tall proper swimmers - men who knew each other. Everyone looked like real swimmers and I felt like an impostor!

At 6:10 we were off. I was going to set my watch but was flustered at the start so only noticed 6:10 and didn't start my timer.

The boys dived in and were off. I climbed in (they started us at the deep end which I didn't like!) and then pottered off using my normal slow breast stroke. I was soon being "lapped" and felt like a plodder in a road race being lapped by the winners. I didn't like it. I tried to focus on me and just do my stuff.

My plan had been to do as I did in training; 9 lengths breast stroke, 1 crawl and stop for a drink. Repeat 10 times! I soon felt I was too slow and slowing things down and was doing a length of front crawl 2-4 times in each 10 lengths. I had to stop at the end several times to let the men past. Well I didn't have to but felt I should! So this added in more stops. I also swallowed water 2-3 times and had coughing fits because of it!

As I passed 40 lengths I guestimated under 30mins and that seemed too fast so I thought I had miss counted. The mile (64 lengths) was about 50mins ... something not right! 1hrs saw me do what I thought was 75??? It suddenly occurred to me that I would beat my 91mins PB!

Focus, must focus! I was getting tired (no surprises there!) and reminded myself that I had enough fuel thanks to my stress eating and high 5!

I carried on and started to think maybe 80mins was possible! Nah! It can't be I can't swim that fast! I got to what I thought was 98 and the sub 80mins was possible! So I worked really hard to get that 80. I came up to the 100 and started coughing. Grrr bad timing! I got to the end looked up and heard "2 to go Kim!" Arrrggghhh I had miss counted! So off I went really tired and struggling. The 80 was gone but I could just do 81 if I tried really hard ... I stopped at 7:31:20 so as I didn't know the seconds when I started that's 81mins to me!!

Delighted and tired I climbed out and asked the lady my time. She didn't have a stop watch (!!!) so had to ask the lady on the next table. She didn't respond for a while so my official time was 1:24.

I collected my certificate and saw what made me think ... next year .... medals! The 5000m swimmers got medals! I want a swimming medal! So I have to keep swimming to speed up and enable me to the 5k next year!!

Comments

b-z said…
just a little biking-and-------


well done!
9:29 AM, March 25, 2006
fraggle said…
for someone who hated swimming you've done *so* well :o)
we're all verry proud of you









and as b-z said, you just need to hop onto your bike now....


xxxx
11:19 AM, March 25, 2006
Cath Delaney said…
Pixie is tri-training! Pixie is tri-training! Pixie is tri-training! Well, when she gets on her bike that is..!!

;o)

Really well done Pixie. Big beams here!

:o)))
1:56 PM, March 25, 2006
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