This last week felt like one of my more solid weeks in the last couple months in the pool. I hit all 5 days M-F of masters sessions. That meant a 4:25MWF and 4:50TuTh alarm clock setting. I pack my stuff the night before so that I can grab a sandwich and a Mix1 and hit the road. I have started keeping the Mix1's in the car, since they are shelf stable. I like them cold and since it's been quite chilly recently, the car is perfect. The highlight of the week was the 1500 yard time trial in Susan's Masters on Thursday. I haven't done one of these in ages and I felt really good despite feeling lackluster on Wednesday. I broke it into 500's in my head. I tried to set a steady strong pace for the first one, then up my game for the second, and then bring it home hard for the third. It was a good strategy, and I executed it well, but when I hit the wall to finish, I knew that there was still a little more in me. I didn't get to that "crazy" point, I was still pretty much in control. I swam a 22:11, which is 1:29/100yds pace. That's great for me. Happy to leave the 1:30's.

Then Friday, which is speed day, lived up to it's name. Paul did a great job getting us to leave it all in the pool. After a couple thousand yards we did 4X100 off the blocks with a 20 second rest after 25 yds. They were all out efforts and I think every one of us thought that would be all and we had and swam accordingly. Then he gave us 4X100 off the wall with a 20 second rest after 75. Again all out. But for me, they were getting faster. Then all out 50's (one of which was fly, and I even stayed afloat!) and finally all out 25's. I think we were all really excited when those 25's came around because we knew he wouldn't take us back up to 100's. I'm sure he will play that trick on us at some future session.

So the total yards for this week came it at 20,200, with a PB in my 1500yd. And, the more yards I do, the stronger I feel, and the more like a swimmer I feel. I'm feeling the motivation, feeling the traction. Another couple weeks and I will head back to SwimLabs for another assessment by Mike.

The other nice perk has been my arms. They are really starting to show the swimming progress. I'm not ripped like PIC or anything, but it's been nice to see some physical progress of my aquatic lifestyle. Check it out.