Cold feet

No, not this kind of cold feet...

This kind.

The cold water training continues. And as predicted, the quarry temperature is declining at a regular rate. At 61 degrees, getting in was difficult but once I started swimming the water was comfortable enough. 59 degrees, however, was another story. There's no accurate way to describe it except to say that the water was f**king cold. No matter how hard I swam, I couldn't get comfortable. My core stayed warm enough, but my extremeties went numb fast and never regained their feeling. I didn't realize how little blood flow was going to my feet until I climbed out and my feet had a "pins and needles" feeling as if they had fallen asleep. The wornout little suckers stayed asleep during the mile and a half hike to the parking lot. I managed not to trip over any branches during what turned out to be the longest hike ever and blasted my heater as soon as I got to the car. It wasn't until I was home in the bathtub that my toes regained their feeling.

Perhaps I need to kick more...


Now for some more encouraging news. Last week was the Fall Brawl, a masters swim meet at UNC. I hadn't swum in a pool meet in many years, besides a scrimmage against Jordan high school the week before. I was very encouraged with my times, my best since swimming masters.

500 free: 5:24
100 IM: 1:05
1650: 18:20


My time in the mile set a new state record for my age group. Heidi Williams broke her age group record for the mile too!

For the first time in a long while, I'm excited about racing in the pool. I hope that by masters nationals in May, I can get my times down closer to lifetime PRs.

Week 46:
Mon: swim 4500 yrds, 1 hr kickboxing
Tues: swim 4500, 1 hr boxing
Wed: swim 4500, 1 hr kickboxing, run 5 mi
Thurs: rest
Fri: swim 2500
Sat: swim 8,000
Sun: swim 4,000 in 59 degree water, 1 hr boxing, run 5 mi
Total: swim 28,000, 4 hr/boxing/kickboxing, run 10 mi


Week45:
Mon: swim 5,000 yds, 1 hr kickboxing, run 5 mi
Tues: swim 5200, 1 hr boxing,
Wed: swim 4500, 1 hr kickboxing
Thurs: swim 4800, 1 hr boxing, run 5 mi
Fri: rest
Sat: swim 3300, 1 hr boxing, run 5 mi
Sun: swim 4000 in 61 degree water, box i hr, run 5 mi
Total: swim 26,800, 6hr boxing/kickboxing, run 20 mi