For the past few weeks I have been swimming in a pool and doing a mile for each of my training sessions. . The trainwreck of a swim that I had at the One Two Tri iii race last Sunday makes me want to practice in open water more frequently.
Today, I went to a local place, lake288, which is a favorite for SCUBA training as well as a place for the local triathletes. In fact, early Friday evenings are when many of the Pearland Triathlon Racing Club members go there.
Today, the water was calm and warm. A little too warm actually, but a welcome reprieve from the 100-degree heat. The owner happened to be there and gave me the details on how to swim specific distances using various items in the water. The dock to the anchored canoe is 100 yds. round trip, the length of one side is 225 yds, the blue buoy on the far end and back is 400 yds and swimming the perimeter is about 900 yds. My goal was to swim at least a mile in 1 hr (including warm-up). Two laps around the perimeter it will be.
I warmed up by swimming back and forth to the canoe, then ventured off to do a lap around the perimeter. Focusing on technique, I paid attention to my body, my head position and breathing rate. I also wanted to keep my pace around 2:25-2:35/100 yds, but that was secondary to maintaining technique.
Remaining mentally present on how I was swimming; rotating my body, pulling back and not down with each stroke made me totally forget about the distance. I was in and out of “the zone” and I was happy. I loved that feeling.
After the first lap around the lake, I chatted with a few of the other Pearland Triathlon Race Club members for a little while. Then I set off and did a second lap to finish off a mile.
I left the lake feeing great.
