Chlorine is My Perfume

My favorite place to spread color in my life is in the pool!  

I want to make sure everyone can see me 

when we hop in the pool for Master's Swim at 6am! 

Master's Swim is my newest addiction addition to the tri training. A group of mermaids {and a few mermen} gather at the crack-o-dawn three days a week to flip our tails. Its been a few weeks and I have already learned so much. Not only has my love of swimming resurfaced, but also my competitive nature. Which is a blessing and a curse. It helps me swim fast and push myself, but, sometimes it means I get my panties suit in a bunch. Like when one of those mermen passes me. And I can't catch up, or pass on the next set. And so I lose the lead position in the lane. And say things like "I don't care if you lead," when inside I'm fuming. But it turns out that even though those things drive me batsh*tcrazy, I have become enough of an adult to keep it to myself. And to apologize and admit later that it bothered me pissed me off. 

But you don't care about my competitive psychosis. Bring us the work outs you say. Ok. Fine. 

Warm up usually consists of 200m steady, followed by 50m kick. Then some sort of build - either a couple sets of 50 or 75, building speed and intensity across the meters. Maybe a few 50's swim down/kick back or no breath down/swim back. A few more build combinations usually take place before the main set. Yesterday's main set went a little something like this:

 8 x 25m - starting with 8 seconds kick, building through the rest of the 25 meters. {Sofia crushing it in the lead!}

4 x 100m {Sofia groans} - 50m smooth, 50m sprint {Sofia retracts groan, until passed on second set} 

4 x 75m - can't remember, too upset about being passed

4 x 50m - still preoccupied with feeling slow. couldn't tell you what we did here

4 x 25m - underwater swim down, sprint back 

Why do I remember the last set you ask, after I clearly raged-out the previous two sets?! 

Because you too would remember the hell torture that is a no-breath-length after a grueling workout. 

Read about hypoxic training here and here. It is controversial in some circles, so inform yourself and form your own conclusions. 

Despite by most recent swimming induced rage, Master's Swim seriously is my new favorite aspect of my training. I always leave with a smile on my face {even post-rage} after spending an hour with some of the funniest and nicest people I've met in Tampa. 

{I might need to reverse it: Go Swim and Keep Calm!}

xoxo Sweat&Sparkle 

What are your favorite colors to work out in?

Have you joined any new athletic groups? 

How far can you swim without taking a breath?