No Excuses

Thus endeth the hardest weekend of my IM buildup. 100 miles on the bike Saturday followed by a 20 minute run, and a 2:50 run today (Sunday). There's not enough advil in the world to make the pain go away, so I've decided not to go swimming.

Thus begins my easy week. Every 4th week is an easy week. But, I've decided to make it a run/bike easy week only. As the gatorade bottle says, NO EXCUSES. I must get my swimming in order and soon. 9 weeks to go and I've not been able to hold a regular swim schedule. At my age, I can't rest on my swimming laurels, and although I can probably make it through the 2.4 mile swim with little training, I want more than just to "make it through." I'm an All-American swimmer and I should be able to hang just a little behind the leaders for the swim. In 2002, I managed an hour in the swim, even in bad weather and after having to stop and go back for my chip (the averted disaster, it was miraculous found still floating in the water). I should be able to swim 2.4 miles in under one hour. But that will take me whipping myself into shape.

Starting tomorrow morning, I'm instituting Super Session 2009. Everyone who swam for the Meriden Silver Fins in the early 1980s will know what I'm talking about. It was a week of pain during the winter holiday - over 10,000 yards of swimming per day. My goal? Maybe not 10,000, but to get through at least 3 swims this week of 3500+ yards. My legs need a rest, my arms do not. No more excuses.

Let week 9 begin.