Back in the Pool

Weather.com tells me that Santa Cruz is 48 degrees but feels like 46. Perfect weather for a little dip in the pool, I thought!

I went early to avoid the crowds, arriving at 10:40AM after setting something up in the lab. However, when I arrived I found the pool still covered and the hours for lap swimming changed - during finals week, apparently, the pool opens at 11. There was no notice of this on the web site, which I check frequently to avoid this exact situation.

I ended up waiting in the locker room as asking people who came in how the pool looked (open or closed), and as soon as someone said htey were making progress on it I went outside in to stand with the other speedo-clad early birds in the lobby of the complex.

The water was warm, I'm sure partially because the pool was left covered (essential, even for heated pools, especially in the winter), and it was nice and steamy. I had a lane to myself for the duration of my swim, and wanted to really get in some yards, so I did an entirely freestyle workout that took 800 yards in various sets and tried pacing myself for consistency. I actually did pretty well at it, although I was a bit slower than I'd like, but that's what I get for being out of the water for a week. I'll probably break down and join Masters when my sister and I get back from Costa Rica.

At any rate, here's the workout:

(All free)
1 X 800 yards - I used this partially as a warm up (Total yards = 800)
2 X 400 yards, 15 seconds rest between (Total yards = 1600)
4X 200 yards (Total yards = 2400), 15 seconds rest between
8 X 100 yards (Total yards = 3200) on 1:40
50 warmdown

I held a really steady pace of 1:30 for the 100s, so was happy about that, and got a comfortable 10 seconds rest between them.

I think my wet hair froze on the walk back to lab though.