Last night was a TNT group swim at an outdoor pool in Menlo Park. We met at 6:30 and spent some time on the deck doing core work, which was less core and more jumping jacks and push-ups. It was a fun group, perhaps not as focused on the workout as they could have been and more focused on the socializing; it reminded me of book clubs I've participated in that degenerate into gossip sessions. We got some "work" in at the beginning, but also a lot of laughing. But I guess that counts as core, no?
There are two pools at Burgess, both outdoors, both heated, but in the winter they cover one pool with a "bubble." The bubble is a large, inflatable plastic "tent" that rests on top of the pool. There are two doors, an inner and an outer door, and an "air-lock," so with both doors open the air rushes out of the bubble and the tent collapses (eventually, it's not dangerous). Anyway, if you've ever swum in an indoor pool you know that the water temperature is higher, the air is warmer, and the humidity is higher, and those are in climate-controlled buildings. The bubbles are not climate controlled, and as such are very much like chlorinated steam rooms. I prefer colder water (77-78 degrees is ideal, I think), and the pool under the bubble is in the mid-80's. It's hard to breathe, and I feel like somebody is sitting on my chest when I try to swim in there. Forget getting an actual workout in! We were all going to be in that pool which was going to mean about ten people per lane, which means it's really impossible to swim. I figured I got a gold star for showing up and would suffer through as much as I could, then hop out and call it a night.
Until - until! They announced that the speediest two lanes would be swimming in the outdoor pool! Brilliant! NOW I would get a workout!
Until.
We had eight people in each lane. Four is about the right amount of people, six is really pushing it, and eight is too many. I know there wasn't much of a choice, so I just let go of all thoughts of getting a real workout in and figured I'd just be happy to get the yards under my belt.
I know I've mentioned that there are some politics involved in swimming, and I'm very sensitive to them. I think that makes me assume other people are equally sensitive to the "rules," but I see that that's not the case. There were some swimmers who probably should have been in the inside pool, and because I don't ever assume I am going to be the fastest I always offer to let someone else lead the lane. Last night someone took me up on my offer, which was fine, until I realized I was a bit faster, but with so many people in the lane it was impossible to do anything but hang back and just be zen about the yardage.
The workout was actually fun:
250 warm-up
6 x 50 yards stroke drill
8 x 25 yards, starting in threes to mimic the crazy start of a triathlon (FUN!)
400 yards toes-to-fingers (so RIGHT on the feet of the person in front of you, and after 25 yards the first person gets over and lets the second person lead, then picks up the rear, and we rotated for 16 lengths - also fun albeit a bit frustrating)
8 x 50 yards, descending 1-4 and 5-8
250 yards warm-down
For a total of 1800 yards. Not too bad. I showered and headed home, where Rob and I lounged on the couch and watched Cops, our new favorite show. We've "purchased" a bunch through my amazon.com shopping link (up to $5 donated to TNT through the site! Woo!), and when they pull people over we play a game we call "Guns, Drugs, or Running?"
Clearly we need hobbies.
Today is an off day for me, which is actually pretty nice. Tomorrow, I run. I feel the dread already.
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