Thursday, May 12, 2011

Ocean Viewing Vs. Ocean Swimming

Don't get me wrong... I LOVE swimming in the ocean.  I feel totally comfortable there swimming around, diving down, or even gearing up and diving to the legal limits of my SCUBA certification.  I am the first to jump off the boat and go for a swim and the last to grudgingly climb back on board. 

I also love pool swimming.  Long course, short course, deep or shallow, sprint or distance, intervals, whatever.  The dense quiet of the water and immersion into a focused mind frame, feeling the water and how the body moves through it.  I don't get that anywhere else.

I have done quite a bit of biking along the ocean lately, since most of my runs have been replaced by rides.  Foot injuries will do that.  The weather has been stellar.  The ocean has sported a tempting turquoise.  The wind and waves have been minimal.  That is about all I could take.  So I added some open water swims into my schedule with the blessing of RW.

SO.. I headed to that oceanic wonderland, Garmin and goggles at the ready.  And well, it doesn't have to look like much to feel like the inside of an old washing machine!  I still enjoyed myself and swam about a mile and a quarter, but it was far from an easy little add-on workout.  It was an intense session that required total concentration and a fantastic, great leap outside the ol' comfort zone.  After I finished, having worked on sighting, swimming across currents, and not being disturbed by losing sight of land between swells, I was ready for a short nap in the sand!!

Okay... yeah.  Life is pretty good.

Off to the track to humble myself, as usual.

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