Easier Day Today

When I got into the water today, I had 1hr 20m until the pool was to be cleared at 8:00am, so I knew that I could not swim very long. The first 2,000 meters was fairly boring, just basically going up and down the pool, and navigating around anyone who happened to be in my line. Occasionally I rested a little, to try to speed up, but nothing special. Then, seeing another lane was now clear, I moved over and swam a moderate, but relaxed, 400m in 7m 15s, only 3 seconds shy of my "recent achievement" for the distance. If pool conditions are good tomorrow, when I go to swim a little later in the morning as I usually do on Saturdays, I may have a go at a fairly hard 400m. When I finally reached 3,050 today there were still a few minutes left and my friend and the other friend challenged me to 100m. This time I did flips turns each time, and they were not too bad. All three of us were about neck and neck except for the last stretch when my younger friend pulled away slightly and finished about half a body length ahead. My time was around 1m 32s. I felt I had improved a little compared with the previous time doing this distance. I tried to keep my stroke, and the fact that I did not go slightly faster was probably because I was a little tired after yet another longish workout, that totaled 3,250 meters in all, including a final 100m cool down.
Tomorrow, I will most likely just have to race against myself over 400m, so may not have a lot of incentive. However, I want to gauge how I am doing without half killing myself in the process.
Were I living in a more ideal environment, I would like to do more biking. My little second-hand MTB has been running really good since I put on a new front tire and added some oil to the chain. It is amazing how one can get by training without spending much money. By contrast, we have arranged to have several air conditioners installed in our new house. It is really hot here a lot of the time. So, with all these major house-related expenses, I have to be really careful not to spend much on my hobbies. I am fortunate that swimming currently costs me about US$0.5 per week (for admission), not counting "time" lost through sleeping when I might be working. Still, there is surely more to life than just work.
I'll be following (via the Internet) what goes on at the St. Anthony's triathlon in Florida this Sunday, and the Wildflower in California the week after (I believe).