Update on Swimming

This is the view we had of Kaohsiung from the harbor (minus the mountains). Next time we will take our own picture.

It is Thursday evening as I write this and thus for this week three days of swimming (Tues, Wed, Thurs) have gone by and three more remain (Fri, Sat, Sun). For me this is a typical week. Nothing particularly exciting happening, and no trips out of town. In fact most of my time is spent either at the pool or at home, or maybe occasionally in the public library where I can have a change from just working at home.

On Tuesday I swam a total of 5,200 meters. The first 5,100 started off fairly fast (due to another relatively fast person sharing the lane, but I gradually settled down a bit and finished that in 1 hr 40 mins. After 5 mins rest, I raced my friend over 100m, but I only went about 1m 35s. I think I had just had enough by then.

On Wednesday, I was tired relatively speaking (insufficient sleep the night before) and swam a total of 4,300 m, but was a few minutes slower than normal on most of it. Anyway, I did it which probably helped. At the end my friend and I swam a 200m race, which was more relaxed than a 100m. I went 3m 17s. I felt I could have done better, but I settled for it. I haven't had the right conditions to swim 200m (like an empty lane and a friend to race against) for a long time. I really want to break 3 mins for it.

This morning (Thursday), I swam a total of 4,650 meters. Due to the dynamics (others in the lane), I swam fairly hard and was clearly better than yesterday. I passed th 3,850 mark (2.4 miles equivalent) in 1hr 15m. Later, after a few minutes' rest, I got ready to race my friend again over 200m. I went out the first hundred slightly faster than him, but I must have slowed down without realizing it on the second 100m as I finished a second or two behind him in 3m 12s. I felt pretty relaxed. Maybe I didn't feel my life depended on it. Anyway, it was nice to swim more comfortably.

So, after three days, I am at 14,150 meters. I am not trying to go for distance particularly. Just hanging in there and trying to do what I can given the conditions (like how many people are swimming in my lane and at what speeds, etc.) The pool is likely to be pretty busy until at least September. As the winter months come (there actually isn't really any winter here in Kaohsiung), there will be less people and maybe my training can be a bit more focused.

At home I am also trying to do some "land exercises" each day to build strength. Improvements are only slow, but at least there are some improvements.

This evening Hsiu-chin and I went to look at the nearest beach to our house (about 30 mins by scooter from our house plus a short ferry ride). Not quite Waikiki, but at least it is possible to swim there if I really wanted to go there instead of the pool. I wanted to take photos, but our only working camera is with our sons at the moment. I want to buy a new camera, but we need to sell our (old) house first to do so. I don't buy on credit (apart from the house).

Anyway, tomorrow morning will be another swim at the pool. Not particularly exciting. As I swim I will tend to think about body alignment as I push off the wall, and on not dropping my elbows as I pull through. No nice little fishes to watch nor three little birds to sing their sweet little songs. Boring as the swimming may be, I keep at it. It takes me about two hours each morning from the time I leave the house to go there, swim and shower and get changed. Then I estimate it takes me another two hours later in the day to catch up on lost sleep. It really creeps up on you. If I don't take a rest, I end up thinking I am swimming laps when I am trying to do my work. Fortunately, my bed is between my "office" and the kitchen. I am also glad to say that I am injury-free at present, but having said that, I better take care. One never knows from one day to the next.