Friday, February 27, 2009

Lost: Arms.

I knew that I was in trouble when I went to lift the 11 pound box of laundry detergent and my arms failed me. I blame it on the Masters swim coach. Who the heck (aside from Jen Harrison) ends a workout with 2 X {6 X 75 MAX EFFORT SPRINT + 100 easy between sets}?

As thought the 100 easy could really 'make up' for the 12 75s.

Yeah, sure. Okay!

I was this close to pushing our coach in the pool but refrained because 1) I like her 2) Pushing her in the pool would require getting OUT of said pool, which was impossible given how trashed my arms felt and 3) I don't want to face a lifetime ban from Carlsbad Masters swimming.

So I kept my mouth shut, the comments to myself, and swam the entire last set.

And it really was ugly.

Somehow I can ride my bike for 4 hours without a problem, run for hours on end to no avail. But when instructed to SPRINT 75 meters - less than 60 seconds in my world - I can feel a whine forming in my mind. Give me Palomar, give me a 2:00 hour trail run, give me anything but sprinting in the pool. I just don't work that way.

Which is exactly why workouts like this are good for me.

They mix things up, they challenge me, they push me in ways that I wouldn't normally be pushed. They add variety: that spice of life that we all need from time to time. Plus (and its not like I need a lot of this one at this point), but they serve to toughen me up. It's one thing to swim 2 X 75 max, or even 4 X 75 at the end of a long workout (at the end of a long week). But to hang in there are complete all 12 - well, it was tough.

In the long run, its doing the things that we don't necessarily want to do (but should do) that help to make us better, more versatile.

And though I looked as though I needed assistance while getting out of the pool (It took no less than 3 tries to hoist myself up and out of the water), in the end I made it. I think the guard was worried, though.

Just don't ask me to lift any laundry detergent anytime soon. Or use my arms. They're overrated anyway.

Thanks to Charisa and Peter for making this a tough - but GREAT swim.

My reward? A bowl of Thai Curry Soup from Noodles & Company. Yum! (Can you tell I've been there before??? Silly question!)

11 comments:

GoBigGreen said...

YUM. Well deserved. Have a good ride up Palomar and i hope your arms can help a wee bit on the final ascent. Get out that foam roller and start those sidelying lat rolls!
Yup We will survive the snow. Cathedral Hill/Crocus is correct:)

ADC said...

That looks absolutely delicious.

Beth said...

GREAT swim Marit! Dang - that is a lot of sprinting -- TWELVE!!! But you are right - it will make you so much stronger and tougher!! Now get Nathaniel to lift the detergent box!! :)

And Noodles and Company - YUM!!!! :)

runningyankee said...

wow that soup looks good...

great work in the pool :)

Molly said...

Great swim! I am in awe. I think I could curl up in my corner of the pool and cry.

Missy said...

That soup looks killer - I'm hungry right NOW! Ugh, I had to swim to the ladder the other day because my arms were so cashed...looked like a true old lady trying to get out of the pool.

You know a pool workout is good when it's difficult to wash your hair in the end;)

Microscope said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Charisa said...

You did GREAT!! You forgot to mention I quit early :) haha. Noodles look yummy - where is that place?

Jennifer Harrison said...

what? The masters coach let you do an EASY 100 after each max 75? Softie.

That dinner looks good. We had sushi tonight, but it was sub-par for some reason. I have been starving all week after Tucson. ahhh.

Marit C-L said...

NO WAY - we had to do 6 X 75 and then we had an easy 100. Then it was another 6 X 75. Yeah right - NOT a 100 after each 75. That would be too easy. :)

FLATOUT JIM said...

I bonked at last weeks masters swim. Then after I recovered and finished my workout I thought my arms would fall off.

Thank goodness I didn't have my car with the stick shift. I just grabbed the wheel and took the straightest route home so I didn't have to steer too much.