Tuesday, January 20, 2009

What Keeps Me Swimming

At 5:30 in the morning... sigh.  It gets a little easier, kind of.  A small fraction of a percent easier.  

The morning swim goes something like this.  
Alarm 4:50- snooze.  
Alarm 4:55- snooze.  
Dave- you must get out of bed now and go swim.  
Me- I don't want to, you can't make me!  
Dave- you will regret it if you don't.  Get up.  
Me- Fine!  (pout).  Stumble to the bathroom and throw on sweats if it is cold or just keep my PJs on.  Let the dogs out.  Feed them.  Sometimes make tea.  Start car.  Stare at the yellow line.  Arrive at the pool.  Ask myself...why?  

This morning Joy showed up on time (not to call her out or anything...:).  So, we stumbled to our lane together.  Everyone else is already cheerily warming up.  I am busy telling her about my dream last night.  (It was really weird, Elizabeth scheduled Joy a 190 mile hike and Joy came back to me crying with super blonde monochromatic hair.  That is a synopsis).  We sit on the edge of the pool together.  We slowly put on our cap and goggles.  Warm up is almost over and we just stare at each other- who is getting in first?  

We do actually swim once we get in.  In some ways it is pathetic, but we are always good about holding the intervals- for some reason it is the one thing in class we try to do right.  It is that kind of thing that we both instinctively agree upon- the intervals must be upheld.  I don't know that this has ever been verbalized, it is just understood.         

This morning really sums up why I swim.  With the final set over, it is time to cool down.  Joy looks at me and I at her.  "Are you going to cool down?  Nope, you?  Nope.  Wanna go get coffee?  Uh huh."  

Coach Rob asked me last week if I was having fun swimming.  I thought he meant at 5:30am, and it seemed like a trick question to me.  The answer is yes, I have fun swimming.  There are several reasons why I have fun, but this morning it was because I get to swim with my friends.   


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is too funny!!! I know how you feel. However, my hubby is too out of it at 4:20, when my alarm goes off to motivate me. I do the same thing warming down too. After a long set, i don't want to swim anymore. I do try to do atleast a 100...depending on what the workout distance was.

Oh, i'm swimming at the Germantown Athletic Center(with suzy). It's a long drive, but worth it!

moremittenz said...

I go through the exact same thing, but sadly, sleep wins out hehe

Anonymous said...

Ok, so I've been laughing at your dream ever since you told me, and I meant to tell keith about it yesterday! It's days like yesterday that make me get out of bed for the next swim. If Damie's there to make me laugh, it'll actually be fun! :) xoxo

Laura said...

Now that you've explained your swim routine I've figured out why I can't get up!! I don't have a very convincing Dave to make me stop pushing snooze. Do you think you could have him call me in the morning? ;)

Samantha said...

I know why we get up to swim that early!!! Because we get it over with sooner...that's what I tell myself. I miss swimming with you guys :( I gotta get started with the masters group here, but they won't be as cool as my memphis peoples.

I saw like 15 racoons today while running. It was crazy (it was also an 1 hour and a half run) and I thought they were going to chase me and give me rabies. I didn't know I was so scared of racoons until I got here...that was my story of the day.

Eileen Swanson said...

That is cool! Swimming with friends is awesome! Glad you are lovin' it! Our mornings start out similar, except Reid feeds Belle and we both end up driving to the pool together saying WTH are we doing this early, 4:55AM. HAHA!

Marit C-L said...

Way to go with the swimming! Friends and lane mates really make it worth it - I completeley agree! Oh - and FYI... I am MORE than willing to skip the c/d in favor of HOT FRESH COFFEE! Yum!