Alphabet Swimming

As I've started doing longer swims I've found it hard to count the laps without hitting the split button on my watch. A friend of mine recently ran her first marathon and she found it easier to pass the miles by going through the alphabet. One letter for every mile.

What a novel idea....

I started doing this to help me count laps during my longer intervals for example:

500yds = 10 laps
A to J

1500yds = 30 laps
A to Z then A to D

Initially I started off thinking of cities that started with a particular letter or foods or things but the more I swam the more I realized this was a perfect opportunity to think of inspirational words that I could call on later in my training.

Last night I did my longest swim ever - 3000 yds which is 1.7 miles or A through T three times :)

Here are some of my favorites from last nights swim:

A is for Accomplishment, Activity, Athletic
B is for Breathe, Bike, Bring it on!
C is for Choices, Challenge, Coeur d'Alene
D is for Drive, Dedication, Dilligence
E is for Energy, Enthusiasm, Excitement
F is for Family & Friends, Fun, Finish
G is for Goal, Great, Gift
H is for Hot, Happy, Healthy
I is for Imagination, Inspiration and of course Ironman
J is for Just Do it!
K is for Kick Ass :)
L is for Learn, Lead, Long
M is for Motivation, Midnight, Mantra
N is for Never Give Up
O is for Outstanding
P is for Preston, Persistance and Pride
Q is for Quality versus Quantity
R is for Rest, Recovery and Relaxation
S is for Strength, Sacrifice, Slow is smooth
T is for Trust your Training!

Salt Water Pools Rock!!!

Chlorine has become my nemesis. Everything about it sucks my will to keep swimming. It tastes awful and it smells worse and no matter how hard I try I can smell and taste it for hours sometimes days after a swim. Blech!!!!

Tonight Preston went to the 24 Hour Fitness in Hillsboro to play basketball so I went there for my swim. Usually I go to the Beaverton location because it's closer to the train station.

Imagine my suprise when I got into the pool tonight and found no smell. Weird I thought, maybe they just don't use that much chlorine here. Once I started swimming I realized it was salt water and I was in heaven. My nose didn't get stuffed up, I wasn't gagging from the overpowering chemical scent and best of all I didn't have that gross chlorine taste in my mouth.

WOO HOO!!!! I had a great swim :)

Apparently all 24 Hour Fitness locations are supposed to be switching to the salt water although it seems at least my regular pool hasn't made the transition yet. In the meantime I will most definitely be switching pools.