Diving back into training tougher than expected

Getting off the couch and back on the road hasn’t been an easy task.
Even for someone as ambitious as myself, it has been a struggle.
Part of my plan to get back into race form was to continue my triathlon swim classes Monday nights.
This started a couple of weeks ago and consists of an hour of straight swimming, which could be anything from speed drills, laps and treading water to getting across the pool with one arm.
Why you say?
Well, my foray into swimming improved my run times so much that it’s hard to resist the torture of a one-hour class.
Ann our instructor is no slouch herself and once she hits the pool deck in her pink Nike shorts the kind smile disappears and off we are to the workout of our lives.
That first week back she supposedly let us off easy. When I swam back in to hear next instructions, I sadly noticed the clock only said 9:20.
With 40 minutes to go and already being out of breath, Ann must have read my mind.
She asked the class, “It’s only been 20 minutes, how come you guys already look so tired?”
I laughed and thought to myself geez, “I’m out of shape.” 
I caught my breath again at 10 p.m.
Running has been not much easier.
Winter is dealing us a nasty hand with a temperature of —20C last Wednesday night and impossible snowy road conditions yesterday.
We plowed through the snow, so to speak, but it took every fibre of my being not to quit and turn around.
I just kept thinking, “It’s got to get better.”
I also pulled out my trust motto.
It usually only comes out in the last 40 minutes of a marathon.
“Whatever is worth doing isn’t easy.”
I’ll keep humming that to myself as I whip myself back into shape.
Until then happy trails.

Comments

[alisha.pang]

Interesting. I agree with you totally. Furthermore I have another point to add. I think its essential that children today have a friendly and good swim instructor to guide them along. So that they will take to the hobby with delight, rather than find it a useless skill. But then again, most kids always love swimming afterall.