At first I thought it was a busy day at FOMC, but I soon realized I was sharing a lane with one other person, and she swims just about the speed I do. The annoying guy in baggy shorts that spends half the swim in the way at the end of the pool, and the other half in the way in the lane was in another lane. So life was good.
And what IS it with baggy long shorts?! Seemed like every guy in the pool but me and one other was wearing them. Don't they know how gross they look? None of them swim fast enough to notice the parachute effect, but one jumping into the pool looked like he was perilously close to exposing the junk, or at least that's how I interpret the crouch and hands to crotch.
For a couple laps I was wondering how it was going to turn out, but my shark buddy was hanging around watching. I figured there had to be a reason. I was still a bit clunky, but after about the 500 or 600 m point I'd got back into the groove. From there till the end of the swim I communed with my inner shark, enjoying the feel of going through the water at a reasonable pace again. Reasonable for me, of course, for J or K it would be unbearably slow, but THEIR inner sharks haven't come to visit me. I have to admit, my inner shark never claimed to be a speed champ. He's more about attitude, being smooth and easy, relaxed and laid back, yet simultaneously alert and hopeful about prey.
1500 m 29:22. That's still a bit off what I think of a normal pace for me, but given where I"ve been the last week or so, I'm happy.
Lots of people seem to have had a great race on Sat. Congrats to them! Maybe next year I'll be up for it. My buddy Graham (whom Susi and Sean know) is in the Police Pipe Band, and I wonder if he was there piping people up the hill. Susi, did any of the pipers wave their tassles at you?
I LOVED the pipe band at the top of the hill!! I swear it's what got me to the top with a huge smile on my face.
ReplyDeleteI was busy enjoying the music, while also gasping for air so didn't make out any tassle waving or flashing of junk under the kilt for that matter, haha.
Great swim, you shark you. I too wonder at the baggy short phenomenon. Bum cracks and the "parachute effect" -- don't they know???? LOL!
ReplyDeleteI envision your inner shark to be hanging out at the back of the bar with a martini and a cigar. Not anxious about the prey just chillin' out waiting for the prey to relax and get comfy and then CHOMP you take them down!
ReplyDeleteReminds me of my first Masters swims back in Winterpeg. I got made fun of by my running buddies for using the baggie shorts. Doesn't every guy start like that? Course maybe if you're euro you might start with the speedos. lol
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