reverse semi-brick

Today's brick was a run then swim. Long time readers might remember me parking under the 8th Ave bridge and running along the Nose Creek Path last year. Today was overcast and cool when I started, and it turned to rain about 20 minutes in. I ran all the way up to 32nd Ave and most of the way back, starting slow. The plan said to start slow, and after the run yesterday it was sort of a necessity, even after some walking. Ran easy for a half hour, then picked it up a bit, but there wasn't much there today. Ran to 50 minutes and walked another 5 to get back to the car. Stretched. Last year I could only get up to 32nd in a half hour by pushing really hard and just barely making it. Today was 27 minutes and change, running easy. I guess there has been some improvement.

From there it's a 5 minute drive tops to the pool. Does this still count as a brick? At first my arms were tired in a weird place. I was exploring the novelty of this, since it's the first time I've done my swim after a run. Did a nice 500 m warm up, fairly slow, then did some 50, 100, and 150 intervals. Some of these actually felt moderately fast, though to be honest I wasn't paying much attention to my times. Today a reasonably pretty stroke was moving at a reasonable pace, certainly faster than the other people in the pool. The guy in the next lane was doing all out 50 m sprints, or at least I think so. That's as far as he was going, with lots of splash and thrash and gasping, and without even trying I could pass him. Then a really slow swimmer joined my lane, and once she got the idea I was going to pass her even if she didn't get out of the way, life was good. Then some putz swimming head up crawl joined my lane. He was considerate at least, stopping at the ends to stay out of my way. Still that was enough for me, and I bailed after 45 minutes total, with another 15 core work. Plus some time in the hot tub. This one is really warm, with some good jets right at calf height. Of course, this same putz was in the locker right beside mine, with his stuff all over the entire bench. Sigh. I blame it on Stampede.