My Watch and Me

With Masters class cancelled for the next two weeks, I headed out yesterday for a solitary swim workout. Arriving at the Y to a full pool, I walked over to a lane with most polite looking swimmer – and it turned out to be TRIgirl BL, her husband whipping by in the next lane over. We chatted for a bit and then she glided off to finish her swim as I eased myself into the cold water to begin mine. There was a workout posted on the pool’s whiteboard, so I decided to give it a try. First was a 600 warm-up. I was feeling pretty good as I knocked out the 12 laps.

The main set was five 400s – broken up into 200s and 100s. I knew I couldn’t make the one interval time that was posted, but figured it would be a good way to set some baselines with my new and cool Christmas present – a swim watch. I checked my time after the first two 200s. The same sucky time for both - to the second. Hmph.

I gave my watch the evil eye. How dare it tell me I am so much slower than I hoped?

So I started on the four 100s. The first one was exactly half of the 200s. At least I was consistently sucky.

I thought to myself “I hate my watch.”

Annoyed, I continued with the next two 100s. Two seconds better. Three seconds better.

I decided not to time the next two 200s and work on form. They flew by and then it was time to confront the watch – and the 100s - again. Continuing through the 100s, my times (thankfully) improved, and I finished the last 100 seven seconds better than the first one of the day.

OK watch, maybe we’ve progressed to the like stage.