Swimming - this is the most rewarding area at the moment because it is the most challenging for me. I have very little experience swimming freestyle, or laps, and although I built up some endurance last summer, this year I have had this sense of not being able to get enough oxygen. It's as if I panic a bit and obsess about it But we've been working on technique and a series of drills, and darned if things aren't feeling much better. The stroke feels more purposeful, I get more of a glide, and I am settling into a grove that I think I can sustain. I will know soon enough as the scheduled swims are getting longer!
Running - I haven't been back at it too long but am doing 3 miles with walk breaks between. Today I ran my third mile in 6:54 - VERY fast for me. I've lost endurance, but I still feel like I have the mental toolkit and a sense of pace.
Cycling - I am enjoying this tremendously and can feel myself getting smoother, faster, stronger, smarter. The bike now fits me well and comfortably. It's a thrill to have that mechanical extension of my legs, manipulated by shifting weight, body, fingertips. My confidence is growing! There is a real community amongst cyclists whereas running is a bit more solitary overall.
What I love is the mix of all three endurance sports coupled with weightlifting. Each offers something unique - the technique of swimming, speed and mechanics of cycling, the mental game of running, and the focus and pure effort for a lift.
It's not easy to juggle it all, particularly coming off this darn injury. Trying to balance effort with rest, family with sport. It's a short term experiment from which I hope to clarify my future directions.
