Swimming Strong and Long

    Despite what seems to be tendinitis in my shoulders I had a great swim last night. I haven't done a Long Swim for a while so I decided to go for distance, all the while incorporating some hypoxic laps and sprint drills. I know the people swimming in the lanes near me haven't a clue, but I race them. Yes, I do. I set my sights on the leader and do my damnedest to catch up and pass. Last night there was a dude in the lane next to mine swimming sporadic laps, I think he pegged to the fact that I was racing him, because he seemed to pick up his pace. I was swimming with a pull buoy, so all upper body, and focusing on long, string strokes and keeping my body streamlined. We swam neck in neck for a few laps, and then he would stop and rest while I continued swimming. After a bit he would start swimming again, always getting just ahead of me at the beginning, making me work to catch up and pass. It was a fun way to add some intensity to a long swim. I came up 4 laps shy of 2 miles, I ran out of time (actually swam over the time just a tad, but was trying to let the gaggle of tiny swim students get in and out of the locker room before me). It was a great swim, my shoulders felt good, my strokes stayed long and strong, my body position improves with every session, my breathing is good. I have noticed that it is hard to fatigue myself in the pool without really pushing myself with death sprints, which amazes me, since it was a mere 7 months ago that swimming 20 laps was a major accomplishment and left me feeling tremulously exhausted. I wish I could build my running base as efficiently.