What Are You Thinking??

What was the interval again? Ouch, I just hit a paddle in the next lane on my knuckles. Good Lord, that lady is fast! What the hell is that on the bottom of the pool? Time to belch. I feel like I am on vacation. The water looks really beautiful right now. Thinking of an old Tom Petty song. Thinking of a new Three Doors Down song. I am glad my lane buddies are here today. This is the greatest ting I have ever done for myself and my family. I am so glad my kids are swimmers. I'm not as bad as I thought. my co-workers have no idea that I do this. Rob

I keep a mental checklist of birds that I have identified while swimming. It has two subparts: Birds that I have seen from the pool (usually while backstroking) and birds that I have seen in open water. I think the two sub-lists are about equal in length. I suspect that my coach has a similar mental checklist of birds he has seen while on deck. Other than the birds I don't think about much while I swim besides my technique, and my pace if I peek at the clock mid-effort, and how far the workout has been.

Oh cool half way done with this set and only 14 more 100's to go. I gotta hit this turn, I gotta hit this turn, well I f%@&ed that turn up. Hmmm my arms don't want to move anymore. Why is coach staring at me? I think I can... I think I can... I think I can... This is the best morning ever... except for that other morning were I felt really fast and in control of my swimming but this morning is great too. As I get into the pool: I hate swimming! As I get out of the pool: I love swimming! Usually it depends on the day, some days I am thinking about school other days I am thinking about missing my girlfriend, other days I am really focused on swimming.

I'm in a creative mood this morning, so I thought I'd give this thread a try. A typical swim goes something like this for me. -Hmmm... the water is colder than I remembered. -Yuk, my body feels sluggish this morning, right, but that doesn't matter. -It only matters how I feel at the end of practice. -Stop thinking about technique, now isn't the right time. -Okay, warm up is over, I'm feeling a bit better. -Damn, I love this streamline, I wish I could streamline forever. -Hmmm... who is that swimmer over there in lane 2? -Come on, you just messed up the turn. Amateurs could do better. -Now I'm awake, kick it man, kick it. -Top speed work, stop thinking. -That wasn't fast enough, why? -Ahhh... now I'll tweak the technique... save this memory. -Press down with the torso, get my hips up, kick harder, hold the top, feel the press, turn it into a push, flowing twist. -There, good times... -I'm breathing hard, hearts pounding in my ears, ya, but you've been here before, chillax... This is way better than doing nothing, this means something. No complaints, this is who you are! -Okay, that's true. -Just one more, go now! -Whew... almost my best ever in work-out, sweet. -Time for warm down, I don't want to leave the water. -Nothing is better than this, not even apple pie. -Reflection, cool breeze swim with ease, like leaves on the trees. This about sums it up for me as well....minus the "I don't want to leave the water" mainly because there are members always trying to pick my brain on why the pool seems colder, why I was doing something a certain way, etc, etc...

Today I was thinking: I love my monofin. I really love my monofin. I think I'll do a sh*tload of shooters with my monofin today. No one will get in my lane that way. Better not put my arms behind my ears like that Stevenson guy. Why aren't there any monofin races around here? Maybe I should get the long one. I'm looking forward to the Sprint Classic (except for the stupid 25 BR). I better beat that girlie man. I hope I don't screw up my starts. Crap, forgot to practice starts at Mason last Sunday. What will be my next local meet? Is there one that doesn't start at 7:00 am? Will I have to enter a kiddie meet? I don't think I have any Dolan QTs. I'm really bummed I can't go to SCM Zones. I wonder if the IGLA SCM times will ever freakin ever be submitted. I hope my virus ridden children don't infect me. Maybe they already have, my throat is sore and scratchy. Well, if they don't, Jim Thornton will. Good thing I don't have to do any hard sets this week. I really should do a broken 100 fly, but I don't feel up to it. OK, I've screwed around enough, now time to sprint. I love 25s. I really love 25s.

"I hope I'm not as OCD as Fortress..." And I didn't even share my thoughts about backstroke with you ... I've just been fretting about my upcoming meets. Can't go to SCM Zones or NE SCM Champs this year. Not sure what fits my schedule before Albatross. I'm not a fan of the MD series because I'm an unabashed pool snob.

Oh, man! I could've slept in! No - wait - that's right, gotta stick with my goals.

Plenty of people carry equine viruses. Don't look at me if Leslie gets infected.

I try to not think of anything other than swimming. Seems when I start daydreaming I slow down a lot and run into the lane lines.

Normally it's the last song I heard in the car on the way to the pool But things slip in every now and again.. did I forget to lock the door to the house? Is my cell phone in my bag or the car? Did I let the dog out? When do I get paid again? How can I talk my way in to going to Chicago in December for ANOTHER swim meet? Etc.