Out of curiosity, what goes through your mind during long swims? I had to laugh yesterday while doing a 3 hour that at the end of it, I was more boredthan physically tired. I have to find another, longer venue to do these. 25 yards at a time is mind-numbing. But looking back, I have no idea what I was thinking about for that long, other than occasional 100 time checks during longer sets and watching form.
Sometimes songs that I don't necessarily really like, but if I have heard them recently they just loudly pop in and stay. Sometimes praying (I did the Rosary during my first Alcatraz). Sometimes I compose a story I am going to tell about the adventure. During training swims I, for some reason, figure out what to have for dinner and finish composing a grocery list! But so much of the time, I am just bored out of my mind. I agree with the original post that I am often more bored than physically tired at the end. I wonder if the complete inability to do anything else (read, watch TV, talk...) in this sensory deprived environment is supposed to be the point. If the lack of external noise, allowing your thoughts to go where they need to, or no where...is supposed to be therapeutic. If any one has any other ideas, bring em on. I have a long swim coming up at the end of the month, and I am more worried about the boredom than (most) anything else!
Sometimes songs that I don't necessarily really like, but if I have heard them recently they just loudly pop in and stay. Sometimes praying (I did the Rosary during my first Alcatraz). Sometimes I compose a story I am going to tell about the adventure. During training swims I, for some reason, figure out what to have for dinner and finish composing a grocery list! But so much of the time, I am just bored out of my mind. I agree with the original post that I am often more bored than physically tired at the end. I wonder if the complete inability to do anything else (read, watch TV, talk...) in this sensory deprived environment is supposed to be the point. If the lack of external noise, allowing your thoughts to go where they need to, or no where...is supposed to be therapeutic. If any one has any other ideas, bring em on. I have a long swim coming up at the end of the month, and I am more worried about the boredom than (most) anything else!
