Each year since joining US Masters Swimming, I've participated in the GTD event where you set a swimming distance goal for the year. My first year (2009), I joined USMS in November, so I only racked up about 30 miles. In 2010, I set a much loftier goal of 250 miles, which I just managed to accomplish. In 2011, I managed to log 192 miles. My fourth year, I only swam 129 miles. The reduction in miles was due to fewer workouts as I was experiencing some problems with my shoulders. I worked hard on incorporating strengthening exercises and fine-tuned my stroke, so I was fully expecting to swim 250 or further for 2013.
Alas, it just wasn't meant to be. On the last race of the first swim meet of the year, I managed to injure my right hip by pushing off the block too hard with my right leg. Well, crap! Then, just when I was ready to start training in earnest again, my mother became ill and ended up in the hospital, which has resulted in multiple trips to California, and fewer swim workouts. Basically, life happened.
But, today, I am happy to report that I made my first milestone of 50 miles for 2013, which is my fifth year as a Masters swimmer! The best part of meeting the milestone was the particular workout I swam at noon. Upon arriving at the pool, which is set up for Long Course, the racing lanes that separate lanes 1, 2, and 3 were not installed. So, my Masters coach decided right on the spot to provide two separate workouts. A regular interval workout in lanes 4 through 8, and a Pool Open Water workout for lanes 1 through 3. A POW workout means lots of continuous swimming and no flip turns, which is exactly what I needed, as my next competition is a 2.5k OW race in Oregon this coming July.
If I can manage to stay injury-free, and get to my workouts at least 3 times per week, I should easily swim between 125 and 150 miles for the year. Not as far as my first full year, but good enough for me.
