Six Double Oh!

6:00...no kidding...that was my time for my last 600 yard freestyle tonight at swim practice! I didn't think I am still capable of swimming double-ohs! At the end of the evening practice, I stroked and kicked my way through 7800 yards of swimming...the longest swim practice I've done in a few years...and I'm still alive to brag about it:).
The main set was 3 x 800 free on 9:30, descend 1-3, followed by 8 x 100 kick. Me and the guys in the lanes next to me bust out a 8:10 for the third 800...impressive. That was followed by 3 x 600 on 7:10, descend 1-3, followed by 6 x 100 kick. Right before we pushed off for the final 600, when my arms were already screaming, Alec looks down at me and says something like: "Show me what you've got."
How could I not take the bait? I'm always up for a challenge and today was no different. I dropped all the other guys by the 300 yard mark and managed to hold my stroke together to the wall right at 6:00! I won't mention that I had to go last on the kicking set because I was completely thrashed at that point and it was just a success to get myself moving up and down the pool:).
All my meeting, phone calls, and massages went as planned today. At the pre-race meeting I was assigned to help out at the finish line during the December 29th Marathon race at the NTC...race director is none other than the amazing Tom Z...there is also a 1/2 marathon race and a 5K so there will be three groups of athletes crossing the line (it will be a long and busy day:). I called both of my coaches in COS where it was apparently heavily SNOWING today! I bragged to both Sharon and Cliff that I was sitting outside in 80+ degree weather getting a sun burn as they huddled inside to keep warm! As for a recap of my massage today with Mona at the NTC I can give you just one word: OUCH!!