So it has been over 15 months since my last non-swimming race and I miss it.  I really do miss the atmosphere and other competitors of triathlon and swimrun races and I can not wait to get back to the starting line.  But for the time being I need to move on (or back) to being a good swimmer and then build from there.

For me the fall of 2016 and the start of 2017 felt like staring at a white canvas waiting for inspiration to paint something.  I did nothing to force the inspiration. I woke up, I ate, I went to worked, and worked out when I could. But I had no drive.

Luckily for me that inspiration came in the form of OW swimming.  I didn’t see it coming either.  I had started to swim in the lake in May, but it was not until mid-June that I was really looking forward to those swim practices.  They were partially planned but also spontaneous. Family life was my only limitations.  Around mid summers eve I signed up for Vansbro 3km Swim.  That race was like starting an old diesel engine that take a few minutes to get warmed up, but then runs like new.  When I got back to Växjö I wanted more. I wanted to swim faster and farther. And it shows with a total of 73.5 km in July and 80.2 km in August. 

(Note: The dip in march was work and Nationals related, and the dip in June was with my parents visiting Sweden.)

So far going back to work after vacation and into the pool again has not dampened this excitement to be back in the water.  I have just over 50 km in both September and October.

However I have not been all that excited to race in a pool this fall, but after a really great October, I am now looking forward to Swedish Nationals in March.  The last time I had a good time for the 800 m was in 2014.  The first time I swam the 1500m was in 2011 with 20:00.36.   Based on my swimming history I might be back to my 2011 levels which means that 18:45 in 2020 is a hard but realistic goal.

I have not given up the idea of doing another Ironman in the future, in fact I am already signed up for a Swimrun next July, so that will force me to get back into running already this winter.  I will continue with Crossfit, because I know I can do better than what I have so far.  Crossfit is definitely something for everyone, but not everyone can be the best.  I just want to be better.

I have started to think more in the long term and not so much short term.  The year I decided to do an Ironman I had almost 2 hrs of exercise a day. That was just to get my body ready for what was to come. Then I had just over 1.5 hrs/day the two years building up to my first and second. Hours shifted from swimming to biking, from walking to running.  I do not want to feel that pressure again, so my goal moving forward will be to come up to an hour a day average for the year.   After I can get back down to 90kg (<200lbs) then I will consider adding 2-3hrs a week for longer runs and rides.