Since it is easier for me to report updates based on Monday to Sunday, February’s update includes the 1st of March. For the first time since I started this challenge I skipped my fifth swim of the week. I had already reached my feb goal and I knew I would reach my week goal after this mornings swim. So I saved that workout for another day.

Swimming has been getting easier, but the sets and distances we swim are getting tougher. Some days things feel better than others, but overall my swimming feels good. Next week is the start of our tapper. But I plan on having an extra swim and my last long swim of the month this Sunday. Not sure if I’ll feel any faster in three weeks, but it will be fun to meet up with other masters.

I don’t expect to have all four weeks in March at target. In fact I really expect to be upwards of 50km behind come June. But I’m not going to let myself get effected by a few hiccups. I’ve built up a buffer that will help when I start to travel with work again. Not only in swimming but i have a buffer with all of my training goals. I plan on using my work trips as recovery. That’s why you don’t see a lot of rest days in my training journal so far this year.

It’s thanks to the extra 30 minutes on Wednesday’s and Sunday’s that I’m able to swim so much right now. But what really helps is having a team of swimmers that make it fun to come to the pool. We all have different goals and expectations, but everyone is able to motivate someone’s else in the pool in their own way. No one seems to like to go first, but we share the burden and rotate based on what we are going to swim and how everyone feels that day. Just 8-9 months ago I was always going last. Recently the others stopper letting me go last, and that has helped my swimming progress too.

My only goals for Swedish Nationals in three weeks is to swim faster than last year. If I manage to place top 6, then I’ll see that as a bonus to help my team do well.

The strangest thing happened this week. I earned my reward of a pint of Ben & Jerry’s but for some reason don’t feel like eating it. We’ll see how long it survives.