The 500

Tri class, taking discipline to the next level. Hopping in the pool I noticed the comradery that has developed between all of us triathletes. General encouragement. Training progress. Life in general. Difficulties experienced. It's great. We are all doing triathlon for different reasons. Yet we have a common goal. To finish a sprint triathlon. Not necessarily be the first to finish, most of us will be simply ecstatic to finish.
In the pool, the instructors tell us to do a 75 warm-up (3 lengths) which we do. At this point I think this is the farthest continuous swim I had done. We get to the other end completing the 75 and with impish grins they advise we stretch GOOD. The look in their eyes told me we were in for it. Then their little plan was told. Swim a timed 500, continuous. 20 lengths of the pool. Excuse me, come again. Yikes. To say I felt a bit intimidated would be speaking the truth. That's what I do, speak truth. Then they decided to have mercy on us and allow us to switch strokes as necessary. Meaning I could use my beloved back stroke. Setting off I wanted to use the front crawl for as much of the 500 as I possibly could manage. Lengths turned into laps and so it continued for many laps. We all lost count of how many we had done, including the instructors. I knew that the fastest guy in my lane had lapped me once, so I figured once he stops I have one lap to go. He finished and I did 50 more. Then I finished. Repeat I finished....yeah! Everyone cheered each other on and congratulated each other on a finish. My time was 12:40. I seriously think we did 50 more yards than were needed. Because for most of it I had been counting then I lost track. So worst case I did 550 yards.
The triathlon length will be 400 meters. So now I know I can do the length. This exercise pushed be beyond my own expectations. It is time to up my performance and training in the pool. I now know I CAN DO 100's. And I can do a continuous 500, perhaps not all front, but my goal is to do all front for the triathlon. I have a feeling many more 500's will be in my near future. Each one doing one less lap of back stroke than the previous.
After my swim I went to the track and got in a one mile run. Nothing fabulous but I got a feeling of the energy that will be required to complete the whole triathlon. Time to improve my nutrition. I have slacked the last two weeks. Ferocious appetite I tell you. I know I need the calories and the food, now I need to make the most of that intake.
Today, I intend to conquer my two mile run, yet to be accomplished. I know I will feel triumphant to get it done.