Pec Says What?

     I went to the pond because I wished to swim deliberately, to front only the          essential facts of swim, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach,              and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not swum.

Monday morning I was free. I stayed in bed a little longer than normal but not much. After rising a drinking coffee, I took a couple of T-shirts by the office so donors could pick them up. I also mailed in some money to the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi bringing the total thus far to $1,143. Last year at this time, I think it was around $700. I hope that means we will go beyond 2016's total. One goal for Chicot each year is not only to swim farther, but to raise more money for Mississippi's premier diabetes charity.

Then I went to the pond. I went with trepidation. Sunday I noticed a mild sore spot in my right pec. Did I bump something? My weight session Saturday was truncated. Surely that wasn't the problem. I did lots of stretching and some praying. Would it be a limiting factor at the pond? I was yearning for a long swim, maybe another ten-miler, beyond Thursday's even. After some reflection, I realized Thursday's swim was not my first ten mile training swim in years, but my first ten mile training swim ever.

I was a bit late, almost 10:30, getting started. I swam 3.32 miles before stopping for nutrition. During that first swim, I was as deep in doubt as I was in water, and a felt both pectorals during that four + laps of D10. The feelings came and went but the psychological impact came and stayed.

After the first break, I got in and swam another 2.85 miles bringing the total to 6.17. I drank some Gatorade and did some stretching, concentration of the pecs. I was most unsure of myself. I was pushing the envelope. The pec sensations came and went, came and went. Was I breaking down? Was I flirting with injury? This time of year I am a bit of a hypochondriac. How can I not be? So much is on the line, and I am pushing my body beyond hard.

I waded back in and swam 2.05 miles and climbed out to a watch that reak 8.22 miles. I sat in my little folding chair at the tailgate, prayed, and thought. Should I go some more. I really wanted a little over ten miles. The muscles were easily good for it, but would a pec pull? I did some self poking and did find a sore spot on my right pectoral muscle. With that discovery, and considering that 8.22 is a pretty good training stimulus, I decided to tap out. Better sorry than safe, as they say. So I went home early.

What's next? I have conceived a much shorter swim for today and tomorrow, somewhere around 4,000 or a tiny bit more. I may do some crossings at 85% between slow laps. But once more, I will be listening to what my body says and trying to obey.

That you Jesus for a good day at the pond. Pee Wee and Bear enjoyed themselves. That makes me happy.