50+50+50…

I cannot count. I cannot add.

I just got back from a swim this afternoon. I was going to do my regular workout, which is 1800m in a series of sets, but I just read something about the importance of trying to get some continuous swimming in the indoor pool. I started out swimming and within five laps changed my mind, deciding I would just swim a mile without stopping. The article recommended not using the wall with flip turns but I was like, nah, that would look goofy–I’ll just know that this is easier and faster than I would do it in open water and call it a day.

One thing about me and swimming is I lose track of my laps ALL the time. I’m sure I swim more than I think, because if I’m not really sure where I am in the counting, I make myself go back to the last number I strongly remember and start again from there. So merely counting takes a significant portion of my tiny brain.

Since I just decided to do this mile on the fly without advance thought, I’m swimming while figuring out how many laps I need to do plus trying to keep track of what lap I am currently swimming. I will spare you the mental gyrations, but after a time I arrived at the number “30.” I would need to do 30 laps for my mile.

I got in a rhythm and felt great, zipping along. I even had to watch that I didn’t race the woman swimming in the lane next to me. Boy, I hammered the last 50 and felt awesome!!

Did a 50 with the kickboard and fins to cool down and was pumped. That was great!

On the way home, the thought squeezed through, “Uh, if 10×50=500 and you did 3×10….”

DOH! I just have to laugh. What a goober.