For the past four years since I started swimming laps I have been tracking my total workout time. I don’t pay any attention to how fast I swim each lap. I set my stopwatch at the beginning of my workout and then check the total time at the end.
I swim the exact same number of laps doing the same strokes. I always finish up somewhere between 49 minutes and 54 minutes. If the water is frigid or I’m having a particularly speedy day, it’s under 50 minutes. Most days, I finish right at 52 minutes. If I have to keep adjusting my goggles or earplugs, am nursing an injury or being pokey, it’ll be around 54-55 minutes.
I don’t log my swim times. I don’t try to improve my speed. I’m not adjusting my stroke, using fins, using paddles or doing anything to get faster. I don’t care about getting faster. For me, the workout is about cardio, breathing, mediation and using my entire body.
So this morning, before I set my stopwatch, I thought, “Why am I timing this?”
All I get from it is a little thrill or a little disappointment at the end of each workout depending on my time. Who cares? Not me – clearly since I do nothing to improve my speed.
So today I stopped timing my swims.
I can only predict that the older I get, the slower I will swim. I’m sure I swam faster when I was in my 20s. I did flip turns and pushed myself really hard back then.
Now, my world moves at a slower pace. So do my swims.