"Learning to Listen"

I don't know exactly what happens to me when people give me advice, either the requested kind or the other kind, but something definitely happens in my brain. Somehow, something shuts down and I don't let it in....not even to mull it over.

Well today for some reason I had a little breakthrough. Endurance guru and friend Burt told me some time ago to watch out for my dependance on the clock...."don't become a slave to the watch" he said. Well if you know the relationship I have with this old man you'll understand part of it, but mostly I just never really gave it any thought when he said it.

Today for some reason when I forced myself to the pool one more time, I just decided to swim! I never even started my watch, and only occassionally looked at the pace clock on the wall. It's the wall clock that's the real problem because it's right there staring you in the face every time you come to the end of a lap....always telling you it's not good enough. And of course for some reason I think I should be swimming the same times as I did 10 years ago, mainly because I wasn't very fast then. It's all so stupid to let the swim bother me anyway because 10% slower in the water will cost me 8 minutes, which is nothing compared to 10% on the bike or run.

So that's my new swim philosophy. Other than an occasional time trial in my wetsuit I will either just swim, focusing on form, and/or do drills. Just the idea of that approach takes some of the pool anxiety away. Lets see how it goes.

I jogged to the track today as well and just messed around a little. It felt good to run fast....well at least fast for me. Fast is of course a relative measure. I can confirm that the track I checked out in Grand rapids was indeed 400 yards only.

Burt also gave me advice on my achilles and so I started the stretching regimen he suggested. It feels good already.

I wish to dedicate day 154 to Wendy Bisaillon, who of course is Gramma B.

“If A equals success, then the formula is A equals X plus Y and Z, with X being work, Y play, and Z keeping your mouth shut."---Albert Einstein

“It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen."---Oliver Wendell Holmes

“To listen is an effort, and just to hear is no merit. A duck hears also."---Igor Stravinsky

love
peter