First some background. I'm a dedicated lap swimmer, and for 16 consecutive years, I have swum over 100 miles each year. Being a "numbers person" and quite anal-retentive, I keep track of my laps in a spreadsheet. In 2013, I decided to be exceptionally rigid with my swim schedule, swim 90 laps a week, and once a month, swim a full mile (36 laps), and see if I could break my previous record. I did it, ending with just over 133 miles.
Start 2014. I have decided this year to give myself complete freedom in how often and how many laps I swim. My inner roommate (that voice in my head) has gone bonkers. "How can you be sure you'll make 100 miles?" "What if you miss one or more swims a month?" "Are you sure it's a good enough swim if you only do as much as you FEEL like doing?" The inner roommate is quite nervous about my intentions!
I was discussing this with my husband in a most comical way, which led me to the enlightenment about my enlightenment. That will be when I go swim and don't even count my laps, much less record them in a spreadsheet. I've planted a seed here, but I can tell from my resistance that this seed will take a LONG time to sprout. It's certainly a worthy freedom to aspire to, swimming for the pure pleasure of it, not to reach some mileage goal. I'll just have to keep you posted on my progress. Baby steps...
Life is good!
Leta
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