swim challenge update

Polar Bear Swimming print available from Yoote on Etsy.

I thought (since I've been all brag, brag, brag about the book challenge!) that I ought to update you with my progress on the swim challenge.  Remember that?  I vowed to swim the equivalent of the Channel in six months, which worked out at around 52 lengths a week.  I got off to a flying start and was feeling so positive about the whole thing.  I decided to start paying a monthly subscription the the pool, meaning I'd break even if I swam once every week.  That was probably about three months ago and since then I've been swimming maybe twice?  Of the 1360 lengths I need to have completed in around 8 weeks' time, I have managed the grand total of 256.  I have excuses a-plenty (in fairness to me, my determined rhythm was interrupted by no less than four stomach bugs) but basically I just failed/didn't bother.  There was a point about a month ago where I was considering still trying to meet my deadline, but I worked out I was going to have to do closer to 80 lengths a week and that just didn't seem achievable, so I did none, which was obviously the sensible and positive reaction, right?  Harumph.  I'm so annoyed at myself.  I mean, this is so typical of me and was the obvious outcome, of course, but I really believed I was going to stick to it and that made me feel great for a while.

So, what to do?  Well, I think I'll start again.  Now is definitely not the best time because, let's be honest, I know I won't make it to the pool much between now and the end of the year*, but I don't want to put it off too long, so (loathe as I am to be seen as a New Year Resolutionist) I'm going to set my ticker back to zero lengths come January 1st and aim to swim the equivalent of the Channel between then and the end of June.   And if I wuss out again?  To be honest, I probably just won't mention it and will hope you all forget I said anything :)

* Time is on no-one's side in the run-up to Christmas, I know, plus I'm off work again with my pesky heart and not feeling well enough to stir a pot of soup, let alone make it to the pool and back with a lengthy swim in between.  (Lengthy swim! See what I did there?) I'm hoping I'll be feeling better come January.  If not, I'll reassess.  Channel in a year?  Something like that.  One way or another I'll be going to that pool!