On Wednesday I hit a swimming milestone: I swam for 1 mile non-stop. I know for some of you that may not be a big deal, but I just started swimming less than a month ago. Just a couple of weeks ago, a 1/2 mile seemed like 1000 miles. My friend who started swimming with me can only do 6-8 laps non-stop (33 laps is a mile).
What's helping me is my mental strength and my body's ability to adapt to extreme conditions. The first 3 laps are extremely difficult. My HR spikes and lactic acid builds up in my muscles. Very similar to the start of a mountain bike race. Racing has taught me how to work through this stage and find my groove. My body can adapt to extended periods in Zone 5 and it can deal with the lactic build-up. At least that's what I think it is. I know when my legs start to feel fatigued, I switch to more arms, which gives my legs time to get rid of the lactic build up. It isn't until I stop swimming do I realize how high my HR is and how fatigued my legs are. That's the same at the end of a MTB race. You get off your bike and fall to the ground. :)
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