good vs. evil

I wish I could sympathize with Elisa and tell you that there was drama at the pool this week, but alas ... things like that just don't happen in the aquatics world. The only complaint I could have is that that lanes are crowded, and that's just not nearly as frustrating as malfunctioning bikes and asshole drivers. The day that someone tries to drown me, I will be sure to let you know.

This morning as my alarm went off at five o'clock, I was baffled at the mental process it took to get me out of the bed and to the pool. "If I get up now, I get swimming over with for the day, I can write on the blog after work, and then go to dinner with friends. If I sleep now, I get to sleep, which is good, but then I need to swim after work and try to write on the blog during lunch. And then I have to shower again before dinner. And if I don't swim today, I could lose the contest." Seriously - that all went through my head within about fifteen seconds. I don't know how I can think that much when I'm not totally awake.

It's surprising how I can try to talk myself into and out of going to the gym simultaneously. Like that cliche cartoon with the devil on one shoulder and angel on the other, except the angel is dressed in a white swimsuit, and the devil in sassy red pajamas. The latter almost won today, but then I remembered that I didn't want to lose. Imagining Carrie or Elisa winning had me up and in my gear in no time.

As is usually the case with exercise, once you get there you don't regret it. I know, I know ... that is the sort of thing you read in fitness magazines and think, "Silly Magazine Writer. You shouldn't lie to your readers." But it really is true, no matter how much I like to think it isn't. Once I get past the hassle of getting there and getting used to the frigid temperature of the water, that first lap always feels so good. If only that were the first thing I thought of when the alarm goes off ...