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I have the privilege of swimming with a great group of folks in masters swim team each week. We show up never knowing what the swim workout will be. In fact, we are given the swim workout one set at a time, so we have no idea what is coming up next. We love to try to guess. Sometimes it is wicked hard (usually in season) and other times we find ourselves on the deck doing pushups, sit ups and planks in between fast 100’s – working on our strength in base season. We even find ourselves doing fun drills like holding each other’s ankles while the front swimmer pulls 🙂

On Tuesday, I show up having not been there in a while due to work and travel in hopes of a nice easy day where we cap off 2013. In fact, my yardage has been unusually low lately (~6,000-8,000 yards a week down from a minimum of 10,000 yards). So, I really needed the coach to take pity on me. Ha! (I didn’t say this out loud but was thinking it).

I was on deck getting my equipment set up and chatting with my fellow swim mates, feeling excited to be there when I over hear the coach start telling us the workout. My first thought is, wow, we get to find out what the whole workout is before hand. Then, I hear it. . . .

14 x 200 (15 sec rest)

14 x 100 (10 sec rest)

14 x 50 (5 sec rest)

100 cool down

Total: 5000 yards

I am not going to lie, to hear this was a bit daunting. We got started and by the 3rd or 4th 200 I felt warmed up and in a groove. My focus was on form, trying to keep count of my intervals, but not once thinking, I wouldn’t finish it. The power of the mind is an amazing thing. To take the “I can’t” out and instead put in “I’ll do my best” is what makes all the difference. So the next time you are gearing up for a big workout, think to yourself, “I will do my very best,” it doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be your best.