In which I am thwarted

Oh, it is too maddening!

Seriously, this triathlon business is going to drive me to go and live in the country where I can just go out and swim in a body of water. (I've been thinking for a long time that I wouldn't mind living on a desert island. So long as it had a major research library. And I wouldn't say no to some rolling hills with not very much traffic, for bike-related purposes...)

I've been feeling really bad about not swimming enough recently. Three factors unfortunately converged:

(1) Transition from more expensive but more-individual-attention weekly swim clinic taught by super-inspiring female triathlete who caused me to strive to the utmost, to still very good but more large-group workout-type weekly swim session where there's much less individual attention and psychological investment.

(2) Half-marathon training.

(3) Summer pool hours!

It's the third that's got me ranting tonight.

Twice in the last three days, I've been thwarted.

Friday night it was my own fault, I went to swim at the Columbia pool around 8 (ideal time for swimming in my opinion) and only in the locker room did I realize that summer hours have the pool closing at 8 rather than 9 on Friday evenings. I am an idiot!

And this evening I had my second foray up to Riverbank State Park, which was my only available option for evening weekend swimming, and I swear on the phone message (they have nothing so helpful as a detailed website) it says adult lap swim 6:30-8:15 morning and evening daily, but I got up there and the pool was obviously closed and some very polite teenagers informed me what I could tell from myself from the signs, which is that there's no evening lap swim on Sundays.

Arghh! How am I ever going to get to be a better swimmer if I never swim?

Resolved: I will henceforth swim a minimum of three times a week if it kills me. (I swam four times a week from February to June, or sometimes five, with only one or two weeks where I fell short of the weekly goal, and that is why my technique and conditioning both improved so much.) But this resolution is all for naught when the pools are closed!