Bridge Repeats

Alone. In the dark. In the rain. With just my alligator friend beneath the bridge.

Sound invigorating? I feel empowered. I did 6 hill repeats, each around 7 minutes, up the bridge and back down as one. They actually did not hurt too bad, though my legs were tired by the last one. I am still reeling that I saw a "gator", however, sleeping under the bridge along the shore. I did a double take, but it was a real live gator. Sent shivers up my spine, or maybe that was my reaction to the rain pelting my face so hard it hurt?

Anyway, did the workout I set out to do and then went to the pool for some abuse from Don. It was miserable in a satisfying kind of way. Today he told me my stroke was the best he has seen it yet. I will take that, coming from a cranky old man who never says anything nice about anyone. Most days I wish he would just ignore me like he does the man who got into the lane next to me. I wonder if that man just told Don to leave him be and let his stroke be imperfect? Maybe Don thinks that man is too old of a dog to learn any new tricks? Other days, I am hungry for his advice, eager to learn the stroke work and wanting to improve it all. Then he tells me to do backstroke and I think I might drown right there in my lane. Would the grumpy old coach jump in and save me? It is not likely.

I am excited about the possibility of going home for Christmas and seeing friends and family. Sharing a meal and sitting in front of the tree together. It sounds like a ton of effort to get there, but I think it might almost be worthwhile. I want San Diego so badly, I can almost taste it. I want to drink in the cold December air there, run Torrey Pines hill, and embrace old friends. I love the idea of celebrating the most magical time of the year with people I crave seeing again. Mostly, I want to stop feeling torn between two worlds and try to live a streamline life.