20-20 Tuesday. I know, it is also "Fat Tuesday" but I figured since we all bust our butts every day working out, the emphasis will not be on the word "fat" for Tuesday.

It was hard to get up today (what's new??). I am feeling the fatigue of bad sleep nights over the weekend. But, since running was the focus for February, I felt compelled to get out there and get a run in. And while I had said before no more long runs on the treadmill, I was glad today was not a long run. The temperature was in the teens (but calm and no new snow), but it was just COLD. I also wanted to get a short swim in, so the gym and treadmill it was.

I didn't have a solid plan on what I wanted to do until I got there, and that based on my time available. I decided today had to be the day to break a barrier. A mental one at that. The physical is hard to do, but the mental is worse. I had to break the "15 min. run" barrier, meaning I had to get over letting myself walk after 15 min. So I decided, okay 20 minutes it is.

The first 5 went okay. The second 5 my mind was whirling a little (can I do this??). By 15 min. I decided, its only another 5, you can do this. Yes, I did.

Then it was hit the pool. I am doing an indoor triathlon again in 3 weeks and wanted to see what 20 min. would get me. I do time myself from time to time for 1000 yards, so today I figured if I could do 20 laps (1000 yards) in 20 min., I would be happy with that. My best up to that point for 1000 yards had been 19:21--and that after a short run.

Getting into the pool, another woman was coming in just as I was. I recognized her from about 10 years ago at some swim meets I had participated in but couldn't remember her name. I am not sure if she remembered me. We started swimming about the same time, but as I remembered her as a much better swimmer (U of M swim team in college), she pulled away. I also noticed in the other lane a woman with HUGE flippers on and I seemed to be swimming almost her speed, even with her flippers. I felt pretty good and began pushing it some, not enough to get out of breath, but enough so I could feel it in my shoulders. It was okay. I was keeping the same pace swimming next to the unremembered named woman (she was always about 3/4 of a lap ahead--I counted strokes when we would pass and was keeping on the same pace). I started thinking, I'm not going to have enough time to do 20 laps. I'll just do the 18 for a half mile. But when I got to 18, and the other woman was done with her swim (I figured she had already reached the half mile point), I decided to just keep going, even if I went over the 20 min. time frame.

20 laps and I stopped, looked at my watch and COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! 18:21! A whole minute faster than my best time trial. I will have to build on this.

Like someone(?) said, sometimes you have to push yourself to do something you don't want to get the results you desire.