Feeling like a Hamster

Well, the weather has been brutal of late. The blizzard of 12' that never really was, did coat everything with about 10". We finaly hit the 40's for the first time since the 23rd of December. It just has not been conducive or as many remind me safe to train outside. Therefore, my training has gone inside to the point that I feel like a hamster in one of those habitrails.  I am going from the treadmill, to the pool, to the cycling studio or spin classes inside.



The lack of fresh air just seems to make it so artificial. Yet, with the technologies at hand and the plan in place I continue to "build". I have definitely noticed an improvement in my cardio and my recovery times are getting much shorter between hard efforts.
It has also allowed me to focus on my swim which I am sure will become a bit less emphasized when the weather turns. It is also an area as I have said where my history lacks. I am continuing to swim with the SSC masters swim group. We do time tests, about every two weeks, so I am getting great feedback on my improvement. The large cuts in times are becoming less due to improvement but the feel for the water is a world of difference from 2 months ago.
Many of the members also have kids in swimming as well. It makes it very family friendly. So one day when the two practices overlapped some one had the brilliant idea of a relay race by families. Uh oh, this may not be too pretty. This is not to say my daughter is slow, it's to say I am. So were were pitted against 5 other family combinations. So as we prepared, we talked out or plan, or should I say Rachel told me our plan. Dad, don't make us finish last. Great, I am not sure I have ever been told that in my sporting life. So with quick fatherly wit, I struck back with you better get us a good lead then. Well let's just say we did not win, but we did not come in last and it was not all due to a big lead. It was great to see the families coming together and competing and having some indoor fun.
So with warmer weather in the forecast I am hoping to escape the cage and get some real air. With Indiana weather, you take it when you can as we still have a couple months of this stuff to come and I am out of sections to add to the habitrail.