Snooze or swim? Which should I choose?

I admit, I'm not a morning person.

Alarm clocks and me? We don't necessarily get along. The snooze button? Lately that's been my best friend.

But I think that might need to change. I think I need to begin to like getting up earlier. Because if I don't? I might be in trouble.

Here's my problem. I need to get back in the pool. The High Cliff Triathlon is a little more than a month and a half away. And me and the pool? We haven't been the best of friends lately. In fact, I've been ignoring the pool. And it's probably mad at me.

So I went to look up the YMCA's pool schedule to figure out the best day for me to plan when I'm going to start getting my swim workouts in. Last year when I did this I had no problems. But this year? It seems like the pool is only open for lap swims for an hour or so a night after I get done with work. And it usually isn't right when I finish.

Yes, I could drive across town to the other YMCA facility, which has a slightly more favorable lap schedule and, honestly, a nicer pool. But it's way out of my way, especially when I can see the downtown facility from my office window.

My other option. Get up earlier. I'm not talking the crack of dawn, or even when it's still dark out. But maybe set the alarm so I can head over for a swim before I need to be to work at 8ish (one of the advantages of my reporter job, somewhat flexible on the start time). Of course that would require me breaking my snooze button habit. And getting used to the whole early morning workout routine, which I admit, I've never been very good at.

I keep telling myself it's only one or two days a week. The rest of the week I can sleep a little longer. It would be just like I was taking an early shift at work.

So I'm strongly leaning towards the early morning swims. My decision will be made by the time Monday rolls around. Because seriously, I've got to swim sometime.