WEEK 21 (not so good)

2.18.10 Thursday and I am just starting to write. Not an auspicious start to the week. I had to drive my daughter to school Monday and Tuesday so I didn't get to swim at all. Wednesday I was back in the pool and damn glad to be there. Today I have an inkling that I am not doing this training thing properly. I have certain constraints in that I only have access to a pool for an hour early in the morning on weekdays and then I can swim in the bay on weekends. So I can't swim 4-6 miles 4 days a week and then a long swim on the weekend like I have seen so many people suggest. The most yardage I can get in on a weekday is 3,000 and that is what I am doing four days a week. Then on the weekends I have reached 4 miles (two hours) per day so far. But here is the problem; I am worn out. I am tired. My arms are tired and aching. It doesn't feel like an injury, it feels like over use and exhaustion. But I am supposed to be able to swim 15-16 miles a week and to build that to 24 miles in my last week. I don't think that I can keep up the six days a week for 21 more weeks. I need advice. I think that I would benefit from some "strength training" but I don't know how to find it or how to work it in. I can't afford to pay for swimming, and pay for my club, and pay for a workout club and trainer... but I can't afford to get hurt either. Who do you ask these questions to? I wish I had a "coach" who was involved in marathon swimming, but I don't even know if they exist. I guess I will put my questions out onto the Channel chat forum, but they are intimidating to say the least. I thought that if I just kept swimming I would get stronger but it feels like I and getting run down. This doesn't feel right. I hope I can figure this out. I want to feel like superman when i leave for Spain not just someone who has put in the miles and can muscle through. I did that for Tahoe and I am hoping for a more satisfying Gibraltar swim. I want to finish feeling strong and able to go further, not depleted and desperate to get on the boat.