Masters does not lie

Why swim at masters.... it keeps you honest!  I was feeling pretty good about my swim fitness and have been swimming a lot.  I swim on intervals on my own but realize if I am not making the interval I put on paddles or stop looking at the clock and just swim "hard."  Hard is relative...I feel tired when I am swimming "hard" on my own but hard is trying 110% to make the interval and not let the person behind you catch up to you. Hard is kicking in and out of the walls because your arms alone just wont do it. Hard is hearing yourself gasp for air on each breath. Hard is ditching bilateral breathing for every stroke in hopes more O2 means I will go faster.  Hard is leaving 3 second after the guy in front of me in hope of a draft to make the interval even though he is 6 seconds ahead of my by the 1st flip turn.  Hard is not even looking at the time, counting distance and taking each 200 or 100 as it is just to finish.  This AM was "hard" at Encinitas Masters!