Well, I have had some interesting training this week. It was supposed to be a "hit it hard, back from vacation" type of training week. Apparently Murphy (as in Murphy's law) had other plans for me. It started by not having my bike back yet from it's initial free tune up. They kept it the ENTIRE week, in addition to having it the whole previous week while I was on vacation. So, that ruled out any bike training this week. Then Monday, my first full day back from vacation, I was at the grocery store to stock our house with food once again, and I had my flip flops on, and wacked the crap out of my little toe. Right there in the parking lot at Walmart, my toe was bleeding profusely and hurt like a $#!$#!^%$@#$%$#@%$#. I didn't take time to REALLY look at it so I wrapped some tissue around it, and waited til I got home. Once home, I realized I had completely ripped on the toe nail, and half the skin across the top. Nice, real nice! I bandaged it up, and it throbbed all day with pain. As soon as I took Tylenol, I knew running was completely out this week. So, that left me with swimming! I was able to rig up a pretty good waterproof bandage for my foot, and hit the pool several times this week and an OWS! Yeah me!
I have found that the more time I spend in the water, the more I love it. Just when I thought I couldn't possibly enjoy it more, it just keeps getting better! A few things that I have added to my swimming are I ordered some fins and hand paddles, as well as a book called the Waterproof coach. I have loved what they have added to my work outs, some variety, and added resistance and I love that!
Then I was able to make it up to Pineview for a few open water swims since I last posted. It is the pic you see to the side.. HELLO! How could you NOT enjoy being in place like that, much less being surrounded by it while swimming? The first two times were in the same weekend when we had family camping up there and we joined them for two nights. Of course, the triathlete in me knew to take my goggles, swim cap and suit to squeeze in some swims. I had a blast, I swam along the beach, by myself, but with tons of people there. I just kept picking out buoys to swim between, all in a no wake zone for boats. I found that it was so fun, liberating, and just awesome! I practiced my sighting skills learned in the clinic I attended last month, and just thoroughly enjoyed myself. I swam about a mile each night. Pure and total heaven. I am even more in love!
Then, this week I saw posted on Facebook that a group was going to be up at Pineview for an organized swim. I didn't know any one going, but I figured it was a good chance to get another swim in, so I went. Plus, frankly, I have been wanting to meet more tri folk, so I figured this would be a good chance! I went up, and we swam from a different beach. It was a group of 4 other women, and we had a blast.
I think what I love about swimming are several things. One, it just comes the most naturally to me of swim/bike/run. I feel that it comes easily to me, and even when I push myself, it never seems like
work like riding and running can. Plus, with this new found open water element to it, what is not to love? It is amazingly freeing to be able to swim in nature like the pic above. It is more challenging than a pool in that you have to constantly be aware of what is around you, sighting where you are going, not being able to see to the bottom, watching for other people, boats, etc. You also don't have the controlled environment of the pool, so you get waves and choppy conditions. You have to be more
engaged in the swim
than when in the pool when you can get caught up in the black line syndrome. I love it, and there is just something very freeing about the whole thing.
I loved that I was able to get some good swims in this week, by default, but great nonetheless. I am going to add another element to this next week. We will be in California, and I am going to attempt an ocean swim! Can't wait, and as always, I will keep you posted!
Happy training!
