Cycling the Worries

So today I swim great (after a couple helpful hints from Chris at STAC). So today I'm feeling confident about the swim but worrying about the run (walk). Tommorrow I will probably worry about the bike. I guess the only things I have not worried about are T1 and T2, maybe I can put those in the rotation! I feel so silly sometimes.

Shaped like a barge but will swim like a fish!

On the road to freedom!

2 Week Miscellaneous

Okay, I put on new tires and I do go faster, there is less vibration, and it's a tad easier (thanks Lisa!). I rode 10 miles on Friday and now realize I can do 15. Tommorrow I will ride 12 miles. Swam today, slow, made the cutofff time but was not in that "downhill" groove. I think I might actually try to draft on someone :-)

Went to the chiropractor and had an adjustment, it hurt but boy do I feel better! I have 4 swim sessions left, 4 bike sessions left, a couple weight training sessions and then I will rest for 4 days with only a very light swim, light bike, and some casual walking to keep loosened up. Nothing that would be considered a workout.

Two weeks from today! Stay tuned!

Holy Crap Batman!

Only 17 days left and I'm still vacillating between anticipation and terror. I took off the last two days and slept in as I felt really tired and thought that would be better for me than pushing it. I swam slow Tuesday as I was so tired, and of course started worry about my making the cutoff which took my mind of the bike! I think I need to meditate or drink some rum and cokes and chill out!

My back has been hurting, don't know if I am out of alignment or having a cramp or something else. It hurt so bad Monday I couldn't lay down on the workout bench. I'm going to see a chiropractor today to see if it makes a difference. Might even try acupuncture. Maybe do some muscle relaxers :-)

Talked with a lady downstairs who suggested I take my knobby tires off my mountain bike and replace them with street tires, which is supposed to make a big difference in comfort, etc. I'm taking them in today, I shal know on Saturday if it helps (I need every bit of help I can muster at this point)

Another Swim Lesson Today

My swim coach, Paige, corrected a major mistake I was making in my pull and wow! Even better with the swimming down hill, did 25 meters in 32 seconds (I know, you do it in twenty but you are not the size of a barge!) and my best time before was 39 seconds. The last couple of days my butt has been sore and I am wondering what the H#!* I have gotten myself into! I know I can do the swim, I can walk the 5 miles, but can I really bike 15 miles? My thighs were sore and my butt hurt! Got to get a bigger, softer seat. I think one of those big tractor seats would be just great! With that skinny little bike seat I have on now, it must look like it gets swallowed by my fat rear! (Probably looks like I am riding with the seat post stuck up . . well, you get my point). At times I know I can do this and at times I am in utter terror! only 22 days before the big race!

It worked!

Swam my 1/2 mile today with the new style (downhill) and knocked two full minutes off my time, and it was much easier, swam more like a torpedo instead of a barge. I probably would have knocked off another 15-20 seconds but my swimming trunk strings came loose and my trunks started coming off, so I finished the lap slowly with my legs spread wide so I could keep them on. Did some more sprints and doggie paddle drills afterwards, then finished up with 20 hard minutes on the treadmill.

My daughter and I went for a bike ride after that (about 3.5 miles) and it was sure a lot harder than the stationary bike in the gym! Wind, hills, and the physics of moving my large body though space was tough! I got winded very easily. I have been working hard on it in the gym but the real thing is much tougher!

Oh yes, my butt hurts! Only 28 days left till the race. I aim to get in 10 more swims, 10 more bike sessions (stationary and the bike), 10-11 weight training sessions, and 8-10 treadmill sessions. Reality is coming up fast! The last few days before the race I will take off Thursday - Saturday from any training with only a very light swim on Wednesday.

I have already schduled a day off from work after the race. I am going to sleep in, then hit the hot tub at the gym, then go for a massage, then take a really nice nap! Yeah baby!

It's all down hill!

Last couple swims have been slow, I wasn't gliding, I was stroking hard and going nowhere, very tiring. I swam a few laps after my distance swims and I swam really fast and couldn't figure out why. So today I sprinted the first 5 laps and did take off time, but then was tired and ended up barely making the cut-off time. I stayed and tried to figure out what I was doing different after my distance swimming that felt so great. Then I found it, I stopped rotating all the way to a vertical side position (only rotated to about 45 degrees instead of 90) and I put my head all the way under the water on my non-breath stroke! Suddenly I was slicing through the water, had a strong stroke, gliding, and with a lot less effort! I felt like I was swimming down hill! I'd heard that term before, but now I know how it feels and how to do it! I can hardly wait to swim on Sunday!

Only 31 days till the tri and I am getting nervous! Had a little self-sabotage this week because the weight was not coming off as fast as I wanted! (Unrealistic expectations!) Had a good talk with Jess (my personal trainer) last night and I am recommitted to eating clean and will let the pounds drop where they will. I am going to finish this Tri!