Triathlon

I'm here in Canada on my own this year, for the first 6 weeks, so I figured I needed to sign up for something that would keep me busy and hopefully keep my fitness levels up a little more than in past years...so I joined a triathlon group.  I think I've said this before...but whatever.

I'm now swimming three times a week, and the coach is excellent, I am improving SO much it is unreal.  I can even do bilateral breathing!!!!  It has been interesting working my way through the different things he wants me to try, and it is neat feeling myself improving.

The cycling has been less successful.  Man triathletes like going round and round in circles.  That doesn't bug me so much in the pool (few other options!) or even the open water swims...hard to coach us if we're swimming off to Niagara.....

But on a bike?  Really?  round and round in laps?  BORING!!!!! OMG, I went to one, and we went round and round and round.....I went to a second one, and they wanted to go and play in traffic, so I bailed out on that and went and did my own thing, and it was glorious....

I signed up for a ride this morning, but it was up north and they just went round a big rectangle of streets....I mean, is there nothing more?

I know the idea is training, and drills and all that, but really? 

They have a running training as well, but it is mostly sprints and hill work, and I don't think I am good enough to try, and I really hate running on the road...give me a trail any day and I'm a pretty happy panda, but ask me to run along a road or a sidewalk?  blea....

So, they keep asking if I'll do a tri, I think no.....I just can't face the run.

We'll see...the real goal is to keep on getting some exercise, and I am doing that.

Swimming

For all that I have done lots of swimming, and even got some lifeguarding certification way back in the past (and I'd like to say, you never ever ever wanted me to be the one to rescue you)  I do generally like swimming.

That said, I have always been the type of swimmer that is pretty happy to float around, rather than push myself at all. 

Then, last weekend, I tried swim goggles for the first time and nearly drowned myself when my autonomous nervous system thought I was snorkelling and I just inhaled a gigantic lungful of air. 

To say that I went into tonight's swim a little uneasy would be a clear statement of fact.  You see, I've signed up with a triathlon group while I'm here, on the premise that I am here alone, so I have quite a bit of extra time, and it will certainly motivate me to exercise, and I might even meet a cool group of folks.  I do not think a tri is in my future, I haven't the time or desire to train frankly.

So, off I went this evening, and was delighted to see, shall we say.... a range of body types at the venue.  I was worried they would all be amazing Simon Whitfields.  I chatted briefly with the coach to say that I was a complete and utter beginner, she said, no problem there were lots of beginners and that the week before some barely made it off the beach!  Hallelujah!

They were letting us try on wetsuits, very fancy, very expensive wetsuits!  So that was a nice thing, I'll be in a swim suit from here on out and it ain't as buoyant.  It was pretty cool having my feet at the surface all by themselves!

So, things were going well.  Generally.  Apparently I breath through my eyes considering the amount of fogging I was getting on my goggles, and I could maintain the crawl for much longer than I anticipated. 

I also have to admit that at some deep reptilian layer of my brain I am kind of afraid of swimming.  It only rears up at odd moments, and I am quite used to it, as I have been sailing and racing all my life, but I do get a bit of a panic-y gasping thing going from time to time, quickly brought under control.  And I don't exhale underwater, ever. 

Till tonight!  See things were going pretty well, I wasn't horrifyingly last, and indeed passed some folks.  Anyone who has seen me swim, can only imagine the caliber of those swimmers!!! So all was hunky dory, and I was managing to sight the lines fairly well through the fog that was my goggles, and so I thought it was time to give exhaling in the water a go.  And I could do it!  It wasn't such a happy place, and I cannot say that it was going smoothly (lots of water up my nose, not sure why) but I was doing it and that is huge!!! 

Plus I got some technique tips for doing the crawl, and man did that ever help!!!!  Excellent evening overall, already signed up for next week.