Triathlon swim start

If you've ever seen a triathlon swim start, you know that arms are flying everywhere, you're being kicked in the face and no one says, "sorry." In fact they will swim right over you and leave you out of breath, possibly choking on water. In my case, one girl kicked me in the face, and knocked my googles off! In a normal situation, she probably would have turned back and apologized, but no. She was probably actually happy 'cause she gained at least a minute on me. Anyway, enough of my bitterness.

Our Coach always tells us to do "nothing new on race day." So we try to simulate everything we would do at the race.

Here is a video that kinda explains what I mean. Keep in mind that women are the worst!

lovin the ocean!

The ocean swims seemed so scary to me, but nowadays I actually look forward to it. It's so refreshing to get out there with the team and swim in the beautiful water. My favorite is the fist ocean swim where Coach has us get in the water, fill out suits up with COLD water and then hear everyone scream like little kids. It's also just fun to float in the ocean and look all around you. Everyone is laughing and screaming. There's nothing like it.

Usually for the fist ocean swim, the newbies are pretty nervous about going in the water, so Coach had the mentors demonstrate a surf entry and swim. I'm really not the best at this, nor am I the best at the swim, but I really had no choice. I don't like runnning in the water because it makes me anxious and out of breath. I would rather just take it slow in the beginning so I don't hyperventilate. But here are all the mentors getting ready to get in the water for the demo.

And here's everyone watching us. No pressure, right?

When we swim in the ocean we always have a "swim buddy." This is the person who sticks by you to make sure you make it back to shore. I think it helps a lot to have this person 'cause at least for me, I always feel so alone in the ocean. It's kind of a weird feeling, like you don't have too much control. Anything can happen, cause it's not your land, or water. Here are my swim buddies, Jenny and Joanna.

But man, when everyone jumps in together it is so crazy, but fun. It's taking me a while to get my ocean swimming rhythm back, but I think I'll get it. I felt like I just wanted to play around in the water.
Fun times!

Saturday mornings are packed with happiness, a little sorrow and aching muscles

On Saturday Ryan had a great idea of taking a picture with the team for Jeff. Everyone was excited to do it for Jeff and we even had a sign for him. Jeff has been battling through Lymphoma for about a year now. He's a very strong and positive person and probably the least likely person you would think of getting such a disease. You never know who it will hit. But I remember when I found out, I was shocked! He's only 26 and how could he get such a disease. But he's fighting through it really well and I wish him the very best! Keep him in your thoughts and prayers.


That morning was also Ryan's Birthday so I brought him a cake and the whole team sang for him.

Each week we have what's called a "Mission Moment, " where someone shares how the disease has affected them or someone they know. This week it was done by a teammate, Jane, whose son has Leukemia. He got it at a very early age and she was sharing her story. They were a normal happy family and one of her twin sons got the disease. She was talking about how devastated she was, but how well her son dealt with it. She said her son never complained. He complained more about eating his vegetables than all the tubes attached to his body in the hospital. What an inspiration! I was balling. These are her two sons, one which has Leukemia.

Here are some pictures of the brick workout we did. It was a tough workout. We did like a 5 mile bike, followed by a 1 1/2 mile run, partly on concrete, and the rest on sand. After three of those, I was pretty beat, but I told myself I would do ONE more! Agh, it was tough, but that chile relleno sure tasted good afterwards. My appetite skyrockets after these workouts.

Rolling down the hill, getting ready to transition to the run!

Me transitioning to a run. Don't ask me why I'm holding my hand like that. It's hard to think during these times.

swim pix

Man, I look funny in my goggles, but hey- I thought I would post the pictures anyway, for your laughing pleasure.

As usual, I'm starting to get nervous about the swim. For some reason, it just scares me and call me crazy, but swimming for a mile scares me even more. I havn't swam in the pool for a week or so and I remember last time I was really tired. Robbie, our swim coach had us use different gadgets to perfect our stroke. I have a feeling my stroke will never be perfected, but it's worth a try to at least make it better, right?

As you're practicing your kicking, why not pop your head up for a wave? My kicking is better than last season for sure.

Why in the world do you have a tennis ball? Well, one excersize was to swim with a tennis ball in each hand. I'm not sure how it's supposed to help, 'cause it only made it harder for me. But cheers to that!