So tough guy attitude firmly in place - and a snorkel. Keep in mind that I slept in a little this morning and so the gym had plenty of people in it when I got there. Regardless of having a girlfriend, no guy wants to look like a dork in front of tons of hot women. My gym's pool is dead center in the gym with clear glass all around. Pretty much a fish tank for everyones amusement. So here I am - goggles, snorkel, pull-buoy, and snorkel. Sweet.
I am convinced that I am going to swim for miles effortlessly. I had told myself that breathing was all I needed to be an awesome swimmer, and the snorkel would fix all that. Man!!! What a wake-up call. So I take off and I am breathing like a champion and swimming right along and then...what's this??? I get tired. I have only gone 50 meters or so and I am tired. My body is sagging way down in the water and my heart rate is still high. I stop. I learn that I can only do 50 meters at a time before having to stop and catch my breath. WTF?
I am seriously concerned about being able to build the endurance by race time. Never mind that my form sucks and I can't breathe without a snorkel. How can my fitness be so high in other activities and I not be able to swim? It really is giving me some humility. This might be the hardest challenge I have ever faced as a civilian. I have always done activities that I was already good at before.
As for running, I got my first running injury. My left calf is hurting. It is my achilles. It isn't crazy bad, but I am going to rest it and ice it to heal up fast. It is hard to miss workouts with the team, but I know this is the right thing to do.
I got my bike fit done today. $375. This is going to be a crazy expensive journey. I am going to bet that I will spend more on equipment and training than I raise in funds (no funds from donations are used for me in any way). I am hoping this fit will help me prevent injuries and be able to train longer and harder.
On a different note: I got my first donation today from Jo Gruzka. This is especially meaningful because I met Jo when I first moved to CA. We were really close friends, but I haven't been keeping in touch like I should have. Jo is a Polish immigrant who is far less financially endowed than most of my other friends and yet she still jumped at the opportunity to donate to a good cause. I had heard that you would learn a lot about people and would be surprised by their generosity during this journey, and so far that seems to be true.
Lastly, I got a message from a very old friend that was also a friend of Matt's. Popeye let me know about some resources to fundraise from. I am going to ask my friends to share some favorite stories about Matt, mostly R rated I am sure, for anyones enjoyment that might be reading this blog.
I feel the exact same way about swimming. why cant I get to the other side without having to stop and pant? I dont get it. You are not alone on this one.
ReplyDeleteIs it bad thing I enjoy seeing you humbled? But I know you are determined and will do great with practice and great coaching. Keep it up. I'm proud of you for not quitting.
ReplyDeleteHey - I'm curious, what is the "as a civilian" comment? Did I miss something? Were you military? I don't remember you telling me that but then again I'm an old lady I don't remember simple things :-)
ReplyDeleteOne thing I will say about "Swim Breathing" that is different than anything else. In swimming, breathing helps you FLOAT. OK, I know, duh, but that's important. A lot of folks somehow think that they need to breathe "all their air out" in the water and then make this huge gulp of air. In fact, you want to envision breathing "into a ball" in your stomach, but envision that your lungs are totally filled up and floating you with air. Just imagine that air circulating and staying fresh, and helping you be buoyant. One other thing I would say from when I caught you swimming on Saturday was I am sure you are hearing this in your swim lessons, but you want to be sure that you are swimming "from your hip." Meaning, don't flex your knees. You swim from your hip, and your ankle. The reason for this is hydrodynamics. If you are only "kicking" from the knee, you are losing out on the pressure of your thigh helping you be buoyant. If you more "lock" your knee and use your hip and ankles, the whole "plane" of your leg not only propels you along, but with each downward stroke, it helps buoy up the back end of your body. Ultimately (I know this sounds completely impossible - when I say this I will pretend you are saying "clipless pedals" or "downhill without brakes") you are going to want to be swimming WITHOUT kicking. When I swim, I do not kick. This saves your legs for the bike and the run. Just a beat here and there to keep them afloat, but mainly, you want to be buoyant through the air you retain, and to "pull" through the water with your arms (which have basically nothing else to do in the other 2 sports). OH and btw, my husband can't swim either. I wish I'd gotten him to go this journey. He used to be quite a good cyclist (and running) before he and I quit exercising altogether. I told him about you and he said you win the Serious Bravery award. :-)