Today is Friday, but not just any Friday. The Friday before what I consider to be my first, true full-fledged sprint triathlon. This is not to belittle my past accomplishment in completing a "my 1st tri" version of the sprint triathlon, but you only get to do that once right? This time around the swim is the full 750 meters (a little less than 1/2 a mile) in open water. A friend asked if this meant fish and alligators, and while I suppose it could, it's a lake swim where the water is estimated to be around 68 degrees (if we're lucky) so I'm doubtful the alligators are interested and the fish will be far a field with the hundreds of triathletes partaking in the event. I'm not worried about the wildlife. I just want to envision swimming straight, focusing on my stroke and remembering to site swim about every 8 strokes... 8 is the swim number and the swim number is 8.
Perhaps I should explain my swim number. It's the number that whenever I would get antsy or panicky in the water when I would compete as a kid, I would count to in my head in order to calm down. No one ever taught it to me, it just made sense to do. I'm not sure why I picked 8, but that was just the number. When I returned to swimming at the start of this triathlon path, I returned to counting to 8, but this time it was for strokes... although I used it the other day when I was jittery at the end of a slightly stressful Monday and we were doing our first 50 m length pool swim. For some reason, I needed the counting to get re-aquainted with the pool that day. When I count laps, I count in sets of 8 to keep track of things. So, I call it my swim number.
So with my swim number in my head, my gear almost packed... it's at least laid out (although I need to go buy a new race belt and some clif shot bloks, and I'd like to practice a little unclipping this afternoon/evening), and my racing packet (complete with my number - 190- and neon pink swim cap), I'm nervous but ready to go. Whenever people tell me I shouldn't be nervous about sports, I think that racing is a lot like public speaking. I teach CLE's to attorneys as part of my job, and I get nervous before each and every one. The one time (luckily not a work event) that I did not get nervous before a public speaking event was just like the few times I didnt' get nervous before a swim meet or a cross-country race, I stunk. I embrace my nervousness and hope to harness that extra fight or flight sensation to flee, but to flee in the direction of the finish line.
Let the Wildman tri begin!
Showing posts with label nervousness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nervousness. Show all posts
Friday, March 13, 2009
Monday, December 22, 2008
The weekend workout!
This weekend and today were full of good workouts. Saturday I went for an hour long bike ride and felt like I could have gone longer despite trying to keep a good pace. I love those rides! I rode through the neighborhood, out past Timbercreek Highschool and took a big loop that goes around and up to Bella Vida and the shops near there and then cycled back into the neighborhood and around here. I did about 12 1/2 miles or so. The weather was warm and nice, with super blue skies, so it was great! Then we got a lot of Christmas stuff done - we wrapped all of the presents for everyone except for the girls and got a shower in (very important after that 1 hour bike ride) before Rob, Sue, Julia & Laura arrived. We had a good time with them and the girls played really well together! And Angelfish & Ladybug even used the potty a time or two!
Sunday I did a 30 minute bike ride followed by a 20 minute walk/run (5 minute walk followed by 12 minutes alternating between running 3 minutes and walking 1 minute. I can run longer than the 3 minutes but my left shin doesn't really like it.) I think I'm going to have to do as much running as possible on the treadmill because my left shin was hurting pretty badly after the run. Ice is being applied and all will be well again at some point. And knock on wood, it's only my left shin. After the international triathlon is over, I may just train for the swim and bike aspects of the triathlon and then run in the races. I think if I lengthen the swim trainings I can probably keep up the endurance side for the running. We'll just have to see.
Today it was in the 40s when I biked. I couldn't bring myself to get to the gym to swim today. I wanted to actually swim, but I didn't want to pack my bag and have to get in the car to do it. Mondays typically are off days, but with Christmas on Thursday I am using Thursday as my off day from training. So I switched Thursday's run to Friday's swim & run (instead of swim & bike since I am adverse to doing my bike workouts on a stationary bike unless absolutely necessary - like when I start doing all 3 together on Sundays between now and my February 1st tri), took the bike from Friday and moved it to today. There's no way I'm missing the girls' waking up on Christmas morning all excited even if I do like training for my triathlons.
It dawned on me this morning that my workouts will be getting even harder after I finish my 1st triathlon in February. The reason? The next triathlon is a lot longer than the one in February... more than twice as long on the swim, more than twice as long on the bike and 3x as long on the run. I have to admit that at this point, I am a bit frightened of it. I think I'll definitely be able to do the swim and then the bike... it's adding on the run at the end that gets my nervousness going. But, as my primary goal is to raise as much money as possible for cancer research and to FINISH the race, I should be ok because even if I end up having to walk, I'll still be moving along and getting it done. My 2ndary goal is to finish the race and not only swim and bike but also to run the entire last 6.2 miles like you're supposed to since it's well, a run at the end. And my tertiary goal is not to come in last place out of all the entrants... but at the same time, even if I come in last, I'll have at least finished it!
Tomorrow is a swim and run (on the treadmill with lots of ice and walking too) at the gym, which is probably a good thing because it's supposed to be chilly the next few days! And it will help in preparation for the eating fest on Christmas Eve with the Wigilia! YUM!
Sunday I did a 30 minute bike ride followed by a 20 minute walk/run (5 minute walk followed by 12 minutes alternating between running 3 minutes and walking 1 minute. I can run longer than the 3 minutes but my left shin doesn't really like it.) I think I'm going to have to do as much running as possible on the treadmill because my left shin was hurting pretty badly after the run. Ice is being applied and all will be well again at some point. And knock on wood, it's only my left shin. After the international triathlon is over, I may just train for the swim and bike aspects of the triathlon and then run in the races. I think if I lengthen the swim trainings I can probably keep up the endurance side for the running. We'll just have to see.
Today it was in the 40s when I biked. I couldn't bring myself to get to the gym to swim today. I wanted to actually swim, but I didn't want to pack my bag and have to get in the car to do it. Mondays typically are off days, but with Christmas on Thursday I am using Thursday as my off day from training. So I switched Thursday's run to Friday's swim & run (instead of swim & bike since I am adverse to doing my bike workouts on a stationary bike unless absolutely necessary - like when I start doing all 3 together on Sundays between now and my February 1st tri), took the bike from Friday and moved it to today. There's no way I'm missing the girls' waking up on Christmas morning all excited even if I do like training for my triathlons.
It dawned on me this morning that my workouts will be getting even harder after I finish my 1st triathlon in February. The reason? The next triathlon is a lot longer than the one in February... more than twice as long on the swim, more than twice as long on the bike and 3x as long on the run. I have to admit that at this point, I am a bit frightened of it. I think I'll definitely be able to do the swim and then the bike... it's adding on the run at the end that gets my nervousness going. But, as my primary goal is to raise as much money as possible for cancer research and to FINISH the race, I should be ok because even if I end up having to walk, I'll still be moving along and getting it done. My 2ndary goal is to finish the race and not only swim and bike but also to run the entire last 6.2 miles like you're supposed to since it's well, a run at the end. And my tertiary goal is not to come in last place out of all the entrants... but at the same time, even if I come in last, I'll have at least finished it!
Tomorrow is a swim and run (on the treadmill with lots of ice and walking too) at the gym, which is probably a good thing because it's supposed to be chilly the next few days! And it will help in preparation for the eating fest on Christmas Eve with the Wigilia! YUM!
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