Swimming with the Fishies...

Tonight marked my third, and longest, open water swim. 900-1000m (difficult to measure when there are no lane lines!) I met up with a bunch of people from BT who are also on a Triathlon racing team. Cycle To Fitness is the group. They are recruiting for next season - and I have to say, wow. I am sold. Next year, God willing, it looks like I will be sponsored and racing for an actual team.

I had plenty of time on tonight's swim to contemplate what my goals are this season and for my race in two weeks.

My goal for Ann Arbor is to simply finish with a smile. The swim is going to be a struggle - not because I can't swim but because sighting, cold water taking my breath away, and swimming in a wetsuit are all new to me. Plus...here is the kicker... I am still afraid of open water to a degree.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am afraid of fish.

Are you done laughing?

OK.

Yeah. I am afraid of fish. And open water. And dying. But honestly - ever since I ended up in the ocean as a kid I am afraid of bodies of water that are missing chlorine and lane lines.

The irony rediculousness to all of this (aside from being an aspiring triathlete) is that I will get into a lake and swim. I will jetski, hop (or fall) off and be fine. But if I start to just hang out in water and my mind wanders... I panic a little.

Tonight I was doing well. I was swimming, sighting, getting used to my wetsuit and the whole "just being in a lake" thing. As I started to get tired, I would breast stroke and hang back with a fellow swimmer who was having some major wetsuit issues (circulation getting cut off in her legs), and then I would get back into the swim. Well... then it happened. I see a fish.

Yeah it was tiny. But it freaked me out! Reality had sunk in. I was swimming with fishies.

It was at this point that I thought - what the heck am I doing? What did I get myself into? Didn't I swear that I would never do a tri? Didn't I say that in this very blog last year? Can I handle this? Can I handle open water?

Yeah, I can.

I just put my face back into the chilly water and plugged away.

The first leg was maybe 300m but no more than 350. It was ROUGH. Not gonna lie.

The second leg was 200-300m. It was not as rough. Feeling better. Took some sighting advice from fellow BTers and eased into the stroke. If I clear my mind and just enjoy the swim all of a sudden I picture myself in the pool and I can go forever, or until I see another fish. ;)

The third and final leg was 300-350ish and it went a lot better. No breast stroking, all free style. Confidence up, sighting working it's way out, and breathing great.

I even saw a HUGE bass fish and I didn't even flinch. Well.. OK I flinched, but I kept on going. Just put the arms in the water and go. Just get to the bike.

All I could think of was that the fish were way more scared of this huge person flailing their arms through the water than I could possibly be of them.

It worked!

I did between 900-1000m tonight in open water and I finished stronger than I had started. I finished enjoying the swim out there and excited to do Saturday's 7/10th of a miler. I finished knowing that I will finish at AA, and knowing that I will improve this season triathlon after triathlon. I finished not as afraid, and even excited to get back out in the lake.

I have a HUGE way to go in the next week - but with that week comes two more open water swims both well over the 1/2 mile that I will swim in AA.

So yes. My time goals are out the window. I am treating my first tri as my first marathon... no time goals! This is a learning experience for me. Wow.

I love this. I honestly love being a triathlete.

So tomorrow is my reward for all of the hard work (aside from my freaking killer legs [if I don't say so myself lol]) - I am getting my hair did. Blonde highlights. :) Followed by dinner and a showing of the Sex in the City movie with my gal Stacy! Mike will not go to chic flicks with me - so it is a great time to bond with my gal friends!

From fishies to Sex in the City... life is good.

Take care all and I will "catch ya" on the flip side! T minus 9 days until I become a bonafide triathlete.

})i({ Jennikins

Did someone say that the water is chilly?

Because seriously... didn't notice.

BTers in the water - are we ready? It IS cold you know!

Today myself and 7 other BTers met up in Lansing at Hawk Island to do a dry run of the Hawk Island Triathlon. Again, I am not doing that tri, but I need all the open water practice I can get.

Yeah, we were ready!

Yeah, honestly the water was chilly, but one I dove in, it was in the bag. I was able to jump in and start free style right away. It was a little difficult to breathe at points because the water temps took the air out of your lungs, but today on the swim I did learn a few things.

1. Enter the water before the swim and let the water fill into your wetsuit to help warm you up.

2. Make sure to body glide the hell outta your calves (yeah for muscular calves!)

3. SPOT and SIGHT like it is your job.

All of a sudden mid-swim I popped my head up to see where I was, and low and behold I was in the middle of the swimming area - I had cut a 45* line from where I was supposed to go! I will be practicing sighting a lot in the pool and at the lake.

Swim to bike transition I learned a few things too:

Jaclyn and Joanne transitioning from swim to bike.

1. Have the Garmin all set up.

2. Attack the wetstuit removal process more as folding and peeling versus pulling and struggling.

3. Bring a small towel and water bowl for cleaning off feet - AA is dirrrrty.

The bike ride was pretty normal all around - I am feeling stronger!

Melissa ready for the ride

I spent a lot of time in aero, and my shifting is becoming more stable. Nutrition was spot on as far as I could tell. No issues on the bike - averaged just shy of 15mph as I decided to stay at the rear to make sure that we didn't drop anyone. I know that I could have average 16mph out there as there are no real hills to speak of. My goal for AA is to average 15mph out there. I will be happy with that!

Now on the run, I did learn two things:

1. Body glide the arms where they may run against the tri top.

2. SLOW the heck down. I started out at a... are you ready for this?... a SUB 9 MINUTE MILE PACE.

Yeah. Well then I realized that holy cow, I need to slow down. So I did, just not slow enough. I hung with the speedies for about a half of a mile, then backed off a bit but it was too late. Calf cramps followed immediately by shin splints. I ended up doing the first mile in 10:34. Mile 2 I had to stop to stretch and then find the group. Joanne stayed with me and then we started running again, this time at just under an 11 minute mile pace. I average 11:57 for that mile. That was with walking for a good bit so I am pretty happy.

At the end of the day I had completed an open water swim, rode my bike, and ran nearly 3 miles. Small distances, but I did them all with a smile on my face (with the exception of the whole calf cramping/shin splints fiasco).

The result of this day has been that my confidence about Ann Arbor has increased greatly. I have two more open water swims planned, and may be able to pull off one or two more before the big show in two weekends.

Have a happy and safe Holiday Weekend all!

})i({ Runnergirl

Tomorrow - the first attempt at a three-sport brick.

Tomorrow morning my gal Sushi is swinging by at 6:30AM and we are throwing her bike on the back of my Taurus and heading out to Lansing where we are going to meet up with a good handfull of people to do a dry run (not so dry afterall) of the Hawk Island Triathlon.

While I am not doing the Hawk Island Tri on 6/1, however I have zero open water swim experience, and zero swimming in my wetsuit experience, as well as zero swim to bike brick experience, so I jumped at the opportunity to go out and work some bugs out.

BUG #1 - Nutrition.

Yeah this has historically been my worst thing ever. I never really got the nutrition thing. I would always take in too few calories (heeeellllooo DNF at my first Marathon!) or take them in too late. I am working on a topping off the tank philosophy. I have three water bottles in the fridge cooling right now.

• 1 bottle is to keep the water cold for my aero drinking system. In this bottle I will mix in HEED for nutrition.


• On my bike frame I will carry 1 bottle of water as well. The ride should be about an hour or less, so I can get away with 1 bottle.


• The third bottle will be HEED for me to take before the workout.

I am also taking two gels. One for before the swim, and one for before the run.

I have, in the freezer, my recovery drink (Recoverite) that way it will be cool, thawed and ready for me to drink after the run.

BUG #2 - Gear AKA Stuff, and lots of it.

Talk about a change from running! I need a lot of stuff for tomorrow, and since this is a dry run of a triathlon, I am wearing the gear I am going to wear in the tri, using the nutrition I plan on using in the tri, and using the products and any misc. items I plan on using during the tri.

• Wetsuit


• Zoot tri top


• Sugoi tri bottoms


• Asics socks


• SIDI bike shoes


• Giant OCR1w bike w/profile bars


• Aero bottle with HEED


• 2 gels (run/swim)


• Bike frame bottle with water


• Bottle of HEED to consume on the way to event


• Pearl Izumi Synchroinfinity runinng shoes


• Pearl Izumi arm warmers for the bike


• Oakley glasses for the bike and ride


• Speedo tinted and anti-reflective glasses for the swim


• Sunscreen (70 SPF)


• Body Glide for wetsuit, OWS, and bike


• Towel for after swim


• Swim cap - thick for cold water


• Bike gloves - not neccessary but may like them for comfort


• 2 tubes, 2 CO2 cartridges and CO2 regulator, driver's liscence, state park pass, cell phone, keys, spare helmet, spage goggles and spare swim caps.


• Long pants to wear over shorts if it is really cold


• Long sleeve shirt to wear on run if cold

I think that this is all that I need.

WOW.

OK - so this is going to be fun!

The Tentative Timeline

• 8AM arrival at Hawk Island State Park
• 8:30AM potential swim start. If it is too cold to swim safely or comfortably - then a few of us are going to skip the swim. Even with the air temps getting wamer, the water temps are still cold. COLD. Thank goodness I have a wetsuit!
• 9:00AM transition into bike stuff
• 9:10AM Head out on bike leg.
• 9:50AM - 10:00 AM back into transition to change into run stuff. Consume gel.
• 10:35-10:40AM arrive back into transition. Discuss what went good, what went bad. Note things to take care of in next two weeks.
• 11:00AM pack up and come home!
• Noon - ahhh... I am one step close to becoming a triathlete! Relax and get ready for a wonderful and romantic 3 year anniversary celebration with Mike!

Oh yes - While Sunday is actually our 3 year anniversary, we have plans with friends on Sunday night so we are going to celerate alone on Saturday night. You know that it is a big deal if I make steak. :) Champagne anyone?

My goodness... three years with the man I love. I feel blessed, grateful, and absolutely full of happiness being with Mike. He is without a doubt the one for me. (I love you Mike!)

Then Sunday and or Monday me and some FAST people are heading out to Trout Lake for an open water swim or two. More wetsuit and OWS practice!

Monday afternoon my friend Stacy may come on over and we will head back to the lake for some sunning and some funning! Then Mike and I will make her some martinis and we can be living the high life in F-ton Hizzy!

So here is to a wonderfully full, but fully wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

Be safe out there everyone! And keep on running! And biking! And swimming!!!!!

})i({RG