Snow job

You ever have that kind of nap where you wake and you can't remember where you are or what day it is? I had one of those this afternoon. Delicious, so needed and slightly strange. I felt transported. Maybe it what was I needed to shake this sickness. I think I am finally better.

I had a swimming dream. Shocker! my husband told me. But actually I don't have them THAT much. I was working on starts with some new supposedly fangled technique (you know from dreamland) where I have both hands on the wall shoulder width apart, I lean in and push away quickly and clap as fast as possible. Something with improving my reaction time I think was the idea. Well the dream went on and on, from doing a dive fully clothed, to being asked on a date by a super nice but nerdy guy who didn't seem to mind that I told him I'd have to ask my husband and seemed quite pleased we'd be going with his mother (WHAT is up with that?) to a new vision for a team suit...but I won't bore you with the details.

You might have guessed from this rambling post that it is snowing... snowing heavily... perhaps up to 15 inches today. School got called off but not before I decided at 5:20 that if I had to go to work I should probably skip swimming and rest one more hour and knock this illness for once and all. BUMMER!! Another workout missed. I'll be back strong on Friday.

Sick day

Fever, chills, sore throat, can't swallow.... the whole che-bang.
I haven't been sick in quite a while and it stinks. I am missing two practices - the first of our next Masters session -- that I have
been waiting more than a month for. Blech!

In the meantime I will need a kayaker for P2P July 25th. I have a few leads but nothing solid. I really want someone who has swum or kayaked before OR at least knows Portland Harbor currents. If you have a good idea please let me know!

My left shoulder has also been hurting a bit again. It really didn't hurt the whole season until about mid December, which I took as a sign that I was stronger. However I think the combined toll of increased intensity and yardage at the end of December along with a lot of report writing has caused a flare up. Interestingly with my efforts to tweak my stroke ala Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen, the pain has switched to the back part of my shoulder suggesting I am indeed engaging my back muscles more, but that they also are weak!

I should haul my sick heinie out of bed and do a few shoulder exercises I suppose.... wishing better health for everyone else out there!

Purple Rain...Baby I'm a Star!

Now I get it. I get all the hype. Why people get so into triathloning.

It has been snowing. All day. 10-12 inches predicted. I have been trapped in the house all day. With three kids. Nuf said.

So I finally did my first ride on the trainer. It was such a blast. I can tell my butt is going to hurt tomorrow. I worked way to hard. Unlike swimming, I learned that how hard I work is entirely dependent on the music I play.

Baby I'm a Star. Very good.

I will Survive. Not so good.

Disco Inferno. Very good, especially if I sprint on the Burn Baby Burn chorus.

Purple Rain. Good for a cool down.

Clearly I need a good mix now.

My legs are burning and tingling. I could get in and do a swim workout now.
Is this what they call endorphins? I like it! I am ready for my first sprint tri (at least mentally).

Virtual swimming

Just found this cool site that shows world champions swimmers strokes through virtual animation.



http://www.virtual-swim.com/

You can choose the stroke and the angle.

Very cool for fine tuning technique!

Goggle face

After I swim I get this haggardly awful look that doesn't go away until about noon. It's the goggles. They leave these huge impressions around my eyes and on my forehead. It's horrible. I look about 20 years older. My skin just isn't as elastic as it used to be..... alas age is creeping up. However I am happy to report I have found a solution!



I borrowed my friends Swedish goggles today. They are that kind that are just tiny plastic cups that cover only your eye. No foam. So suction stuff. I was dubious. Very dubious. But they work. No leaking. A bit of fog but that can be fixed with anti-fog spray. And the best part. They only cost $2.59 at SwimOutlet... okay so I'd have to shell out another $5 for a good strap but hey that is a lot cheaper than my $20 TYRs that I replace every 5 months.

Waiting and Swimming

Peaks to Portland is July 25th!
I couldn't handle it any longer. I had to email the director and ask. You know get my life in order and start PLANNING!
I think I have a kayaker. Check.
I guess not much else to do now but wait. And swim.

This morning was registration for our Masters team. I got there at 7:20. It opened at 8:00. I was #10. At 8:03. By 8:15 it was FULL! Crazy stuff. I hope if there are enough people on the waiting list that we can get another session on T/TH mornings. Some of my friends didn't get in b/c they live in other towns which is a real bummer. Got to find a way to work this out.

As for workouts, last week was my highest yardage week in a long time. 9500 yards. Not much for many of you out there. But for a lazy sprinter like me its a LOT!

So big events for the next few months look to be:

Jan 18th - Bowdoin Distance Festival (this is a maybe, but would be good to clock a 500)
Feb 8th - Sprint Pentathalon meet
March 28th - NE SCY Championships
April 25th - Colonies Zone SCY Championships
June 7th - Pirate Sprint Triathlon -- my first!!
July 25th - Peaks to Portland
August 15th - Alcatraz Sharkfest
August 22nd - Rockland Around the Breakwater

Here I come 2009!

Home alone

Here is an interesting conversation I had with my 3 year old daughter recently ...

Mom: Come on let's go...
Dara: I want to stay home.
Mom: You can't stay home alone.
Dara: Yes I can.
Mom: But what would you do if you had an accident?
Dara: I would clean it up.
Mom: No I mean what would you do if you fell down and cut yourself, or a fire started, or a stranger came to the door?
Dara: [long, long pause while thinking].......I would put my blanket over my head and hide [demonstrates].
Mom: Yes and that is exactly why you are coming with me.

Also good to remember that hiding under a blanket is not a good solution, even though it feels oh so tempting most of the time.