What a difference a week makes!

The picture to my left is a photo of Tempe Town Lake. This lake is not my friend. My first time in it I swam the wrong direction while backstroking. The second time I was in the lake I doubled my pool time for the same distance. The third time in the lake I had a panic attack and tried to quit. Today was going to be different.

Kate's 2nd Splash N Dash . . . .

I started the day feeling much more confident. Last night's practice swim in the new wet suit felt good. I have a full sleeve "19" wetsuit. I think it gave me a little confidence boost. It also helped that it was a 750m swim v. the 1000m swim I was expecting. I had a very busy work day so I didn't have time to obsess about the race.

At 4:00 I packed up and went down to the race. It was a cold day for Arizona. Maybe 65 or 67? Usually when it hits 70 degrees here we all have our sweaters on. So this type of weather was not idea. I couldn't imagine what the water tempature was going to be.

Peter got to the race before me. He was only 1 of about 30 people! We were still a little early so maybe others would be coming. The race organizers talked about how the weather might be keeping people away today. By the time we were to start the race, we had 52 people participating. Unheard in Arizona to have race that small but I dug it! It turns out that it was a no chip race this time. They were going by our bib numbers. This should be interesting!

I looked at the water and got a huge pit in my tummy. The buoys were so far apart!! How could that be 750m? It looks like WAY more than that. It was again a triangle format. I can't believe how far they are! I had to stop looking b/c I could feel my heart rate going up.

As we started to get our wetsuits on an older lady befriended us. She was CHATTY! Turns out she has done ironman races and does about 15 marathons a year. She talked about how she was the last on across the finish line in IMAZ. She didn't care one bit! It was all about the finish for her. I was so impressed with her attitude. It turns out she is a slow swimmer too who is doing the same race I am doing on Sunday. I think her chatting helped me get through my prerace jitters. She didn't stop! It was cute though. I think she was happy to be with some folks.

Soon it was race time and we were to get into the water. It was cold!! I recognized some faces from last week and made some small talk with some folks while we were getting used to the water. A few of us self described slow people talked about where to go and when to start. So far so good. No panic yet.

The next thing I knew the horn blew. Deep breath . . . Here I go. For a brief moment I flet a little uneasy. Not getting into the flow but that soon passed. I tried to get a little chant going in my head. "1, 2, 3 . . . Breathe! 1, 2, 3 . . . Breathe!" I decided I would try to sight about every 10 strokes. I realized that I wasn't freaking out! I am doing this! I take my first sight and put my head right back in the water and didn't skip a beat. Hey, I just passed a guy! "1,2,3 . . breathe!"
The next thing I know I am at the first buoy! How did that happen? I am doing this!! As I am going I see some folks floating on their backs. I haven't had to flip over yet. Hooray! As I am swimming I realize the longer I keep stroking the faster I will get done.

As i reach the final stretch I got pretty emotional again. This week I'm emotional for a different reason. I totally concurred my fear! I didn't give up and worked to get over my issue. Pretty cool. As I started to walk up the boat dock and man was right behind me. He asked the race official "Are we the last ones out?" AND the race dude said "NO!" I can't believe it!

I quickly went to the transition and got my shoes on. The the running begin! I was about a mile into the run when I saw Peter coming the opposite way (We had to do two loops) He said "YOU DID IT!" It must have been obvious b/c he was still on his first lap.

I was on cloud nine. I knew I was still back of the pack but I was SO OK with that! When I finished Peter told me that I was only a couple of minutes behind him!! He thinks I really cut a ton of time of my swim!

Here are the results.

• Today: 750m swim and a 4k in 43:46
• Last week: 500m swim and a 4k in 45:52

I was trying to calculate the numbers. I don't know how this time can be possible though. It is pretty darn good if you consider the time includes the swim, transition of getting my wetsuit off, AND a 2.5 mile run! What ever. I'm not going to over think it. I'll take it.

I drove home with a new attitude. I can do this! This is a whole new ball game now! I can do this! Now that I know I can do the swim, I can start thinking about how to become faster and stronger v. thinking about surviving the swim.

What a difference a week makes!

I have Open Water Swim Panic!

The photo above was taken after the Splash n Dash. Suzanne and Peter did great and I floundered. Let me tell you my story.

I'm scared of the open water swim but I want to get better. Thursday we had a race where we had 500m swim and a 2.5 mile run. I was SOOO nervous. Not only did I have to swim in Tempe Town Lake but it was also going to be my first swim in a wet suit. My fears started to escalate the night before the race when I tried the wet suit on. It fit better than it did when I first got it but it was still a size or two too tight. My husband said "it will look great when you lose about 20 more pounds". Whatever. Mom said, "are you really going to wear that tomorrow?" Whatever again.

I was extra nervous on Race day - should I even wear the wetsuit? I never knew I so vain until these damn triathlons. I spoke to my tri buddies (Peter and Suzanne) they both encouraged me to wear it just to test it out. They were very supportive. If I try to wear it, at least I will know how it feels to float. This was my first Splash n Dash. You could do a 500 or 1000m swim. We got signed up and were stunned by the crowd. There were only about 150 people. The last race we did there were about 1500 people of all shapes and sizes. The 150 people doing the Splash n Dash were all "super duper fit". They all must have been training for the SOMA HIM or the IM-AZ. I think there was only 1 woman heavier than me and I only saw 1 man with a beer belly. INTIMIDATING! These people had the type of bodies where they walk around in their speedos or their tri bikinis. The Suzanne said "I hope I look like that when I am 40! I've got 15 more years to get there!" Yes, I am training with a 25 year old.

I decided I was going to power through though and do this. Who cares what anyone thinks. At least I am trying. I got my wetsuit on easier than I thought I would. It was ok. The 1000m people went first and we took off about 3 minutes later. (I knew one person in the 1000m group.) There were only 13 of us doing the 500. When I got in the water I was stoked. I didn't even have to tread! The suit floated for me. I was very optimistic. I could really float! I wasn't going to sink!! HOORAY!

So our 500m horn went off and I took of swimming like a champ. My swim coach was right! I can do this! Mind over matter. I had my head in the water breathing ever 3rd stroke. I realized that when I actually do my stroke correctly I can cover a lot of ground! Then it happened . . . I looked up to sight and freaked. I started to lose my breath. I flipped to my back and tried to get my heart rate down. I back stroked then rolled to my front again. Can't seem to get my groove back. Oh no! It was a triangle bouy set up. 1000m folks did 2 laps and we did 1 lap. In the middle of the first and second bouy, I called the lifeguard boat over and told him to pull me in. I was having a panic attack. I lost my breath and was freaked out. He said "do you really want me to take you back?" I said "Yep! I can't do this." I held onto the boat and tried to catch my breath but he couldn't go anywhere b/c there were swimmers going by. I then thought I had to keep going so I let go of his boat and took off again. Same thing all the way back. Stroke and covered a lot of ground and then flipped to my back. Stroked and covered ground and flipped to my back again. Awful!

I finally reached the finish line and got out. My friend from the 1000 got out the same time I did. (Yes, he lapped me.) At first I could tell he was proud that he lapped me but then he must have seen the defeated the look on my face. He tried to cheer me on and helped unzip my wetsuit. I got to the transition and told myself i was done. I quit. I'm not going to do the run. Then I thought, what am I going to tell my kids! I can't tell them I quit. So I got on my shoes and ran. Plus, I knew I had to get a couple more miles in for the pumpkins. I ran and I finished the race. Many of the 1000 m people passed me on teh run but they were superhuman triathlon people so I didn't care. I almost started crying about 3 times but sucked it up. My two tri buddies were waiting for me at the finish line. They were so cute. They tried to make me feel better but it didn't help much. Peter said I was in a "triathlon death spiral". They said it was all in my head and I just needed to keep at it. I know they are right.

On the way home I called my man. He tried to pump me up. He said he would take me to do more OWS and support me getting a swim coach. it was nice but I was too down to appreciate it. By the time I got home i had given myself a migrane. I put the kids to bed and then put myself to bed b/c my headache was so bad I couldn't see. I've only had 2 other migranes in my life - both when I was pregnant.

The cute thing is that Peter called this morning and said "guess what!? All 3 of us won our age groups!" (13 people remember) He also told me I wasn't last. I finished 12/13. I think I must have passed someone on the run.

So now I am dreading next Friday's 1000m Splash n Dash. (no 500m option this time) Peter and I are also doing a tri next Sunday. This wasn't on my radar but Peter wants to do it. It has and 750m OWS. The next week another tri with a 1000m OWS. I know the OWS practice is what I need but I'm just sick about it.

What am I going to do?! If I can't even swim a 500m how am I going to do my HIM swim??

Swim Masters

I am a poor swimmer. I admit it.

I have been taking lessons for months now. Although I have improved my skills quite a bit I have a long way to go to be ready to swim 1.2 miles! I realized that I need spend a lot more time in the pool.

Today I bit the bullet and I signed up for a Swim Masters workout group. I can't believe I did it. Basically, I can choose between 3 or 4 workout times a day to train with a group of swimmers. (6:00 a.m., Noon, 6:00 pm., and 7:00 pm) All of these times are at pools less then a mile from my office. A coach will be walking along the side of the pool to yell out drills. I will have to try to complete the drills within a certain time frame. The coach will assign you a lane based on your level of swimming. I was told Lane 1 is the slow lane. I have a feeling that will be my home for a long time.

I'm hoping the coach will give me some feedback on my stroke and the drills will help improve my form. I'm really scared to do this, but I'm even more scared to drown during the Half Ironman so I need to suck it up! My first swim is tomorrow at Noon.