3 mile swim. Last week to donate.

This was an eventful weekend with this morning having completed a [first] three mile, open water swim. First, the rest week: It was fairly typical. If I remember correctly, the weather was dreary Monday morning, meaning I had to stick to the trainer. I was able to make it through ok; it seems cold weather isn't enough to keep me inside, but thinking of dealing with a wet bike usually does it. Wednesday, did my first quasi-tempo run. I'm at the point were I know I need to start incorporating some speed training into my runs. The higher stress is hard, but it helps. I've noticed that I can maintain quicker paces after I started lifting again. Also, instead of a short run followed by a longer one for Friday-Saturday. I did two moderate long runs (10 mi, then 12 mi) to continue to build endurance, without yet delving into the marathon training distances.

So, the swim was very much a learning experience. This swim was three miles, in the Nanticoke River off of the Chesapeake Bay. The course, after swimming past a jetty, made a triangular patter that we completed twice. Water temperature was around 68. There are also some tidal details, which I suppose are important, but I can't recall. exactly. I've only done open water swimming on two previous occasions, for the ~750-800 m of the Triangle Triathlon, both of which took place in pretty calm lakes, with water temperatures unknown, but easily above the wetsuit legal limit (78 degrees). So this was my first true test of open water swimming, and also the use of a wetsuit.

Either the wetsuit was too small, or it's naturally too tight for my comfort. I felt constricted in the shoulders the whole time. I think next time I'm given the option I'll lean towards a sleeveless wetsuit. The benefit of the full length is the extra warmth, but based on how my hands and feet felt, it wasn't too bad. More experimentation will be needed.

Two main factors when discussing water conditions are wind and current (and this really applies for all water activities; swimming, rowing, sailing, other boating...). For swimming, swimming with the current is good, against is bad, across it isn't ideal either. We were swimming in a triangular pattern, so we got a bit of everything. Wind primarily creates chop which is difficult to swim through. Furthermore, sighting, the process of looking up to check your course, is harder when swells obscure your line of sight.

All of those things primarily affect your general effort level, and ability to keep the straight line for the shortest race. At least for me, the chop and the current, and probably to some extent the wetsuit, really affected my ability to get the rhythm that I enjoy in the pool. Also, before getting done with the first loop, I began to get some cramping in my calves. At least twice per leg of the triangle, I had to stop kicking to wait for the cramp to subside. In the end I finished in 1:48.

I can't say that I'm pleased with that time. In the pool, I can swim a 4000 in barely over an hour, easily. This swim was just another 1200. I guess I can "blame" some of it on not being comfortable with the wetsuit. Also, other swimmers confirmed that the water conditions were some of the worst they've seen. A friend on mine did the sprint triathlon, whose swim course doesn't even leave the jetty, and she thought the conditions were bad. Nonetheless, I was a little disappointed, but since I didn't really expect put much extra prep work (considering my long run, and incorporating a tempo run, it was really an anti-taper week), I should have had too high hopes.


Subway's Veggie Delite: I drove down last night and stayed with Mike, a triathlete I bet a few weeks ago when volunteering at a local 5k. Against my better judgement, being on the road, I had to eat on the road. Though I could've stopped along the way, I waited until I got to Salisbury to find dinner. I wanted to find something local, but given the hour (around 9:00), I just gave in and slipped into Subway. Not eating there in recent months, I settled on the veggie delite, something I've not had before, which is really just the bread and cheese with veggies. I asked for every veggie they had. Don't ask me why, but I truly loved that sandwich. I think it's the fact that you can get so many mouthFUL[L]s of food, AND is pretty good FOR you. I enjoyed it so much that after the race, when I needed lunch/recovery food, again from the road, I had another veggie delite; two in less that 24 hours.

Yesterday (Saturday), I attended a symposium on the "Frontiers of the Interface of Chemical Biology." Essentially, a few (surprisingly few, if you ask me) researchers in that overwhelming broad field came and had the typical research talks and poster sessions. Not as cool as I'd've hoped.

The triathlon is in two weeks. BUT THERE IS ONLY UNTIL FRIDAY TO DONATE! Please help out. Some donations haven't posted. I really ONLY NEED $540 left to reach my minimum!!!

Motivating Bike Ride

This weekend was my first long ride after being stuck on the trainer most of the winter. Last week (or so), I was up early for a session on the trainer. But after about 10 minutes, I had finally had enough. I hopped off, donned some layers and gloves, and took my bike to the streets. Since then I had done mainly short rides; both because of time restrictions and to give myself a chance to get back into it.

On Sunday I finally went out for a good trek, about 35 miles, which took me just over 2 hrs. It was on a route I did a couple of times when I was getting use to cycling around the region and by myself. With mild to decent weather, the ride felt great and really helped my self-esteem. I can't be sure, but I might have even been faster than I was in the fall.

Nevertheless, as my first long(-ish) ride, my legs were pooped for swimming last night. Luckily that was primarily drills. Ditto for my short ride this morning - I passed on an interval set at Druid Hills Lake for a easy, standard hour ride up Falls Rd to Joppa Rd.

I mentioned time restrictions, and as sidebar, it seems to be my biggest limiter for the bike. If you don't know, I am all about morning workouts. Having a goal of being at the lab/school by 8:45, it necessitates getting up early for my run/bike/swim. Well, I don't get too anxious about running in the dark; 95% of my routes have a sidewalk, and if they don't, I'm sure to be wearing a reflective vest. While I do so as well for the bike, I a little more of size hazard on the bike, and going faster makes the reactionary zone a bit smaller. So for now, my rides are limited by when I feel safest heading out, and when I need to be back in in time to get ready for school.

This week should be pretty typical. Wednesday night instead of spinning, TnT is having a tire changing clinic; may or may not go. I've unfortunately had plenty experience with changing flats. But this weekend, we're having our first on-the-road ride, and I am debating whether to add-on with a ride out to the meeting place (it's about 20 miles away).

Please keep the donations coming! I'm still a little short of my recommitment minimum, and FAR from my final goal!