It's Still Thursday on the West Side...

1.  Tomorrow is Tri Training day!  What's that mean...a few of my friends and I are going to my dads to SWIM, BIKE and RUN!  We have a SPRINT tri to get ready for...don't you?  Looking forward to another open water swim.  I will report back soon with how much better it is than last Sunday...I promise...it has to be better, I'm swimming in my home lake...booya!  I'm curious to see how my transition will be with the wetsuit...thinking it will take some extra time!  This time I did remember the body glide...this is a GREAT thing. The best part will be training with my friends, can't wait! 

2.  Did a brick workout this week that included 18-mile bike and a 2-mile run.  The run was way faster than what I had planned.  Oh how I love flat surfaces!  I need to do more bricks and I swore I would and here we are a couple weeks from the first tri of the season and this is the hardest brick I have done to date...um, not what I had planned, but life happens and I have to roll with it or shall we say "Run" with it?

3.  Where is my motivation?  I signed up for Rev3 Portland because I thought it would motivate and push me like my marathon did...um nothing like that has happened!  What gives?  How did I have so much drive and motivation then and nothing now?  In fact I would rather just swim and bike and leave out the running part?  I also have RnR Seattle Half and have barely run.  I did run a double digit a month ago, but then I went on vacation and that messed everything up.  We will see how RnR goes.  I guess training for 3-sports or trying to train for 3-sports and living life with 2-kids isn't as easy as I thought or hoped?  Not to mention I work a couple days a week.  1-sport is way easier to manage than 3...I have now learned that...AFTER signing up for 2-Triathlons...I'm awesome!  Typical me...sign-up and ask questions LATER!

If you haven't already, you really should SIGN-UP for the Dilettante Triathlon.  It's true that the giveaway has already happened but why miss out on a FUN, ALL WOMEN'S Sprint Triathlon with Chocolate at the finish line?  Come on...it's going to be a party with a Triathlon thrown in the mix...BEST day!  Just sign-up and worry about the training after!  Come on...LET'S DO THIS!

Open Water Swim...can we be FRIENDS?

Had my first OPEN WATER SWIM of the season Sunday!  Its been a few years since I have done anything official in open water.  I was stoked to try my new wetsuit because I have never swam in one before and I was totally excited to see how I really wouldn't have to swim because the wetsuit makes you float, right? 

I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous.  I grew up on Lake Tapps, but playing and swimming...they are very different, plus...knowing a lake helps.  I was anxious to see how it would go, the water, the swim, the wetsuit, the scary fish...you never know whats going to happen.

Getting in was nice...the wetsuit helped a ton!

My wetsuit is a 2011 BlueSeventy Reaction w/ sleeves that I got for a sweet $100.  It was through a local gym that was getting rid of their inventory.  I think it has been worn once for a rental.  Glad I jumped on that deal...I really like it.  I would show you a picture of me in it, but I don't want to make any of you jealous...I look pretty SWEET in this thing!  It really complements my figure and holds everything in very nicely!  I might start wearing it in place of my spanks...just sayin!  Can you sense my sarcasm?

This could get long...lets do bullet points, shall we:

• The wetsuit makes getting in cold water...a TON easier
• I was breathing every other stroke, not normal for me!  I usually breath every 3 or 4
• I couldn't catch my breath
• And I thought the swim would be the easy part of the TRI...haha!
• I swam freestyle and then would do breaststroke when I got tired
• Seeing the actual distance is a lot different then being told to swim 500 yard in the pool...
• What happened to my stroke?
• I hated seeing under the water...though I couldn't see anything...it still freaked my out
• I need to do MORE open water swimming to get COMFORTABLE with being UNCOMFORTABLE!
• Why did I sign up for an Olympic TRI...why do I do CRAZY THINGS? 
• Wow, I can do this...
• I almost got out after 30 minutes...but I didn't.
• My swim coach was there and gave some tips...after that...everything got a lot better.
• I slowed down my stroke, which slowed my breathing and heart rate down..WAY BETTER
• Oh yah...now I remember how to swim!
• The first 1/2 hour I was with the fast crew...that was confidence booster...even if I felt like I was dying!
• My wetsuit worked great...it's amazing to float...buoyancy ROCKS!
• My hands and feet were freezing
• I need to do this MORE!
• With a wetsuit...remember Body GLIDE...I forgot, didn't feel anything during the swim, but my neck has a nice rash now.
• I felt dizzy!  Getting out of the lake...I felt super dizzy.  I guess the cold and a few other things make that happen.  Good to know!
• Not following a line (like in the pool) make "Sighting" very important.  I need to work on that!  Don't waste energy swimming off course!
• Swimming in the ocean would be more fun!  Kona...gotta get there!
• Thankful for my friends on my swim team that loaned me their open water goggles...Maximum visibility is VERY nice!

So there you go...my first OPEN WATER swim!  It was an eye opener...I'm glad I did it...and I'm really glad I have time to do more.  If you are doing a TRI and think you have the SWIM part covered because you swim in the pool...think again.  Swimming is my strongest sport, I love it...but open water swimming with people...that's a totally different animal.  Learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable is a BIG deal. 

Winner, Winner...Dilettante Tri Winner!

So excited to announce the winner of the June 16

BTO Multisports Dilettante Triathlon!

Because this race was a local one and women only...the odds were pretty good!

I used Random.org to pick the winner

And The Winner is....

Diana!

This will be fun because she has never done a triathlon! Can't wait to see what she thinks of her first triathlon!   Check back, Diana and let us know how it goes!  See you at the finish line for some CHOCOLATE!!!

Thanks for entering and commenting for this giveaway! Thank you BTO Multisports for sponsoring this GREAT giveaway!

Prom??

My boys were asked to be a part of something fun on Sunday!  I love how CREATIVE people are.  The boys loved it!  So cute!  And of course...she said YES!

What came first?

What came first?  Smiles, then long course or LONG course, then SMILES?

When I heard about long course, I was excited...probably feeling like this picture!

 I thought, 50 meters compared to 25 yards?  It can't be that bad?  Right?  Um....

Well it was a bit harder and LONGER than I had imagined.  Plus...probably wasn't the best idea to move into the FAST lane on the first day of long course?  Yah, not my best decision.  Plus I had done a Open Water Swim the day before.  I swam 1.1 miles in 30 minutes...which I thought was good!  But I was tired and feeling it the next day, which happened to fall on the first day of LONG COURSE!

See...that's FAR!

What I love...You get into a groove and can really focus on your skill without stoping! 

What I didn't love..being with all the fasties and NOT having my confindence in-check.  It was out of my comfort zone, which I HAVE to get used too.  I know it's good for me and I have to push myself.  If my coach didn't think I could do it, she would never have put me in that lane.  I hate when the very thing you LOVE can be the very thing you question?  I know that's just part of the journey, but I question my abilities when I feel weak or lacking in those abilities.  I'm sure thats normal.

I should probably do in the pool what I did on my long runs and FOCUS on a word that will help instead of letting my mind take me to places that do NO good.  Swimming is my strongest sport, by far!  I just need to keep working and contniue to improve.  I also need to learn not to compare myself to others.  A lot of Swimmers on the Masters Team have swam competitvelly in High School and College...I did neither. 

I just grew up on a lake, did swim team and happen to LOVE swimming.

*What do you do when you feel less than?  Doubting your abilities?  Mental games?

Don't forget to check out my giveaway!