complete a triathlon

I managed to swim a continuous lap with the front crawl! A whole 25m without breathing in water, panicking, imagining a shark, etc! I have been swimming weekly, and I have been working on my front crawl coordination. It was terrible to begin with… So much gasping and inhaling water, putting my feet down in the shallow end… Compared to what it was, it is now amazing. When I do lose coordination, I switch to breast stroke calm down and get back into it. I still have to talk myself down between laps, but it is becoming really fun. It’s starting to feel really liberating instead of being something that scares the crap out of me, but just feeling obligated to get beyond the fear. So, yay me!

So, my first hint of a tri has been cancelled. So, what this means is that I am just going to have to do a real out of doors tri in the summer! I think I can live with that ;)

My swimming is getting much better… I will start taking a few lessons later in the Spring, I am looking forward.

My running is a million times better… I am running in 1.3km chunks right now. I am not sure what my goal will be, running 10 minutes with minute walk breaks or longer chunks… I guess I will have a better sense of what is right for me as I build my base.

My cycling is as good as can be expected for a stationary bike. In the next few months, I will be back outside on a real bike, hopefully on a new touring bike, since I like to ride for hours when I am out.

The switch from stationary bike to running is getting really good. It is completely comfortable for me at 5-6km runs. It will be fun to make the switch to out of doors!

This has been my one hang up in getting back in the pool. I went and got myself goggles and a swim cap to make myself more comfortable, but the swim cap is small. I have seen other people with them on and they fit fine. I don’t think my head is THAT huge.

At anyrate me and my goggles will be climbing back into the pool tomorrow, swim cap or none.

Any tips on becoming comfortable n the water? In theory I really like swimming, in practise I am hesitant.

Today, I signed up for the indoor triathlon event. I think it is a good introduction. Sure, it won’t be as fun as outside, swimming in the open, on a real bike, running out doors on something other than a track… But, all the same, it is a timed event with all three elements and I have an excellent imagination ;)

Today, just for fun, I tried cycling for 10 minutes before running. What a curious feeling. It felt like someone elses legs were attached to me. I wonder if that will change with doing it, or I will just learn how to allow for that feeling.

I missed a spin class, but ran 5km again. Well, same as Saturday -run 300m, walk 100m. Next week I think I will be comfortable enough to up it to running 400m. At any rate, running today will set the tone for the year. Happy new year to me :)

Yep, I finally tried it again. I used the track and ran 300m alternating with 100m walking. I covered 5km this way. I didn’t time myself, my big goal for today was to just get up there and do it. After a month of running more regularly, I will start paying attention to times. It was surprisingly easy and am looking foreward to doing it again.

Now, to gradually add cycling and swimming into my workouts.

The gym that I work out at is having an indoor triathalon event. I am not entirely sure how this works, but I am going to go tomorrow and find out about it. Today, in the e news letter, there was a link to it. There is an example of a swimming work out, it looks difficult – I am a non swimmer, after many tears I received my maroon badge when I was 11.

The event is on March 18, just before my birthday. So, this year, I will give myself some swimming lessons, take the day off work and complete the event. If I can do this, I am on the road to a real out of doors, Olympic distance triathalon!