Yes it is official. I finally made it to the pool to do some actual swimming. The last time I did that was way back in September before the Elephantman Olympic Triathlon. Well, you might be asking the question, "Why in the world did it take me so long to get back into the pool?" There are really a couple of answers I can give you but one big one finally pushed me over the edge. Here are my reasons:
First, I had taken so much time off because I was very tired of always getting in trouble for not completing my work in school. Pissing people off (including yourself) does not feel very good day after day.
Second, I had taken so much time off because swimming is not really that important in triathlons anyway. Okay it is but it isn't. At some of my races I would greatly out split some people in the water only to be destroyed by them on the bike and run. Yes swimming is important but I needed to improve elsewhere.
Third, I had taken so much time off from swimming because I just wanted to run again. I remembered back to my high school days and how much I enjoyed running. I didn't really like racing but I really liked the training aspect of running. It is somewhat of a spiritual awakening to finish a long trail run in the warm glowing afternoon sun.
Last, the major reason I finally went to the pool was because I am tired of just running. It is funny because that is exactly what I wanted when I just started running but now I am pretty tired of it. I know I will never be a super fast runner. I will just have to live with this. I can run a pretty serious pace for a long time but I just can't pound out five minute miles for a stupid 5k. In my mind I wanted and felt like I could run really fast but seeing that I am no closer to doing this now after training my ass off than I was in high school (or even after a 56 mile bike time trial) I quickly lost motivation.
I have learned that my talent for triathlon isn't in fast running or fast swimming or even in fast bike riding. I am just not a fast person. My talent lies in my ability to not slow down when I am very tired. That is something I think I have over most. Rather than focus on one sport to get faster I should focus more on strength and efficiency to make me faster. That is why I think it is time for me to get back in the pool and start mixing things up a bit. Plus I kind of miss my blond hair.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
A Trip to Tucson
This will be just a quick little update on last weeks trip to Tucson, AZ. It was the day before Valentine's Day and Brianne was wondering if I wanted to do a relay race with her and we could compete with all the other couples. I agreed and it sounded like fun. We knew we would destroy everyone. After all, I did volunteer to drive so I might as well have a go at the race. Once we arrived at the race start, the relay Brianne and I were hoping to do wasn't exactly what we were thinking. It was your standard multisport relay. For example, one person swims and the other runs. But neither of us wanted to do one or the other so we would just have to do the whole thing separate.
The swim was 825 meters in the U of A's amazing outdoor competition pool with your transition to the run just there on the pool deck in front of your lane. Brianne was in the lane next to me and her main goal for the swim was to lap me. Once we were swimming I felt good and smooth for about the first oh... 75 meters and them my "runner arms" said,
"What the heck are you trying to do to us?! You haven't used us since September! Why should we work for you?!"
And then Brianne lapped me.
After the race both Brianne and I learned we swam an additional 50 meters. The lap counters where yelling at us to stop swimming but it is hard for us to hear them underwater. I was actually just following Brianne because she was ahead of me but she must have been so focused on lapping me she just kept on swimming until she lapped me. And I just kept following. So hahah Brianne, I guess you didn't lap me after all. Oh well.
I got out of the water and actually felt pretty good for not swimming more than a lap in five months. I took the time to tie my shoes, then double knot, and then tuck my laces in just like I've always done. I probably had the slowest transition out of everybody. It took me a couple of minutes and close to a mile to catch Brianne. She was moving pretty good and we exchanged words a couple of times throughout the run course. We finished in front of the pool where we started and were greeted by some sorbet ice cream and cookies. The U of A triathlon club really put on a great event.
After the race Brianne, Abby, and I explored a little bit in Saguaro National Park before making the drive back to Las Cruces. Tucson is such a wonderful city. I can't wait until the next time.
The swim was 825 meters in the U of A's amazing outdoor competition pool with your transition to the run just there on the pool deck in front of your lane. Brianne was in the lane next to me and her main goal for the swim was to lap me. Once we were swimming I felt good and smooth for about the first oh... 75 meters and them my "runner arms" said,
"What the heck are you trying to do to us?! You haven't used us since September! Why should we work for you?!"
And then Brianne lapped me.
After the race both Brianne and I learned we swam an additional 50 meters. The lap counters where yelling at us to stop swimming but it is hard for us to hear them underwater. I was actually just following Brianne because she was ahead of me but she must have been so focused on lapping me she just kept on swimming until she lapped me. And I just kept following. So hahah Brianne, I guess you didn't lap me after all. Oh well.
I got out of the water and actually felt pretty good for not swimming more than a lap in five months. I took the time to tie my shoes, then double knot, and then tuck my laces in just like I've always done. I probably had the slowest transition out of everybody. It took me a couple of minutes and close to a mile to catch Brianne. She was moving pretty good and we exchanged words a couple of times throughout the run course. We finished in front of the pool where we started and were greeted by some sorbet ice cream and cookies. The U of A triathlon club really put on a great event.
After the race Brianne, Abby, and I explored a little bit in Saguaro National Park before making the drive back to Las Cruces. Tucson is such a wonderful city. I can't wait until the next time.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Purplepatch Training Camp
It was months ago when I first saw a link posted on triathlete Lindsy Corbin's facebook wall that gave up and coming triathletes a chance to train with Matt Dixon and his Purplepatch athletes such as Chris Lieto. If you have read any of my past entries I have only been running because it is so much easier to do than swim bike AND run but I thought, "What do I have to lose?" I sent in my race results and a little bio at the last possible moment and pretty much put it out of my mind until... I got a phone call from an unknown number about a week ago.
After I answered the phone Mr. Dixon introduced himself as the coach of the Purplepatch athletes using his awesome British accent. Immediately my heat started pounding and I had to do my best at restraining myself from jumping around the room in pure excitement and disbelief. Unbelievably I was one of the final five or six renaming athletes in contention to go train with the big dogs. We chatted for a little bit about athletic background, goals, and what I wanted to get out of the camp. But when the question came up about what races I was planning on doing this year, all I could come up with was, "I don't know." I have already had to pull out of three triathlons in the past year because of school and such so I am just going to bide my time for now until school is over, I said for the most part. A week after this interview (this past Monday) and as I was gearing up for my full triathlon comeback, I got the dreadful email saying, "thanks for your interest in Purplepatch Training Camp but our selection has already been made." Noooooooooooooooo...
But I have to keep telling myself that I had nothing to lose. My running is getting stronger and stronger and I am excited to see how my new running regime will shine come later this spring. Also, graduate school will not last forever, graduate school will not last for ever, graduate school will not last forever... Soon it will be all over and then I can return to my true passion, triathlon, and beat the pants off of that slow poke Chris Lieto.
After I answered the phone Mr. Dixon introduced himself as the coach of the Purplepatch athletes using his awesome British accent. Immediately my heat started pounding and I had to do my best at restraining myself from jumping around the room in pure excitement and disbelief. Unbelievably I was one of the final five or six renaming athletes in contention to go train with the big dogs. We chatted for a little bit about athletic background, goals, and what I wanted to get out of the camp. But when the question came up about what races I was planning on doing this year, all I could come up with was, "I don't know." I have already had to pull out of three triathlons in the past year because of school and such so I am just going to bide my time for now until school is over, I said for the most part. A week after this interview (this past Monday) and as I was gearing up for my full triathlon comeback, I got the dreadful email saying, "thanks for your interest in Purplepatch Training Camp but our selection has already been made." Noooooooooooooooo...
But I have to keep telling myself that I had nothing to lose. My running is getting stronger and stronger and I am excited to see how my new running regime will shine come later this spring. Also, graduate school will not last forever, graduate school will not last for ever, graduate school will not last forever... Soon it will be all over and then I can return to my true passion, triathlon, and beat the pants off of that slow poke Chris Lieto.
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