The Ankle-Band Pacer

me, Heath, Missy

Today Coach M's plan called for a Timed Mile in the pool. Actually, the plan has been calling for a Timed Mile the last 2 weeks but I have not been able to get my act together. Swimming (i.e. getting to the pool when it is actually open) without Karl around has been a struggle to say the least. But, alas, he rolled into town last night and I have no more excuses!

Fortunately, Coach M knows (most of) my many weaknesses and suggested that Heath could pace me for the mile. A pacer? For me? Yes please! I love being in the same city as HT training! (Although I still hate how traveling messes up everything!) In case you don't know Coach Heath - he is an amazing swimmer! At Ironman CDA this year he exited the water in 2nd overall and in front of world champion Craig Alexander. So, needless to say, he could swim circles around me. Since that would not be very fun for either of us, he instead put on some ankle bands to slow himself down. Have you ever tried to swim with your ankles tied together? HT makes it looks ridiculously easy - but it's not. Not at all. I have only used them twice and so far I can't make it more than about 20 meters without sinking to the bottom of the pool. I honestly don't know how he can do it for a whole mile.

Well. The mile itself was rather uneventful. I was not going particularly fast but that means that there is lots of room for improvement and next time will most likely be a PR. Thinking positive here!

Since KJ is now back from his adventure, I took a day off from my motherly duties. After swimming, I relaxed in the steam room, took a long shower, did 40 min of core exercises, ran a couple of errands, and went to Reed at Adagio Massage for a much-needed massage. Then I heated up the garage while riding on the trainer, went for a transition run in the dark and cold, and came home to a delicious dinner of salmon with potatoes and squash from the Jarvis' garden.

Yes. I realized that I am spoiled and that my life is anything but hard. In case you are wondering if I did anything productive today - I did 3 loads of laundry. That's all.

How about a repeat tomorrow?

Comments

Amber said…

Those ankle bands are ridiculously hard!! One day I will be able to swim just one length of the pool with them on!! :)

December 22, 2011

Leslie said…

Man I can't even imagine that much me/workout time! Sounds nice though! I imagine you probably deserved it after a few weeks of single parenting eh? Yes!

December 26, 2011

I am so lucky

I feel the need to write. My thoughts are all jumbled. Can I make sense of them on paper? Writin g gives me perspective and makes it easier to let go. Last weekend I was very frustrated, mad, self-centered, unhappy , wallowing in self-pity. This weekend I was more balanced, a little more patient, trying to be less selfish, happy . How did it happen? I have had to deal with myself for almost 30 years now and, luckily, have figured out a few things on the way. Like how to feel at peace with myself , my family , my life . It shouldn't be complicated to be happy in my circumstances. I realize that. But sometimes it still is. Sometimes being a mom and wife doesn't come easy to me. Sometimes I think everyone would be better off if I wasn't a mom and wife. Sometimes I wish it was easier to just take off and do nothing but swimbikeruneatsleep for a week or two. It's not helping that my German teammates are doing just that. Right now. On a beautiful island. In the warm...

NO Race Report: IRONMAN LAKE TAHOE 2014

This is how gorgeous it COULD have been... I wake up at 3:30 and I smell smoke . Inside the house through closed windows. CRAP! No need to even take a peek through the blinds. I knew there was a good chance this would happen after seeing the smoke roll back in the night before but I was hoping for the best... only to wake up to the worst. Thursday , when we rolled into town, the air was terrible. Like the-minute-I-got-out-of-my-car-I-got-a-headache terrible. But there was hope because, hey, winds change and firefighters are hard at work and there were more than two days left before the race! This is what Thursday evening looked like down by the lake: I didn't do much that night. Just a a very easy little jog along the beach to shake out the legs after a day of driving. And super short swim because I couldn't wait any longer to swim in that beautiful lake !!! But then, of course, I got wimpy again...

Swimming in Germany - Lakes Galore

Baggersee Weingarten Let's see.... I've been in Germany now for 4 weeks and have had the privilege to swim in 5 different lakes. Let me count how many times I have swum in a lake in Arizona since moving there 2 years ago... That would be 1 time in Lake Mary during the MountainMan. And I am not planning on swimming in it again until this year's MountainMan. As you might have already guessed: I am in heaven ! Baggersee Weingarten So are the kids. Appropriately dressed in German swim wear. That's my mom next to me in the picture above. You see where I get it... Growing up we would either go on a hike or bike ride every weekend and take a dip in various lakes along the way. Good memories! My niece Lynn at Bad Waldsee This lake was especially fun. It was basically at the center of a beautiful old little town. I saw people walk out their front door and go for a little swim. No motorized anything allowed as on most lakes here. Pl...

Sarah Borst Jarvis

Search This Blog