Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Tri training like a beach bum!


Only 6 days left in my summer vacation so I decide that I will splash down in the ocean for 4 of those days! Although I attended an open water swim clinic, I haven’t done an open water workout yet. Tonight, I call my training partner at the last sec to see if he can do a swim-no goL I decide to drive the 45 minutes anyway to do an ocean swim. I go to Wallis Sands State Beach, site of my upcoming TRI.

Mistakes, mistakes, and more mistakes

It’s just before dinner time when I pull into the parking lot and I stumble upon a group of about a dozen people putting on their wetsuits.  The few fellas I speak to in the parking lot are very friendly, but I don’t hang around long because I’m ocean bound!

Note to self- when you have some type of phobia about swimming in the water, stick with the group swimming! I choose to go solo and last about 20 minutes. A half-ass workout for sure. 

2nd note to self- go pee before jumping in the water. I’m not willing to christen my wetsuit during the 2nd time using out so I call off the workout. The facilities on the beach are closed… Fini, just like that.

Maybe the biggest mistake- I don’t pick up any seafood while at the coast even though it’s dinner time. What was I thinking?

Before I go home, I do drive the bike route for the first time so at least I become a little familiar with things. However, I call it a night with some lingering doubts about the swim. While working out in the pool, I felt like I was cutting through the water and building my endurance a bit. In the open water, I’m not focusing on my technique, some panic sets in, and I fatigue much quicker than the pool. I’m not going to give up with this but it’s clear that I have “miles to go before I sleep…”
Tomorrow- ocean swim, biking the race course, and maybe a short run on the course!

1 comment:

  1. OWS is tough, I came from a swimming background and it took me a couple seasons to not freak out in the water, no magical pill that will do it, just have to keep going out and practice

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