what to do....what to do....
m'kay. here's the deal.
(deep breath in mmmmmmm, deep breah out, ahhhhhh)
so. 'member back a few posts ago i mentioned that um... chicago guy and i might do a triathlon together? and how i was kinda freaked about it, and boogatie boogatie blah blah blah.
right. so. thing with that was basically... if running is a bunch of left foot- right foot-left foot-right foot, and the complexity of that was too much for me to handle on my own?? well... what in the bejeeses makes me think i can handle kick right foot-kick left foot-pinwheel arms-lift head-breathe in-dunk head down-breathe out-keep going-don't drown-get out of water-run to "T1" (as if i even know what that means)-hop onto bike-pedal right foot-pedal left foot-get off bike-run to "T2"-somehow very quickly change clothes?? (how is this even possible, with all the clothes changing? how does this work?)-left foot-right foot-left foot-right foot-dont be last!!!!
see? its more complicated than "i think i'll do a triathlon". there is GEAR involved. bikes and..... goggles. fancy clippy-onny shoes that match helmets and bikes, a la Wil.... so...... cue freaking out me.
(and y'all know i got the freaking out thing covered. done AND done.)
so i finally grew the needed cajones and admitted my interest in a triathlon to my coach...
surprisingly, even though he's extremely familiar with my athletic ability (or.... lack there of, as the case may be).... he didnt laugh! didnt mock, didn't even jolt with a knee-jerk reaction of "this girl is damn nuts!"
so..... eegads. here's what he had to say....
bascially. don't be a wuss. DO IT. (ohhhh, okay. its THAT easy? sure! yeesh.)... he's got a few different training programs i can join, all starting in April. so. until then, i should work on my swimming and strength training for the next few months while getting ready for the june 4th m'thon. and then start tri specific around april, and enter an event in july.
um. here's the thing............. the strength training i've got covered. the swimming.... i.. i can swim. don't get me wrong. according to almost all previous swimming instructors, i can even swim pretty... i.e. supposedly i have good form (although, i find this difficult to believe) so. yes. can swim.
i can even swim for long periods of time... if. ya know. you count things like "hey, look at me, i'm doing a handstand in the water"... and... "hey. i can swim like a dolphin. cool".... or, i dunno.... "hey time me while i hold my breathe under water!"....
but going back and forth and back and forth in a lane pool?
not so much. should be interesting.
anyway. here's where the RBF.. obviously the TRI-ing RBF comes in.
WHAT DO I DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO?!?! from now until january, i'm going to just continue my normal run/bike/row/lift schedule, because i need time to let this settle, but come january, i'm going to start "working on my swimming".... (oh dear lord what have i gotten myself into?!) and i'm going to need help.
should i just get in the pool and...swim? should i be counting how many laps i can do without dying? should i concentrate on............. i dont even KNOW. my stroke? or... how many times i breathe? or... my kick? my "body roll" (i totally just read that on someone elses blog. i dont even know what that really means)....
basically, should i just go gung-ho, or should i have a plan? is this whole thing completely absurd? who am i to think i can do a friggin triathlon YOU PEOPLE ARE QUITE THE INFLUENCE ON ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*sigh*
help me out here guys. i am a lost little puppy dog right now, just kinda chasing my tail round and round in circles.
and i'm getting dizzy!
Comments
DATE: 2:24 PM
my swim coach in HS was big on "breathing exercises". It's amazing how much energy you can save if you only breathe a few times per lap. he'd basically have us take deep, very deep, very long deep breaths where you were constantly inhaling and exhaling. as you inhale you raise your arms above your head so that when you begin to exhale, your arms are proped way up. while exhaling, lower your arms in a controlled fashion and try to sorta touch your feet. i know it prob sounds/looks really goofy, but i was able to shed some time of my 50m cause i had better "breathing endurance..."
Posted by: Raudel | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 2:53 PM
Just get in the pool and swim.First day you might not be able to swim a whole lap, that's okay. Just take a break as long as you need to, then keep swimming.Swim regularly and you'll notice that at first you can maybe only do 50 yards (1 lap, 2 lengths), in no time you'll be able to swim 200 yards straight (4 laps, 8 lengths), and up and up and up, until you'll be ready to swim a whole mile, or whatever amount you'll need to for your Triathlon.You can do it!
Posted by: Okolo | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 6:30 PM
you need drills...lots of 'em. it'll help alleviate boredom (back and forth...back and forth...back and forth--sucks!), but more importantly, it'll fix all those things you're worrying about. i know MILLIONS, and would be totally willing to email them to you. just let me know if you want 'em...i just don't think i should write out a bunch of drills here.
Posted by: Curly Su | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 4:10 PM
I too have aspirations to become a tri-athlete some day as well, but for now I will just watch you do it. Show us how it's done.
Posted by: robtherunner | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 2:41 AM
You don't need fancy gear to do a sprint triathlon.All you need is a swimsuit, a bike, a helmet, and a pair of running shoes.One year ago I couldn't swim a freakin' lap, and I hadn't ridden a bike since the '90s -- and that was to class and back!Like I said before...tris are easier than marathons, no doubt. I have faith! :)
Posted by: toughcookie7 | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 7:06 PM
Don't ask me! I'm in the same damn boat. Only I still have a marathon to finish! So when you figure it out, clue me in.
Posted by: Tammy | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 6:53 PM
go kick some butt girl! I'm so freaked about about the whole swimming thing that I won't even consider doing a tri right now- you go!
Posted by: Jennifer | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 6:18 AM
oh. its an olympic distance tri. my coach told me i was being a wussy for just doing a sprint!!
Posted by: a.maria | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 7:39 AM
Woo hoo...Another one gives into the tri bug. :) You are gonna love it. Like it was mentioned above, ya just have to get in the pool and see where you are at.www.trifuel.com is loaded with good info and forums. Or you could go the TNT route again and have a team to train with. Just excited that you are going to give triathlons a try!
Posted by: walchka | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 7:04 AM
So this means in your in for the 1/2 IM in Steelhead then, right?We already have a little crew of bloggers doing it.
Posted by: Djgoldnboy | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 9:34 AM
Okolo gave good advice...ditto there.That's basically how I did it...got in the pool, swam back and forth. Next time, tried to swim back and forth a little more. I worked on freestyle and breast...and I'm glad I did because when I started to get nervous in the water during the tri - with all the arms and legs flailing around my face - I'd switch to breast-stroke and it would calm me down.It will all come together. And you will kick a**. I'm sure.
Posted by: Running Chick | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 11:21 AM
i know you blogged about tris, but i just saw you're doing rock n roll, san diego! my running partner kim's doing that through team n training and i haven't decided if i will too. oh, that'd be fun to train togehter!ps. as for swim, just jump in the goshdarn pool! form, breathing, kicking, well, it'll all come...eventually...
Posted by: partyrunner | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 11:17 AM
omg, jeanne, NOOOO!! that'd be an ironman. i might be nuts, but i'm not certifiable..its a 1500 meter swim, a 40K bike and a 10K run.
Posted by: a.maria | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM
DATE: 10:38 AM
Like I know (i don't) but I would definitely want a swim coach. A *tri* swim coach. And it's a full marathon you're running after biking and swimming?omg.
Posted by: jeanne | July 4, 2006 8:03 PM