Sunday's open water swim was so much fun, that really the only logical course of action was to repeat the experience on Monday. We really lucked out and when I met Jackie and a new training buddy, Elysia there after work, the temperature hadn't even reached 60 degrees. It's a special kind of fear when you are about to walk into a lake in that weather.
Despite the cold, we had a great swim. We swam 1,000 meters, which is half the distance we'll be swimming in our race. The swim cutoff time is 75 minutes. Monday's swim only took 23 minutes, which was a huge confidence boost. The 23 minutes included several stops where I put my feet down and took a minute to find the other two swim caps and ensure that they were continuing to move forward, and swimming, as opposed to drowning. There were no lifeguards (or really any other people period), so that was our solution. Jackie and I did a 5K around the park in soaking wet, freezing clothes after the swim, because we just can't get enough of jumping in bodies of water and then hanging out in wet clothes when it's unseasonably cold.
Tuesday morning I was all excited to finally have light to ride my bike before work. I did a 5K in the dark before the ride, but about halfway through it started pouring, thundering, and lightening. Don't people say that you have a better chance of getting hit my lightening than winning the lottery? A local teacher in her 20s already won the megamillions last month, so I was positive I was screwed. I defied fate and made it back without getting fried though.
While I'd wanted to ride my bike, secretly I was pretty excited to have an excuse to spend an hour watching cheesy 90s TV drama rather than barely containing road rage at the 600 traffic lights in my neighborhood. I quickly busted out the trainer and did an hour with high resistance and Felicity. Overall, a pretty sweet morning.
This morning I ran 7.2 miles at a 9:00 pace, which I consider respectable for first thing in the morning. More importantly, I made a new friend on my run! I had just turned out of my parking lot and I heard a girl behind me yelling "Have you done an ironman?? Your shirt...." I was wearing my Irongirl shirt, from my first sprint triathlon last summer, significantly less impressive than an Ironman. Still, I got to brag that I was doing a Half Ironman next weekend. She was also a teacher, so we ran together for about a mile and a half chatting before we parted ways. She runs most mornings, and now I'm pissed that I didn't get her phone number or made plans to meet again! Friend-dating is so difficult.
Have you ever made a new friend on a random (non-group) workout? Any advice for me to become better at friend - dating?
Here is where I used to document my attempts to train for marathons, ultramarathons, and triathlons. Now I chase my two toddlers, and occasionally fit in a run around working and sleeping.
I'm surprised that you heard that girl over your blasting Celine Dion.
ReplyDeleteYou couldn't pay me to get into water that cold. I rather put a fork in my eye.
Sweet run this morning!
Seven miles at a 9-minute pace is freaking awesome. I couldn't do it! And running in freezing cold clothes? You're a monster.
ReplyDeleteI gotta say, I agree with Kara on the swimming bit, but we all know you're more hardcore than I am.
ReplyDeleteI've never made a running friend, but I have forced friends to become running friends. It's not really the same.
You have GOT to stop getting into freezing bodies of water! Fried-dating is hard. There is a local Facebook group where all the runners in the area make plans to run and state the time and pace, which is pretty neat. That's how I have met my handful of running buddies.
ReplyDeleteI've never made a friend in a random non-group workout. That's why I go to so many group workouts - to make friend-dating easier.
ReplyDeleteI can't keep up with you in any sport apparently! Nice run and swim!
oooh, friend dating is tough, outside work! i see this one girl every time i run (for years now) but she is so rude, we could never be friends.
ReplyDeleteI've only made running friends through my running group. Though there are times that I am just finishing a run and I see someone around my age running and I have this little dream sequence of like "what if we became running friends..." but no, I've never actually friend-dated. Maybe if you go back and run at that same time and place next week you'll run into her again!
ReplyDeleteI secretly (or not-so-secretly) love jumping into freezing bodies of water. Not kidding, I always have. It's never bothered me that much. All your training makes me really want to do a triathlon. Maybe 2013 will have to be the year of the triathlon for me.
ReplyDeleteI tried to friend-flirt with my new neighbor who happens to run at a similar pace. I was not that successful, so I have no advice.
ReplyDeleteI wish I was better at making friends. We moved her eight months ago, and we have some friends from college who live out here, but I haven't made any new friends (except you and Kara!). I don't know how to do it without feeling like a creep.
ReplyDeleteI think blogging helps b/c being a creeper is a little more acceptable among bloggers.