Team in Training -- Week 16 (May 17-23)

If one word described last week, it was "new". This week the word is "cold". Weather dealt its hand here.

Monday: We have what we call an On Your Own (OYO) Week. Minimal group things are scheduled and you must be self-motivated to stay on the training plan. So, OYO, I drag Marley down to the closest school track. Alternate running 2 laps, walking 1 lap. Marley is not entertained by going round and round in a circle. Me, I have my music on the iPhone.

Tuesday and Wednesday: Social engagements. No sports.

Thursday: It’s raining so Bob and I pedaled on the stationary bikes in the basement.

Friday: I’m off to the track again. About the time I arrive, it starts to rain. It pours. It hails. Marley, who seems to be wiser than me, refuses to run any more. I tie her up under a tree and keep on running. Do you get to quit when your shoes start squishing? Eventually I do give up, quitting 10 minutes short of my goal, and call Bob to come save me in the car. After all, who wants to walk in the rain? When he arrives, Marley and I drag our dripping bodies into the back seat where Bob has stashed a pile of towels. Bob then announces the car is dying. On cue, it complies by sputtering, smoking, stinking for good measure, then dying at the side of the road. Why don’t our friends answer their phones? Zip Car to the rescue. There is one around the block. The next day the car is towed to the shop.

Saturday: This is our first practice race, in abbreviated form. It’s time to get a taste of putting three sports together.

One of my teammates described it right: "The water is frickin’ cold". And there are plenty of green slimy things growing in it. They don’t seem bothered by the cold.

We have been instructed to kick hard the last 100 yards of the swim. This is to get the blood circulating back in our legs. How do you tell where 100 yards from the shore is? Sure enough, I don’t know where 100 yards is and I don’t kick enough. When I come out of the water I feel like I'm going to tip over. My fingers are frozen and it’s nearly impossible to get the wet suit unzipped, but eventually I climb on my bike, and pedal my lightheaded wet body up the road. This has got to be a record slow transition. Up the hill away from Seward Park, around the round-about and back to the transition area. Must keep eating. At 30 minutes my legs are noodles. At least I have some feeling back in them.

This transition including falling to the ground to get my tennis shoes on. You don't see that on the Hawaii Ironman telecasts. My clothes are still wet as I run off along the lake path, down and back. My feet feel like ice cubes. I do a few 30-second walks but managed to survive. At least with the run we are able to cheer each other on with high fives as we pass each other.

This is our transition area after the tornado team came through. We just threw out wet suits, bikes, and everything else down and moved on to running.

Sunday: A few of us meet for another practice open water swim in Green Lake.

I mention how much I’m in awe of triathletes, after Saturday’s practice. My teammates pointed out, “Sandy, you are a triathlete.” I love my teammates.

The water is chillier this week. We swam a 1/4 mile out, regrouped, then swam the 1/4 mile back in, nonstop. It was a little easier than last week. Less thrashing, more rhythm.
Back home to a very hot shower. Oh, oh, my cold is coming back. I don’t think my immune system likes all this cold wet stuff.