Swim: 2.4 miles!!!

As most of you all remember, one year ago..the swim was not something I enjoyed AT ALL. I would whine on my way to the pool, I would grimace at the thought of an open water swim and I would go to every race thinking things started once I got OUT of the water. Well....Nemo I am no more my friends and I proved that on race day!

I had been in CdA since Wednesday and was able to get in the water on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for about 20 minutes each day just to feel the water and visualize the swim. I felt good going towards race day and I had a plan thanks to Chrissie and Mo from T3.

In the past I had always started near the back during Tri's but since my 100m had gotten better my coaches had told me to start up front. They said those that are up front don't want to be a part of the kicking, pushing, fighting, they will just swim around me and then I can find my pack to swim with. That is exactly what I did. The cannon went off and I was in the VERY FRONT!! The first 300m felt awesome and I was with super friendly swimmers as not one kick or punch came my way. Finally I found a group to swim with and I had my eye on the last red bouy to make that first turn left. It was the first turn that panic hit me. It looked like a bunch of seals trying to make a turn. Finally I took a deep breath and calmed down, I realized that with so many people I could just stretch out and get pulled with the draft. I put my arms and legs straight out and got pulled around the corner with no bruises. Once I cleared that I took off for a good 100m to clear the pack and find a group again.

The second lap I found my rythym even more so and came out of the water at 1:18. (averaging 2:03 or my 100s) Folks...my goal when I signed up a year ago was to just clear things by 1:40!!!! Clearly I had done the work and I stayed in the game mentally for the swim. I was not wearing a watch at any point during the day so I did not know this until I finished but I got out of the water feeling really good....not exhausted and destroyed. It set me up for a great day.

My coaches used to call me The Windmill when in the water. They can't call me that anymore. I will continue to swim even during this recovery phase because it has helped my fitness so much! Crazy that I really like swimming now!!!