Each day a new adventure

Thursday morning swim practice - I'm convinced Coach Aaron wanted to see me drown. After warm-up of 16x50 on :50 where each 4th was non-free, came the main set. Each lane was given an different number of intervals based on the time given. I wanted to be in the 10x150 on 2:15 lane. Aaron moved me to 11x150 on 2:05. That's a 1:23 pace if you assume no rest. That's about what I can hold for 100s. With 5-10 secs rest. Not on this kind of set. After the 6th, we were to get an extra min rest and go on to the remaining five.

I made the first two just fine. The third? A little weak. The 4th? Aaron had me sit for 50 and work back in. Meanwhile, he allowed one guy in our lane drop down to the next slower lane...and let another from the fastest lane drop down to ours. After six and the rest, I made the next two easily...then started to drop off a bit, but only by 5 seconds or so. I felt better on #9 than i had on #4. Aaron did ask at one point if I was doing ok and I just said "um, yeah, i'm just slow..." His response? "Good. You're takin' one on the chin. It's good. Now GO!"

yeah, yeah... I'm going.

After work, I had a two hour brick where I was to push the intensity. Just a short ride - 90 mins and then a z4 run. So, I put on my run shorts that have a spandex short liner and sports bra and took off on my bike. I actually thought about the fact that I no longer had c02 cartridges because I'd given them all to Tom on Sunday, but I'd not had a flat all summer. What are the odds I'd get one on a 30 mile ride now??

Apparently, pretty good. Nearly to my turn around point, I stop at a light and when I start to go again realize I've got no air in my back tire. SERIOUSLY?!? I take my bike off the side of the road and just laugh. And I start making phone calls.

Dad is on his way to IL.
Step-mom is visiting a long lost cousin or something, but willing to come out after running some errands.
Mom is in IL.
Tom won't answer.
Barbie is out in NM somewhere.
It's Judi's birthday. No way am I going to call and bother her.
Rob picks up. He's breathing heavy. He's leaving the gym on the west side to come help me on the east side. I tell him I'll call if I happen to cross any cyclists...

Lo and behold...just then, a guy and a kid on a tandem and another rider come cruising by, ask if I need help. I request air. And they had some! I must've looked like a total novice in my run shorts and bra, not even having taken my wheel off (I figured it wouldn't be gettin' any lovin' anyway). We started chatting as the one guy tookover and just started the repair. Found a large shard of glass in my tire.

They wanted to know whether I'm a triathlete or duathlete. "Tri", I said. They asked where I swim. I told them. They ask whether Aaron is the coach. I raved about how great a coach he is and how they should try swimming out there... That's when the one guy looked at me and pointed at the other guy and said "He's the coach out at Xavier".

Um, yeah. I don't know how competitive coaches are, but I still felt like a total douche.

Soon enough and I was back on the road and headed home as these ominous clouds were rolling in and the wing picked up. My total down time was probably 15 mins.

Once home, I slipped on my Zoots and took off on my run. And my legs felt GREAT!!! And I ran smooth the whole time. Nice easy, quick turnover. And the heavens opened up that last quarter mile of my run, cooling me off nicely.

This morning was an easy 90 min run. I called the weatherline at 5:30am. 67 degrees. 89% humidity. Gross. But it felt good. And before I knew it, it was over....and I had to go to work :(

Big weekend coming up. Tomorrow is the 3-on-3 race and then I'm helping out the local cycling club at my very first crit (just watching, not racing). Sunday morning is when I'm doing the bike leg as a relay at a local tri...before my actual training workout.