Week 1? Day 1 Natalie

Do I have to start all over again? This afternoon I got over my fear of the rec center pool, and headed over for a swim. I didn't swim for a particularly long time, but man, i can already feel it in my muscles. All of those little muscles that don't get used running, biking, doing ballet, pilates, yoga... yowza. I hate to even think what it's going to feel like tomorrow. At any rate, it's good to be back. Missed y'all! Oh, and week 18 I did ride my bike once. ha!

End of week 18, beginning of week 19, Cristin

I didn’t feel well Friday but I did take a 20 minute walk because after I slept for a couple hours after work I felt kinda gross and needed to get out of the house. Luckily, by Saturday I felt fine and went for a run.

On Sunday I also ran and added in some push ups, tricep dips, step ups, and sprints. After that I did a few round offs, cartwheels and handstands just for fun. I watched the NCAA Gymnastics Championships earlier in the day and was feeling quite inspired! In case you didn’t know, I really wish I was an elite gymnast. Big time.

Monday was another run. I’ve been running a lot more because the weather is so nice it pains me to be inside a gym sometimes. I’ve really gotten back into it and I couldn’t be happier about it. For the most part, I’ve been running a little over two miles and on Saturday I ran 3. I am so excited to be a runner again! I’m not focusing on time so much although I am aware of it and it seems like I’m running right around a 10 minute mile which is A-OK with me.

Week 19, Herpreet

Everybody! This is my final week of training before my triathlon. I am a little terrified, a little excited, and on some level, calm. The calm part baffles me and makes me less calm. Inner voice: Why are you so calm? You shouldn't be so calm. What's wrong with you? You better get anxious. If you're too calm, you'll freak out on the day of the event.

Today, we went out to Lake Austin. There are infinite places to swim here, I'm finding. I drove way into the hills and then down toward the water. One of our instructors lives on the lake. Our task was to swim 1/4 mile out to some reed grass and then back in for a total of 800 meters - race distance. My instructor advised that I use fins. Part of me didn't want the fins because it's easier to swim with them. But I think Coach V was wise. She said that I have anxiety about the murkiness - so I should get the fins on and concentrate on building my confidence about swimming in the KIND of water, since I already know that I can do the distance. She was correct. This is the FIRST TIME EVER that I have SWAM in murky lake water. Not treaded or floated or done some incorrect version of breast stroke. No, I swam. Freestyle and Back stroke. Occasionally, I did tread and float a bit to reorient myself and make sure I was swimming fairly straight and not way out to the middle of the lake. I did great. After the swim, I took the fins off and dove in and swam in the murk, blind as could be under water. But I reminded myself that when I breathe, I can see, and I can check to make sure I'm following the course correctly. If I can stay this calm on Sunday, it will feel like a major major feet.

Week 18, Herpreet

Week 18 was last week, and suddenly, I'm feeling like I'm keeping track of a pregnancy. Only pregnant people speak in weeks, right? The birth of our fitter selves.

So last week, week 18. I had an amazing swim at Barton Springs. Amazing. It was amazing because I did not let myself tread one single time. I swam 4 lengths (1/2 mile) doing only free style and back stroke. I did stop at the end of each length and rest, BUT, I was calm and collected while I swam.

Wednesday, we did a 3 mile run. I did walk for part of it, and I was okay with that.

On Saturday, I went out to Walter E. Long Park, which is the site of my event this Sunday. We rode the bike course. I felt, well, not so great about my 12 mile ride. It is VERY VERY HILLY. The hilliest ride I've ever done, and I had to stop and walk my bike up one of the hills. ARG. I left feeling panicked - like - how the hell am I going to ride up all those hills after I've swam 1/2 mile???!!!! Negative, negative, negative thoughts.

Week 17 and 18 I think.

Agh! I haven't written in so long! But I have been exercising.

Last week I ran on Monday and Wednesday and I made it to Pilates on Friday AND ran in the evening too!

This week I ran on Sunday,went to the gym BEFORE work on Monday and ran on Tuesday. I took off Wednesday and Thursday due to some scheduling problems. And today I don't feel well so I am leaving work early and skipped Pilates. If I feel better later on I will try to get a run in.

So, yeah. I've been running a lot more. And they have been such good runs! I've stopped trying to go faster and started running just to run and it feels great. Sometimes I'm not even aware of which songs I have heard or how many times I have run around the park. SWEET!!

TGIF.

End of Week 17, Part 2, Herpreet

Friday's bike ride was a 3 mile warm up on a cycling loop and then a very scary 8 mile ride along the hilly highway. Yes. I said highway. I've never concentrated so hard on keeping my balance on a bike. Cars whizzing by at 75 miles an hour. Me riding on the shoulder. Who does that? Oh yeah, Ausinite cyclists.

Today, I met up with 2 women from my tri class. We swam 4 lengths of Barton Springs to practice for May 17. So, I completed an 800 swim today. I did free style, back stroke, and my weird treading/semi breast stroke... We stopped at the end of the pool, rested and swam back to the start. I admired the fish and the strange plants in the water. I didn't experience vertigo in quite the same way as the first time I swam in the springs. I now feel exhausted, but also less frightened about the event in a few weeks. I'm thinking of singing the theme song to Laverne and Shirley to myself as I swim the race.

Week 17, Fail. Natalie

I didn't do smack this week. I'm trying to get papers finished so I can be done with the semester.