Today’s training called for swimming.    As with a lot of my training recently, I’ve finally been getting back on track with what I should be doing.    With my Sprint Triathlon coming, I really want to make sure to be getting my swimming in just for peace of mind.

Today my goal when I went to the pool was to just swim.   I wanted to just remind myself that I can do this.   So I swam and I swam and I swam some more.   Not stopping.   No putting my feet down.   I wanted to do 20 lengths of the pool which is 1/4 mile as with my Tri it was not all smooth or pretty.   What it ended up being was 24 lengths.   I was feeling good so I thought more is better.

The thing about swimming in the pool is there is no panic.   There are no waves crashing in my face and there is no mental game.   One day I hope to swim this event feeling confident in my swim and not that I am going to drown.    I’m not sure that will ever happen, but that’s ok.   If one thing the swim does,  it teaches me not to give up.

In my coach’s last email to me she told me to “keep it easy.”   It’s funny this seems to be the motto for this event.    In looking at my results this last few years is that I keep it easier and easier….

Case in Point

                              Total              Swim       T1        Bike          T2     Run            Standings

Sept 8, 2013       01:34:10          23:13     3:43     34:22        3:34   29:18      582/1142

Sept 7, 2014       01:53:13          20:03     3:27   1:01:34       1:15  27.54      356/833

**2014 Iron Girl bike miles were 15 compared to Iron Girl 2013 at 10

Sept 13, 201515    2:12:42         20:53      6:21   11:11:07      2:30  31.53    522/729

 

It seems like every year I am keeping it easier and easier.  I don’t think this year will be any exception especially since I am running 14 miles the day before, not wearing my Garmin, and haven’t been on my bike all summer.   In looking at these results I realize that I’ve been pretty consistent with my swim probably since I do it as a cross training exercise.  My bike, on the other hand hasn’t really left my shed a lot this summer.   My Bad.

So I’m throwing the gauntlet down.    This year, I expect nothing.    I, as always, expect it to be hard.    I expect to finish, but I do not expect to break any records.

Some might ask why I continue to do this race if I am not actually planning to race it hard.   I do it because as my friend who knows me so well so correctly put it.   It reminds me of where I started.    It holds a special place in my heart.

No this race has never been good as the first year when both the training and actual race was done with friends.    Yes, it is a little sad going to a big event by yourself and not sharing the day with anyone.    But that also doesn’t take away from how much I enjoy it.   So I will suit up, make the lonely drive at 4:30 in the morning, and run this event in a week and not regret a single minute of it.  This is the one event that I can honestly say that I would miss if I didn’t do it.

I am an Iron Girl at heart:)