The Morning After

I went to Brighton Beach today for an open water swim workshop. I've lived in New York City for 10 years but had never been there. I always meant to check it out, but never got around to it. I was expecting the water to be disgusting, but it really wasn't so bad. I am definitely going to get back out there a few times before my big race.

The workshop was good, but for me it was mostly just another opportunity to get into my wetsuit and practice. We swam out far enough to clear the bigger waves and did some sighting work that required us to swim back to shore in line with a focal point and then back out to our coach. As usual, I was pathetic. I don't know what happens to me in open water, but the very few skills I have essentially cease to exist. I luckily improved eventually and tried to remember all of the good swimming advice I'd been given. We did some practice race starts, first swimming as fast as we could into the current, then slowing our speed and regulating breathing and rhythm. Then we did some group starts where we were clustered tightly together to get used to contact, particularly dealing with other swimmers' feat. We weren't kicking during this, which helped, but I know it won't be like that in my upcoming race.

I felt a lot more comfortable today having done the tri yesterday. But I needed a warm-up as usual before I was able to do anything of value. The challenge with the NYC Tri will be that you can't do a warm-up due to the current. You get in the water just 4 minutes before your wave start and have to hold onto a rope to keep from being swept down the course. I know I can basically float the race, but I really want to swim it so I'm going to keep working on it.

I probably should have changed before hopping on the subway. I was soaking wet in my tri top and shorts, sand all over my feet and eating an ice cream cone (hey, I did a race yesterday, a little visit to the Mister Softee truck was in order). I was freezing!

I decided to skip my brick workout this morning after not sleeping well last night. I think I was too wired from the race and a little overtired. I figure the race counts as a brick and I normally wouldn't do them two days in a row. It was hot, rainy and the annual Gay Pride Parade and festival was in full swing right outside my apartment so I ended up doing an easy ride on the trainer. I passed the time by watching the Freestyle Made Easy DVD. Can you tell my life revolves around triathlon?

Sport - Swimming
Distance - N/A
Time - 1:00:00

Sport - Biking (on trainer)
Distance - 12.25 miles
Time - 1:00:00