I've been reading alot rookie/newbie reports and posts lately and it seems like alot folks before they've even completed their first tri are signed up for several already. One woman, after a rough first tri, (the wetsuit was ill fitting and I guess she never practiced in it prior to her event and it nearly drowned her) this one woman proclaimed loudly that she would purchase a top of the line wetsuit and a killer bike before the next one. Her next effort reported a much better swim but upon exiting the water ( note: running around barnacles is not good) she sliced her foot open and instead of rendering proper aide she jammed her foot into her shoes and struggled with each revolution on the bike and well the run just wasn't to be. This same trinewbie goes on to vow that she will become an IRONMAN. Well I'll hand it to her she's got spunk.
I on the other hand am questioning my tri future. I recently came to terms with my "place " in this upcoming race and I feel good and though I'm not as strong a swimmer as I'd like to be I feel pretty good about my progress. The practice tri was a great chance to work out the details and to highlight strengths as well as things to work on. I was excited afterwards and I had fun during the effort but I'm not so sure I've been "bitten" by the tri bug.
Yesterday morning and early afternoon were gobbled up by appointments and errands. M and I got to the pool around 4 pm and I swam laps for over an hour (lots of rest breaks of course). We hustled out of there around 5:30 to have dinner with T before he headed over to Concord to stay with his dad. My mom-in-law was admitted to the hospital last thursday for another stroke and it seems to have affected her differently than the last time . She was transferred to where I work lastnight for rehabilitation like the time before.
The thing is, since her last stroke T and his two other siblings haven't really figured out what to do. Like most families they sort've hoped that things would return to normal and opted to wait it out rather than make any major changes. My mom-in-law did get better, but not so much better that she should resume her role as caregiver to my father-in-law who is in the mid stages of Alzheimer's disease. My mom-law (K) is a fighter though and despite the deficits remained fiercly independent, though she really could use help. My sis-in-law had to cancel in home support because K didn't want a stranger in the house, in the meantime T and and his siblings have been juggling their schedules to take them to appointments and whatnot. It was quite stressful to say the least.
So, now were in the same place again and we spouses (I was on the phone the other day with my bro-in-law and boy did he need to vent!!) are more than a little bit concerned that the hard decisions haven't been made yet and the bulk/burden of care is once again on our partners. It's such an overwhelming thing caring for aging parents and dealing with all the finances and medical decisions no doubt. As a healthcare professional I understand that my husband and his siblings had to go through some degree of denial before they could move forward but as a wife not so much, guh!!!
Maybe this has something to do with my lack of enthusiam about a summer filled with triaspirations. The balance has definaitely been upset around here and the need to train for events feels abit selfish in the midst of everything. I'm not slacking off per say but I'm definitely not as focused. The unknown is always so uncomfortable and I feel just awful for feeling this way, but theres no telling what's going to happen with my in-laws and no point of planning trips, or events or anything that's going to require T's assistance because his plate is so full already.
I've been on the fence about future tris all along, I know that. The main objective has in fact already been achieved. I wanted to learn to swim, so in that respect it has been a huge success already. Just not sure what lies ahead for us as we try to figure all this out. Did I mention how uncomfortable I am with uncertainty?
Hell, right now my life IS a Multisport!!
Monday, June 05, 2006
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Practice Tri Report
As I pulled into the park, the bestest song came on the radio. Peter Gabriels "swimmin" I took it as a good omen and it definitely settled my nerves. I arrived early to test the waters. Hopped the fence and splashed around abit. The water temp was totally comfortable as was the new swim top. I quickly returned the transition area to set up and the group started to file in. The weather was beautiful.
First the swim. I apparently have no ability to freestyle in the lake. I alternated between breast and backstroke the majority of the time with occasional attempt at freestyle. The breathing was still an issue despite the warmer water. I just gotta get in the lake more. I think I swam too fast initially tiring myself out with the breaststroke which made it harder to settle into the more technical freestyle. Dread and Fear were not the blame this time, but my overenthusiasm tripped me up. To my surprise Lake Anza wasn't so bad. I actually preferred it over Shadow Cliff. I was last out of the water but I had a smile on my face. Running towards the transition I peeled off my swim top, goggles and cap. T and Nancy cheering me on felt good.
Next the bike. T1 went almost perfect except I forgot to put on my race belt. I hopped on and before too long spotted a few riders. The exit from the park to Grizzly Peak was brutal. I had trouble shifting and where the hell was my granny gear???? I humped that freakin hill until I couldn't anymore then walked the last 50 yards? to the top. Not much later things got worse. Oh yeah I had a flat!!! Thank goodness Cheryl who was our sweeper was trailing behind and between she, me and another good samaritan we changed the tire and I was off again. The last thing I heard Cheryl say "you can catch up Chris cuz your fast" We had two options. One was to turn around at Inspiration Point(IP) or to continue past IP down another 1/2 a mile and turn around at Toyon??? I caught up with one rider who was tuning around at IP and I kept going . Down Down Down........where the hell is the turnaround??? They told us this was tricky turn and hard to see. At this point I was closing in on 2 hours and made an executive decision to add a 3rd option and I turned around. Up Up Up more freakin hills, I found granny purely on trial and error and for awhile was able to pick things up. The hill leading you out of the park was a bitch and again granny gave me the slip. But I got my butt off the saddle and stood up to pedal and did not walk. Winding down Grizzly Peak back to the transition area, a few more hills to contend with and then rolling into T2. I was peeling off my helmut and bike shoes and donning my running shoes, cap and race belt.
The run. This is where I made up for things folks. I was not fast but I was strong and steady and I never walked . I was sure to high five and shout out positive words as I went toward Little Farm. On the turn around I got a bit more serious, less talkative and just tried to hold on to my pace. I passed a few more people and was grinning from ear to ear. I hate to admit it but it felt damn good not to be last. I was whipped but I felt really good at the same time.
So the real deal in just two weeks. The course today was so much harder than what we'll be facing in Pleasonton.
I'm pleased with my swim effort. I know it will improve over the summer. It may not get much better before the race but I've proven to myself that I can swim 1/4 mile and have enough gas to finish my race. The flat tire was stressful and for a few minutes I got panicky while trying to catch up but it's got me thinking how many more people would I have passed if that hadn't happened. The run was solid. I forgot to get an actual time but I know I was well under 3 hours. Overall I'm pleased with todays performance. What I lacked in technical skill I made up for in physical strength. Sprint level tri's are good match for me. This was such a helpful way to train. I couldn't imagine going into the real deal without this kind of preparatiion. What a rush!!
Addendum
one participant wasn't able to complete the swim.
average elevation 2000 ft
First the swim. I apparently have no ability to freestyle in the lake. I alternated between breast and backstroke the majority of the time with occasional attempt at freestyle. The breathing was still an issue despite the warmer water. I just gotta get in the lake more. I think I swam too fast initially tiring myself out with the breaststroke which made it harder to settle into the more technical freestyle. Dread and Fear were not the blame this time, but my overenthusiasm tripped me up. To my surprise Lake Anza wasn't so bad. I actually preferred it over Shadow Cliff. I was last out of the water but I had a smile on my face. Running towards the transition I peeled off my swim top, goggles and cap. T and Nancy cheering me on felt good.
Next the bike. T1 went almost perfect except I forgot to put on my race belt. I hopped on and before too long spotted a few riders. The exit from the park to Grizzly Peak was brutal. I had trouble shifting and where the hell was my granny gear???? I humped that freakin hill until I couldn't anymore then walked the last 50 yards? to the top. Not much later things got worse. Oh yeah I had a flat!!! Thank goodness Cheryl who was our sweeper was trailing behind and between she, me and another good samaritan we changed the tire and I was off again. The last thing I heard Cheryl say "you can catch up Chris cuz your fast" We had two options. One was to turn around at Inspiration Point(IP) or to continue past IP down another 1/2 a mile and turn around at Toyon??? I caught up with one rider who was tuning around at IP and I kept going . Down Down Down........where the hell is the turnaround??? They told us this was tricky turn and hard to see. At this point I was closing in on 2 hours and made an executive decision to add a 3rd option and I turned around. Up Up Up more freakin hills, I found granny purely on trial and error and for awhile was able to pick things up. The hill leading you out of the park was a bitch and again granny gave me the slip. But I got my butt off the saddle and stood up to pedal and did not walk. Winding down Grizzly Peak back to the transition area, a few more hills to contend with and then rolling into T2. I was peeling off my helmut and bike shoes and donning my running shoes, cap and race belt.
The run. This is where I made up for things folks. I was not fast but I was strong and steady and I never walked . I was sure to high five and shout out positive words as I went toward Little Farm. On the turn around I got a bit more serious, less talkative and just tried to hold on to my pace. I passed a few more people and was grinning from ear to ear. I hate to admit it but it felt damn good not to be last. I was whipped but I felt really good at the same time.
So the real deal in just two weeks. The course today was so much harder than what we'll be facing in Pleasonton.
I'm pleased with my swim effort. I know it will improve over the summer. It may not get much better before the race but I've proven to myself that I can swim 1/4 mile and have enough gas to finish my race. The flat tire was stressful and for a few minutes I got panicky while trying to catch up but it's got me thinking how many more people would I have passed if that hadn't happened. The run was solid. I forgot to get an actual time but I know I was well under 3 hours. Overall I'm pleased with todays performance. What I lacked in technical skill I made up for in physical strength. Sprint level tri's are good match for me. This was such a helpful way to train. I couldn't imagine going into the real deal without this kind of preparatiion. What a rush!!
Addendum
one participant wasn't able to complete the swim.
average elevation 2000 ft
Thursday, June 01, 2006
The Devil is in the Details
I knew I wanted to run but wasn't sure where. So I just improvised and let my feet do the guiding. I skipped the flat BART trail and headed up Marin to the Alameda then over to the King track for one mile and then towards home. Total time 40 mins. Earlier I had my swim bag and clothes for work already packed so when I got back from the run all I had to do was jump in my car and head over to the pool in near work. To my surprise that nifty 1 month swim card I purchased the second week in May expired today ( I thought it would rollover to 1 week into the next month) but the gal behind the desk let it slide and I proceeded to bang out 9 laps in the 50 yd lane in about a half an hour. I really needed to buckle down and try to cover 1/4 mile with as little stopping as possible. This has me thinking I might pull off the swim in 30 minutes! Shit I'll take it!!
I rested in between laps 10-15-20-bleh seconds and I did everything from backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. I started out with breast and than halfway would switch to free or rollover on my back. My main objective was to get 9 laps done anyway I could. Oddly enough the last 2 laps were all freestyle and I didn't have to switch to breast or rollover. I really like this pool but today I felt so rushed. I wanted to stay longer and I think that's a good sign. Come June 18th the 25 yd. lanes are open until 4pm. I was also charged a $10.00 non-resident fee for the swim card. I really need to be more cunning, I should've had cash on hand and not a check with my real address on it!! Still it's a really nice pool and it's close to the job.
The race mgt. meeting lastnight was good. We reviewed the practice tri logistics and swapped transition tips. The general concensus being: bike gloves are not a necessity however socks are. Some people got killer deals on tri gear at the Sports Basement over Memorial Day weekend. I found a decent training swim suit at the outlet in the Cannery for $15.00. Today I bought a Aqua Sphere swim top to wear over my trisuit. It's got neoprene on the front and back to keep the core warm, while the arms and shoulders are some other kind of fabric for freer movement. At least it will keep me a little warmer and be easier to remove then a wetsuit. Plus it does make me look and feel kinda cool and that's priceless!
Tomorrow is a rest day and I will no doubt spend friday night on the floor in my living room going over my list and pack and repack my red duffle bag.
swim cap
goggles
i'll be wearing my trisuit and swim top
helmut
bike shoes
socks
water bottle/camelbak
racing belt - does this go on at T1 or T2???????
running shoes
This is gonna be fun!
Oh yeah, today I also bought a pair of size 8 pants!! No drawstrings or elastic. Woohoo!!!
I rested in between laps 10-15-20-bleh seconds and I did everything from backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. I started out with breast and than halfway would switch to free or rollover on my back. My main objective was to get 9 laps done anyway I could. Oddly enough the last 2 laps were all freestyle and I didn't have to switch to breast or rollover. I really like this pool but today I felt so rushed. I wanted to stay longer and I think that's a good sign. Come June 18th the 25 yd. lanes are open until 4pm. I was also charged a $10.00 non-resident fee for the swim card. I really need to be more cunning, I should've had cash on hand and not a check with my real address on it!! Still it's a really nice pool and it's close to the job.
The race mgt. meeting lastnight was good. We reviewed the practice tri logistics and swapped transition tips. The general concensus being: bike gloves are not a necessity however socks are. Some people got killer deals on tri gear at the Sports Basement over Memorial Day weekend. I found a decent training swim suit at the outlet in the Cannery for $15.00. Today I bought a Aqua Sphere swim top to wear over my trisuit. It's got neoprene on the front and back to keep the core warm, while the arms and shoulders are some other kind of fabric for freer movement. At least it will keep me a little warmer and be easier to remove then a wetsuit. Plus it does make me look and feel kinda cool and that's priceless!
Tomorrow is a rest day and I will no doubt spend friday night on the floor in my living room going over my list and pack and repack my red duffle bag.
swim cap
goggles
i'll be wearing my trisuit and swim top
helmut
bike shoes
socks
water bottle/camelbak
racing belt - does this go on at T1 or T2???????
running shoes
This is gonna be fun!
Oh yeah, today I also bought a pair of size 8 pants!! No drawstrings or elastic. Woohoo!!!
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
A Better Day
I got back to yoga today then followed it up with a 40 minute swim 14 laps 2 of which were 50 yds nonstop....woohoo...that's good for me. Then I grocery shopped and afterwards rode the bike in the surrounding hilly neighborhood.........a decent workout overall. I read some blogs earlier and this guy called the Kahuna has had his share of pain as of late. Nevertheless, his attitude is awesome. His recent podcast and latest post totally got my recent attitude out of the crapper. I've been driving myself nuts (and apparently a few others) over some stupid shit, namely what other people will think and essentially letting those opinions really fuck with my head. It occured to me while shopping this morning that I do what I do because it feels great. It's not about being first or looking cool or even making friends. It never has been. At the risk of sounding completely self absorbed it's always been about how great being active makes me feel. Of course when I feel good my family and friends benefit too so obviously it's not only about me but it definitely starts with me.
It seems that ever since I started this tri journey I've exposed some really raw and unpleasant truths about myself. It's painful and I've questioned my sanity on more than one occasion. I know were all subject to mood swings and bouts of low confidence I'm no stranger to either , but putting myself out there has pushed me over to the darkside more than I care to admit.
I'm realizing more than ever the real key to staying fit isn't limited to the number of laps or miles covered but the in the manner in which one covers them. My progress hasn't always been smooth and at times it's downright painful to watch. I've been less than graceful or patient with the pocess and I know this has cost me some ground, but hey I'm still going forward I'm still grateful for every day I can swim, bike and run. I'm grateful for the whatever it is that drives me and grateful for sense to know when I'm being ridiculous. This blog is a great tool, it allows me to vent and ponder. It allows me to express my fears , even if there lame and all in my head. It allows me to shout out and give thanks. It allows me to be me.......... all forms of me............. the good the bad and the ugly.
I'm so glad to be here in this place at this time. I have much to learn and I know that there is a place for me among the world of triathalon. I know someday I'll look back on these humble beginnings and laugh, but in the meantime try not to take myself so seriously..........the serious me isn't much fun to be around.
In many many ways I am a late bloomer and alot of of what I'm experiencing probably should've taken place earlier in my life. But you see, I always played it safe, stuck with the tried and true. I've managed quite skillfully to skirt around the hard stuff and have been content with just getting by. Sure I've had to work hard and my life has had it's share of hard times, but given a choice I tend to gravitate towards the easier path, though signing up for a sprint triathalon in order to learn how to swim might contradict this statement!!
This triathalon is important to me. I never thought in a million years that I would attempt something like this, and so what if it's a only sprint.....that's the beauty of it, a sprint makes it possible for someone like me to even try. The effort, tears, pain and joy are just as real for me as it is for any Ironman. I have to manage my life, my family, my job and myself with as much intention and care. And yes I struggle and it is hard and I bitch and moan. But this thing I'm attempting to do is a big deal for me and at times seems so unobtainable and that's when I get self conscious and give into the worry and doubt. Today I felt so strong in the pool and on the bike. Today I felt like the real me.
It seems that ever since I started this tri journey I've exposed some really raw and unpleasant truths about myself. It's painful and I've questioned my sanity on more than one occasion. I know were all subject to mood swings and bouts of low confidence I'm no stranger to either , but putting myself out there has pushed me over to the darkside more than I care to admit.
I'm realizing more than ever the real key to staying fit isn't limited to the number of laps or miles covered but the in the manner in which one covers them. My progress hasn't always been smooth and at times it's downright painful to watch. I've been less than graceful or patient with the pocess and I know this has cost me some ground, but hey I'm still going forward I'm still grateful for every day I can swim, bike and run. I'm grateful for the whatever it is that drives me and grateful for sense to know when I'm being ridiculous. This blog is a great tool, it allows me to vent and ponder. It allows me to express my fears , even if there lame and all in my head. It allows me to shout out and give thanks. It allows me to be me.......... all forms of me............. the good the bad and the ugly.
I'm so glad to be here in this place at this time. I have much to learn and I know that there is a place for me among the world of triathalon. I know someday I'll look back on these humble beginnings and laugh, but in the meantime try not to take myself so seriously..........the serious me isn't much fun to be around.
In many many ways I am a late bloomer and alot of of what I'm experiencing probably should've taken place earlier in my life. But you see, I always played it safe, stuck with the tried and true. I've managed quite skillfully to skirt around the hard stuff and have been content with just getting by. Sure I've had to work hard and my life has had it's share of hard times, but given a choice I tend to gravitate towards the easier path, though signing up for a sprint triathalon in order to learn how to swim might contradict this statement!!
This triathalon is important to me. I never thought in a million years that I would attempt something like this, and so what if it's a only sprint.....that's the beauty of it, a sprint makes it possible for someone like me to even try. The effort, tears, pain and joy are just as real for me as it is for any Ironman. I have to manage my life, my family, my job and myself with as much intention and care. And yes I struggle and it is hard and I bitch and moan. But this thing I'm attempting to do is a big deal for me and at times seems so unobtainable and that's when I get self conscious and give into the worry and doubt. Today I felt so strong in the pool and on the bike. Today I felt like the real me.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Active Weekend
If your looking for a hotel directly on the beach, Best Western's Beach Resort in Monterey is literally yards from the beach, the surf was pretty wild and the winds on Saturday were fierce. We arrived around 3 pm got settled than had a nice dinner at Hula's, a hawaiian grill not too far from the aquarium. Speaking of the aquarium, no trip to Monterey is complete without a visit and we renewed our membership. It was a circus on Sunday but we went back on Monday before we headed back home and it was alot more enjoyable, that giant red octopus is the coolest!
The hotel pool was pretty dinky and I while I managed to get in about 20 minutes of swimming before the kiddies arrived the bulk of my workout took place on the bike and the run.
Right next to the hotel is a path that wind's it's way towards the warf and then onto 17 mile drive. As a motorist you have pay to drive along this scenic route with it's point vistas and swanky homes. As a cyclists the rangers let you roll through and I set out on my longest bike ride ever. I got as far a Pebble Beach before deciding to turn around. The weather was amazing, blue sky for miles and only mild headwinds to deal with . The road starts to narrow quite abit after Pepple Beach which was the reason I turned around and in doing so I turned too tightly and dumped. Surprisingly no one got out of their Mercedes to help! I was fine and got myself up dusted myself off and headed back to the hotel. The bike and I getting are better acquainted, the downhill shifting is better than the uphill? My butt was getting uncomfortable due to my forgetting to pack my bike shorts and I only had my thin running shorts on.
Total ride times: 2.5 hrs with a couple shorts stops total distance 23 miles.
Hanging out on the balcony T noticed a guy on a ski jet, he thought he was search and rescue dude looking for someone, turns out he was support for what appeared to be somebody on a training swim. The water was so choppy and a I stood transfixed on the balcony watching this amazing athlete jam through wave after wave. I can only guess that there was the bike racked somewhere, my vision was occluded from that point but I imagined from the way the swimmer was running out of the water that it was a brick workout. Watching that swimmer in the ocean sure makes swimming in the lake look easy, boring in fact. I'll just be glad when it's behind me. That night I had a nightmare about my swim, my confidence is on the fence again people. Yes, the swimming has improved. No, I will not drown out there but still I'm worried. Worried about being last, worried about people looking at me with pity, people not looking at me out of embarrassment. Uhg! I make myself so crazy! WTF!!!!!
Sunday the winds died down and I got in a long run. This was only the 2nd time I'd ever run on the beach. I have no idea how far I got but I ran slow and steady for 75 minutes. You run alot slower on the sand and I noticed some weird pains in my feet occasionaly, nothing too disturbing but worth mentioning. Saturday morning before we hit the road I did an interval workout, so this slow jog on the beach was a perfect follow-up run. I will be entering taper mode in the next week or so .
This saturday is the triclub practice tri........should be interesting. I wish I could say I'm psyched but I've been slow to warm-up especially since I know Haewon the triclub coordinator will be hawkeyeing me. No doubt I'm over analyzing things. (ha that's a freaking understatement!!!!!!)
So well see.
Signed,
The trepidatious tri-wanabe
The hotel pool was pretty dinky and I while I managed to get in about 20 minutes of swimming before the kiddies arrived the bulk of my workout took place on the bike and the run.
Right next to the hotel is a path that wind's it's way towards the warf and then onto 17 mile drive. As a motorist you have pay to drive along this scenic route with it's point vistas and swanky homes. As a cyclists the rangers let you roll through and I set out on my longest bike ride ever. I got as far a Pebble Beach before deciding to turn around. The weather was amazing, blue sky for miles and only mild headwinds to deal with . The road starts to narrow quite abit after Pepple Beach which was the reason I turned around and in doing so I turned too tightly and dumped. Surprisingly no one got out of their Mercedes to help! I was fine and got myself up dusted myself off and headed back to the hotel. The bike and I getting are better acquainted, the downhill shifting is better than the uphill? My butt was getting uncomfortable due to my forgetting to pack my bike shorts and I only had my thin running shorts on.
Total ride times: 2.5 hrs with a couple shorts stops total distance 23 miles.
Hanging out on the balcony T noticed a guy on a ski jet, he thought he was search and rescue dude looking for someone, turns out he was support for what appeared to be somebody on a training swim. The water was so choppy and a I stood transfixed on the balcony watching this amazing athlete jam through wave after wave. I can only guess that there was the bike racked somewhere, my vision was occluded from that point but I imagined from the way the swimmer was running out of the water that it was a brick workout. Watching that swimmer in the ocean sure makes swimming in the lake look easy, boring in fact. I'll just be glad when it's behind me. That night I had a nightmare about my swim, my confidence is on the fence again people. Yes, the swimming has improved. No, I will not drown out there but still I'm worried. Worried about being last, worried about people looking at me with pity, people not looking at me out of embarrassment. Uhg! I make myself so crazy! WTF!!!!!
Sunday the winds died down and I got in a long run. This was only the 2nd time I'd ever run on the beach. I have no idea how far I got but I ran slow and steady for 75 minutes. You run alot slower on the sand and I noticed some weird pains in my feet occasionaly, nothing too disturbing but worth mentioning. Saturday morning before we hit the road I did an interval workout, so this slow jog on the beach was a perfect follow-up run. I will be entering taper mode in the next week or so .
This saturday is the triclub practice tri........should be interesting. I wish I could say I'm psyched but I've been slow to warm-up especially since I know Haewon the triclub coordinator will be hawkeyeing me. No doubt I'm over analyzing things. (ha that's a freaking understatement!!!!!!)
So well see.
Signed,
The trepidatious tri-wanabe
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Putting Along
I haven't run since the race last Sunday. This morning my chest felt tight so I took a couple puffs on the inhaler and decided to go for a run. Since it's Saturday, I headed over to the middle school for a track workout and I did some intervals combining slow running halfway around the track then full speed (hahah) the other half. I did this 4 x's, once I ran hard 3/4's the way and then walked all the way around. I did some stretches on the field, 2 x10 of the silly looking thing where you jump and kick your butt. I finished off the last lap with a slow jog and then headed home. It's been awhile since I did intervals and I was pretty tired. With all the attention on swimming I've lost some of my pep on the run. Balance seems to be a constant challenge.
The three of us are headed to Monterey in a few hours and to tell you the truth I wish it was just T and I. I can't even remember the last time we spent anytime alone together. My mom came over lastnight to house /Brandy sit and at the last minute I asked her to watch M so T and I could go to the movies. Poseidon Adventure wouldn't of been my first pick but the time frame and free passes at the OakTheater prevailed. 90 plus minutes of stress......Not exactly a great date flick.
So, I need to get the show on the road and try to scope a good bike/run option near our motel. I'll be taking full advantage of the pool and try to set up a full brick for Sunday. Have a good weekend and be safe!
The three of us are headed to Monterey in a few hours and to tell you the truth I wish it was just T and I. I can't even remember the last time we spent anytime alone together. My mom came over lastnight to house /Brandy sit and at the last minute I asked her to watch M so T and I could go to the movies. Poseidon Adventure wouldn't of been my first pick but the time frame and free passes at the OakTheater prevailed. 90 plus minutes of stress......Not exactly a great date flick.
So, I need to get the show on the road and try to scope a good bike/run option near our motel. I'll be taking full advantage of the pool and try to set up a full brick for Sunday. Have a good weekend and be safe!
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Grace and Humility
Today at the pool I shared the 50 yd lane with an older woman ( we chatted later in the locker room and she's 72) She wasn't really swimming, more just floating around working her way down the lane. Sometimes she'd wander into my side of the lane and I'd have to look up every so often to be sure we didn't collide. I was annoyed at first and wished she'd hurry up and go, so I could stay in this particular lane as it was nearest the wall (the slow lane) but I reminded myself that it wasn't long ago that I couldn't swim in a straight line and I still can't during the backstroke.
She wasn't a particulary good swimmer nor was she self conscious about it. She was simply enjoying the freedom of movement in the water. I suddenly felt ashamed for wishing her to go and was struck by her grace and beauty. I was moved by her spirit and her courage to take her place in the 50 yd lane. At one point she was more than halfway down the lane and I caught up with her and we ended up at the same end of the pool and she looked over at me and in her sweet Indian accent said 'You are very fast" I just smiled and shook my head saying "No, I'm not"
Later in the locker room I asked her if she swam there often and she said "Oh yes, everyday!" Then she explained that her doctor recommended it when she started to have back trouble and that it's taken all her pain away. She was so happy and grateful to be able to find relief. I went to work with a better appreciation for the old folks I work with. So often the seniors I work with are so sick and dibilitated it's hard to see them any other way. It was good to spend a little time with that woman at the pool today she reminded me that we have options.
She wasn't a particulary good swimmer nor was she self conscious about it. She was simply enjoying the freedom of movement in the water. I suddenly felt ashamed for wishing her to go and was struck by her grace and beauty. I was moved by her spirit and her courage to take her place in the 50 yd lane. At one point she was more than halfway down the lane and I caught up with her and we ended up at the same end of the pool and she looked over at me and in her sweet Indian accent said 'You are very fast" I just smiled and shook my head saying "No, I'm not"
Later in the locker room I asked her if she swam there often and she said "Oh yes, everyday!" Then she explained that her doctor recommended it when she started to have back trouble and that it's taken all her pain away. She was so happy and grateful to be able to find relief. I went to work with a better appreciation for the old folks I work with. So often the seniors I work with are so sick and dibilitated it's hard to see them any other way. It was good to spend a little time with that woman at the pool today she reminded me that we have options.
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