Finally, summer has hit Chicago. Well, technically it's still spring, but the weather is WARM! I'm so happy- I could spend all day outside in the sun- and I mostly did that today. Despite the fact that I can barely walk as a result of Thursday's intense circuit training workout (seriously, I can't remember the last time I was this sore...) I woke up and went for a 2 hour ride in the forest preserves, a really beautiful pathway nearby that makes you feel quite removed from city or suburbs, filled with tons of other runners and bikers (and also roller bladers!). I even saw a couple deer- including a baby! I had such a ball - I ran on this trail a lot last year but didn't really bike it- it's amazing how much further you can get on a bike! I love it. I just spent the rest of the afternoon walking around by the lake, taking in the sun and all of the other outdoor-appreciating people. I stopped at the grocery store on my way home, and got back just in time for the thunderstorm. Phew!
Things have been picking up, in general, for me. May was an outstanding month (especially compared to April) rounding out with a wonderful Memorial Day weekend in Boston, visiting some of my favorite friends! The weather started picking up last weekend, and I sincerely hope the warm weather is here to stay, and there will be no finger/toe numbing bike rides in the near future.
Triathlon season is starting! On a sort of whim, I decided to sign up for the Naperville race-the same one that was my first race ever last year. I hadn't signed up originally for several reasons. In January, when I started to formulate my race plan (also pre-achilles tendinitis) I was riding high on the end of the last season, and wanted to hop right into an olympic distance race this year. The Naperville race, while something I will always hold near and dear to my heart as my first ever triathlon left some things to be desired- both personally and race-wise. Personally, I totally flailed in the swim- I panicked, could not relax, and ended up doggy-paddling the majority of it, even though in the pool I had definitely worked my way up to that distance. Race-wise, the bike and run courses were short, which was irritating, particularly because of my horrendous swim. I made up a lot of time on the bike and the run, but I could have done even better if I was able to continue with my stronger disciplines to their proper distances! The swim is also kind of weird- the quarry is half 15ft deep, and a large portion to shallow to swim, meaning that even the pros walk a decent chunk of it (I joked that my time was a lot better than it could have been because I can walk through water just as fast as everyone else! I wonder if my extensive pool running training will give me an edge this year hahaha).
Fast forward to June 2011. It is no secret that I struggled through the winter with my running setback, my frustration with the bike, and my 'bad form' in the swim. While I believe I have improved in each area over the last 6 months, and after Kentucky, I am certain I can handle the bike/run portion of the upcoming hilly olympic race, I started to get terrified of the .9 mile open water swim, having had no current open water experience, and really no long distance swimming (aside from laps, where you can take a breath at the wall). In my swims lately, I have been getting out of breath during the warm up, which makes me super nervous for the actual race, where I don't get the warm up laps to get me going and ease into a comfortable pace. So, talking with coach- we decided that adding the Naperville race into the schedule made a lot of sense: I already know the course, I have a vendetta out against the swim and am determined to do better this year, and it'll be a good warm up race for the longer one at the end of the month. Plus, most of my tri-friends are also participating, and I was planning to go watch anyway. I think that given the setbacks I have experienced, which have certainly eaten into my confidence, I will greatly benefit from doing this race again, hopefully seeing improved times, but in general, proving to myself that I can still do it. So, one week from tomorrow- first race of the season!
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