Shoot Me Now!

Chris signed up for 2 triathlons, as he's been looking for a new challenge for a while. I run and bike with him, but haven't been swimming since '05 or so. My colorist advised against it, and I agreed with her.

Yesterday Chris rode his TT bike 15 miles, ran 3, swam 1/2 mi. with some time between the workouts. I rode a casual ride with a girlfriend who's doing a Ride Around the Rockies kind of ride next month. She doesn't ride much, or fast, but she's good for long tours, and I was happy to pace her on what is for her a distance ride (35.2 mi.). It was fun; we saw turkeys, pheasant, deer, and many other cyclists. We chatted and overall enjoyed the ride.

Chris mentioned as we drove to SF to have dinner with my best friend from 5th grade that he wanted to swim and ride today. I don't know what inspired me to say that I'd do it with him -- maybe just wanting to support him in his new venture? Once the words were spoken I knew that I was committed.

So this morning I got up to let out the dogs/make the coffee&espresso/feed the dogs. I really didn't want to do all that at the butt-crack of dawn so after the dogs were fed I got horizontal on the couch. As usual, once I'm awake, I'm up, so I did the coffee thing; Chris made oatmeal. We packed our bags and headed to Gold's.

I haven't been in Gold's pool, just the Jacuzzi, and without my glasses had to squint to read the protocol signs. I have a pair of Speedo goggles that I don't remember buying but have never been used; I put them on, showered, got in the pool and pushed off.

The years of practice came back in the first half-lap: how to swim, the hand entry, the head-tilt, the kick, the breathing-timing, all of it -- including the boredom, the sense of sensory deprivation, the memory of same-old, same-old. I stopped a few times due to breathing issues but cranked out 300 meters until my brain called boredom.

I sat in the Jacuzzi for maybe 3 minutes, watching Chris swim away, when I realized I could help him improve his stroke. Doh! I swam and taught swimming & water safety instruction for nearly 30 years. He used to splash around in pools. Maybe he'd listen

And he did. And I finished off enough laps to make 500-ish meters (I lost count once I got back into the lap pool). He completed 1/2 mile. I was happy to have overcome my Gremlin that didn't want me to enjoy swimming.

After about 45 min. of driving home, eating, gathering equipment and changing clothes we headed out on the tandem. We had some rollers and a category 4 hill  to climb -- all very familiar -- and a NNW wind to buck. Often I found myself privately kvetching about the conditions, the gear, when to stand -- my body and mind didn't want to be part of a team, and yet if we weren't on the tandem, I know I would have bailed. And then I was on board and it was great.

So I'm pretty fatugued yet pretty stoked about new challenges. I may or may not do a tri, and ultimately I will remain curious about my abilities and stay open to new challenges. That mindset got me this far, and I trust that it will open new pathways in the future.

Be open -- be curious. Because you never know what might be in your future.