End of the Year

The time has come to pack up once again and head on down the road.  Have a wonderful summer to all of my friends, students and colleagues from East Haddam.

Race Day revision

Race Day is here and so is all of the anxiety of the last few weeks. The group gathered on the beach for the pre-race brief. We looked like a colony of seals, distinguishable only by the colored swim caps that divided us into groups. As the first wave lines up, I stood contemplating the water. The sky was gray and the airs damp just a few degrees warmer than the 62 degree water. The water had a greenish gray hue to it, the visibility in the shallows only inches not what I was hoping for. Wave one off, a few minutes wave two off, then our turn. The tide was out, so we ran more than half way to the first buoy, time to swim stroke-stoke breath so far so good, just keep the racer to my right and all is good. A few more and look up to sight how did I get out here? Realign and off again a few more cycles and another sighting, off again! How much extra am I adding? The anxiety creeps back into my head, why am I here? this was silly! Am I ever going to finish? Side stroke at least then I can keep parallel with the beach, well at least sort- of. Where is that buoy? Finally turn around the buoy and into shore, how long until I can stand up? First attempt still too deep, a few more strokes second try my toes brush the sandy bottom like a broom still too early. Then finally waist deep, I can stand the hard part is over. Relief fills me and the anxiety loses its grip as my breathing slows and shoulders relax. Up the shore and onto the bike , I am off. Two five mile loops on the bike, o-k just like training here we go. Loop one a bit slow averaging sixteen miles an hour, a bit slow time to pump a bit harder. Thank goodness for training on hills this flat course is flying by. Loop two pick a target, catch her pass her, do it again. I need to make up for the swim, come on you can hold a speed of eighteen plus. Ready for dismount, bike is up and running shoes on last leg. It’s time to dig down deep and find what energy I have left. My legs feel like lead, my great-aunt and her walker could out run me right now. Mile one pace is slow, I can hear the runner behind breathing hard and catching up. Oh no she is on my elbow, I’ve been passed. That's o-k just pace off her, find your groove then regain you place, I console myself. Halfway point legs are feeling better, let’s pick up the pace. Find a target, catch her, pass her. See the one in red; we can get her push now cheering myself onward. I can see the finish; just have to keep it up. Final stretch everything you have left, push. Push? With what my body asks as it feebly moves toward the finish. Over the line, I did it, I really did it one hour twenty minutes nineteen seconds. Not glorious, but a respectable showing. I can't stop smiling I really did it. My mind is already looking ahead. Next, Niantic in August, I’ll be shooting for at least five minutes better. Really need to learn to swim straight though.

Race Day

Race Day is here and so is all of the anxiety of the last few weeks. The group gathered on the beach for the pre-race brief. We looked like a colony of seals, distinguishable only by the colored swim caps that divided us into groups. As the first wave lines up, I stood contemplating the water. The sky was gray and the air damp just a few degrees warmer than the 62 degree water. The water had a greenish gray hue to it, the visibility in the shallows only inches not what I was hoping for. Wave one off, a few minutes wave two off, then our turn. The tide was out, so we ran more than half way to the first buoy, time to swim stroke-stoke breath so far so good, just keep the racer to my right and all is good. A few more and look up to sight how did I get out here? Realign and off again a few more cycles and another sighting, off again! How much extra am I adding? The anxiety creeps back into my head, why am I here? this was silly! Am I ever going to finish? Side stroke at least then I can keep parallel with the beach, well at least sort- of. Where is that buoy? Finally turn around the buoy and into shore, how long until I can stand up? First attempt still too deep, a few more strokes second try my toes brush the sandy bottom like a broom still too early. Then finally waist deep, I can stand the hard part is over. Relief fills me and the anxiety loses its grip as my breathing slows and shoulders relax. Up the shore and onto the bike , I am off. Two five mile loops on the bike, o-k just like training here we go.  Loop one a bit slow averaging sixteen miles an hour, a bit slow time to pump a bit harder.  Loop two pick a target, catch her pass her, do it again.  I need to make up for the swim, come on you can hold a speed of eighteen plus.  Ready for dismount, bike is up and running shoes on last leg what do I have left?  Mile one pace is slow, I can hear the runner behind me catching up. She is on my elbow, passed.  That's o-k just pace off her, find your groove.  Halfway point  legs are feeling better, lets pick up the pace.  Find a target, catch her, pass her.  See the one in red, we can get her push now. I can see the finish, just have to keep it up.  Final stretch everything you have left, push. I did it, one hour twenty minutes nineteen seconds.   Not glorious, but  a respectable showing.  I can't stop smiling I really did it. Next, Niantic in August shooting for at least five minutes better. Really need to learn to swim straight though.

First revision

It all started just after my birthday, another year another pound or two added, sigh. We all know what that means a renewal of the effort to run three or four days a week. Fall rolled around and those runs just weren’t doing it. I’d get bored and skip the run or walk instead. The desired effect not achieved I feel into a lull, why bother if it isn’t working. By the holidays I was feeling like the turkey, that was it time for a new direction. I decided to try a triathlon, my husband was already pursuing several a year, why not me. Well let’s see, I am not comfortable in the water without a tank and regulator, biking hmmm I used to do that and running well I do o-k. January marked the beginning of training, pool sessions twice a week and riding the trainer twice a week until I could get outside. Things were going pretty smoothly until it was time to take the swim outdoors.


The sun glistened on the gentle wrinkles of the lake; the cool water enveloped me as I walked in. The visibility of the shallows was deceivingly inviting, as I began to swim out. As the bottom sloped away so did the clarity, blurry at first. A few strokes later the visibility cuts to a foot, two at best. I feel my chest start to tighten as if someone is pulling the cords of a corset. I can’t breathe; a wave of panic takes hold. Pop your head-up find the shore I tell myself, calm down it will be o-k. I relax a little, my lungs loosen. Concentrate now; stroke- stroke breathe, stroke- stroke breathe. Just keep going don’t worry about speed, half way there now I tell myself. Just keep it up, stroke stroke breath the mantra repeating in my head. There is the dock, just keep going. Now I can see the bottom again, here come the shallows, just a bit further. Two more strokes stand up and I’m back ,deep breath.

A second try, can’t give up so here we go again. Suit Zipped, swim cap on, take a deep breath. Trying to psych up, telling myself Imagine gliding across the water four strokes and a breath just like the pool. Waist deep and I can still see the bottom, so far so good. Where did the sun go? Looking at the cloud, addressing it like it might actually listen “No you can’t rain on me.” For the moment it listens. Ready or not here I go, the object to cross the small lake to the beach and back, just a little further than race distance. Two cycles and the bottom is getting harder to see, five cycles visibility has dropped off to just a couple of feet. O-k , just focus on the breathing. Suddenly something has grabbed my foot, it lets go as I continue to swim. Looking down the lake weed can be made out, stretching out to grab any unsuspecting passerby. My hands glide through a small up growth ewww they are slimy, just keep swimming. Popping my head up the beach doesn’t seem any closer. Pushing myself on, the wind picks up enough to create small waves. Slowly progressing toward the beach, time seems to stand still. Finally time to turn around. The wind kicks up more, I feel like a cork bobbing up and down to the rhythm of the waves. Every few strokes my arm hits the top of a wave, and I get a mouth full of water, good training for the ocean I remind myself, you have to keep going. Head pops up to check my location, how did I get out here? Instead of going straight I curved with the waves, great, adjust and head for the dock. Wait where is the dock? IS that the right one? All stop, I tread water long enough to locate the dock, reassure myself that yes this is the right one, and start up again. Again the mantra stoke-stoke breath, stroke-stroke breath. Back on dry land, and wondering what did I get myself into?

Race Day is here and so is all of the anxiety of the last few weeks.

  ****I will finish the ending on Sunday after the race, wish me luck.

Another Try

A second try, can’t give up so here we go again. Suit Zipped, swim cap on, take a deep breath. Trying to psych up, telling myself Imagine gliding across the water four strokes and a breath just like the pool. Waist deep and I can still see the bottom, so far so good. Where did the sun go? Look at the cloud addressing it like it might actually listen “No you can’t rain on me.” For the moment it listens. Ready or not here I go, the object to cross the small lake to the beach and back, just a little further than race distance. Two cycles and the bottom is getting harder to see, five cycles visibility has dropped off to just a couple of feet. O-k , just focus on the breathing. Suddenly something has grabbed my foot, it lets go as I continue to swim. Looking down the lake weed can be made out, stretching out to grab any unsuspecting passerby. My hands glide through a small up growth ewww they are slimy, just keep swimming. Popping my head up the beach doesn’t seem any closer. Keep going pushing myself on, the wind picks up enough to create small waves. Slowly progressing toward the beach, time seems to stand still. Finally time to turn around. The wind kicks up more, I feel like a cork bobbing up and down to the rhythm of the waves. Every few strokes my arm hits the top of a wave, and I get a mouth full of water, good training for the ocean I remind myself, you have to keep going. Head pops up to check my location, how did I get out here? Instead of going straight I curved with the waves, great, adjust and head for the dock. Wait where is the dock? IS that the right one? All stop, I tread water long enough to locate the dock, reassure myself that yes this is the right one, and start up again. Again the mantra stoke-stoke breath, stroke-stroke breath. Back on dry land, and wondering what did I get myself into?

Tri training- open water

The sun glistened on the gentle wrinkles of the lake; the cool water enveloped me as I walked in. The visibility of the shallows was deceivingly inviting, as I began to swim out. As the bottom sloped away so did the clarity, I feel my chest start to tighten as if someone is pulling the cords of a corset. I can’t breathe; a wave of panic takes hold. Pop your head-up find the shore I tell myself, calm down it will be o-k. I relax a little, my lungs loosen. Concentrate now; stroke- stroke breathe, stroke- stroke breathe. Just keep going don’t worry about speed, half way there now I tell myself. Just keep it up, stroke stroke breath the mantra repeating in my head. There is the dock, just keep going. Now I can see the bottom again, here come the shallows, just a bit further. Two more strokes stand up and I’m back deep breath.

Say Thank- you

Today our school hosted a career fair, there were many different professions and volunteers that gave their time to come in and talk to our students.  One stood out, while most of the presenters were regular occupations a Vet, the Marine Corps, the Fire Department, SWAT and K-9, etc.  and then there was the gentleman who does multi-cultural presentations to schools.  He started by introducing the students to the didgeridoo, and explaining a bit of the history.  Then he sidetracked to talk about the internal energy we all posses and how with all the noise around us we don't hear ourselves.  He told students that they needed to unplug from life's craziness and just listen.  He also talked about being thankful and not just for the good things.  he had some interesting  points.  He said that all of life is a choice, you choose how you see the world and what happens everyday.  That even those things that we view as bad can have a lesson or value and that if we just stop and take the time to say thank-you to what every entity you believe in you will see life differently.  This is an interesting concept and one worth investigating.  If you were to start everyday by saying thank-you for the chance to see another day and looked at each day through a lens that frames events as something with a lesson, would this change a person? Could something this simple be the Key to finding happiness and contentment, the key to finding more energy and more smiles?