3 Days Until...

Open Water Win

In terms of my training, since I'm in "taper" mode to let my muscles heal for the race, this week has been mostly about lots of "To Do's": Last-minute items, figure out nutrition needs, practice eating while on the bike, race details, etc. etc.

However, I had one more kind of big swim on my training schedule this week, and yesterday (Wednesday) I joined a group of folks meeting at the lake to do this in open water (as I've done now on several occasions).

For the first time since I'd been going out there, the water was choppy.  When I arrived, several people were standing in their wetsuits, staring out at the waves and looking slightly dismayed.

Honestly, I was just wondering whether waves would DIScourage or ENcourage attacks from creepy sea creatures.  But I decided to take heed of everyone else's concern and asked a guy if he would like to swim next to me to make sure we both didn't drown. (OK, actually....it was still mostly because I felt safer from sharks with another person swimming next to me, which makes no logical sense).

So, we set off....and very soon I was smoking the guy.  I kept waiting for him to catch up, mostly out of courtesy, because all the sudden, with the chop, I no longer had time to think about shark/alligator/gar attacks...it was just ME and the SEA.....er, the lake.

I LOVED it.  I loved the feeling of the waves crashing against me, each one a slightly different shape and direction.  It felt as if the waves acted less as a deterrent, and instead propeled me forward....and kept me entertained.  All I could think was that, once upon a time, THIS is why people actually HAD to learn to swim, not to tone their bodies, or compete in a race, but to SURVIVE. 

In a previous blog, I mentioned an article I read about peak moments - those unexpected instances, or extended periods of time, that are, for whatever reason, remembered for the rest of our lives as one of the happiest moments. This was definitely one of mine.

I could have stayed out there for hours, but alas I had to leave, to get back to work and to my cell phone, and artificial lighting, and laptop.

I don't know if the weather will be calm or choppy this Sunday, but either way,  I think I'm ready for it! Bring on the chop.