Random updates
The good news is that my triathlon training is really progressing....The bad news is that I am not planning to do one. :)
Let me start with a short tribute to triathletes everywhere. You are more awesome than I ever realized. Each one of you scores 1,000 points today.
One of these days I might make a real video of my swim training, but that would involve me in a swimsuit. Or a wetsuit. So don't count on it.
My training strategy involves swimming with the wind (breast stroke, since that's what I perform best at). Then when I come against the wind, I have this little side-head, chin-tuck thing I do while I try to breathe as the waves splash into my face. It's spectacular.
I alternate a lap of this with water-jogging (This is in a river in a slow spot). It works very well, and yesterday I only got caught in the algae 2 or three times. I also got to see an osprey hover over the river, shaking water off his back in an elegant display after a dive.
On the bike, (this is the real reason I am not competing in tri) I have managed to make a top speed of 33 miles/hour downhill. For a reason! I realize this is probably slow by racing standards, but I can't get over the fear of wrecking. The wind blocks my hearing vehicles, and ...There is something wrong about going fast on a bike without a leather jacket on.
I hope to get back to running again SOON. I think I will test things out again tomorrow. God's been good to allow me to even walk, but times like this really make me appreciate when I can lay it all out there on the road.
Random observations
With all the swimming recently, I noticed something about myself.While doing my swim workout, I remembered that when I swam on the team in high school one of my legs always felt "off" (still does), and that the other was doing more work.
It's the same thing with running, though I rarely notice. I have a subconscious habit of directing my right knee away from my left so they don't bump. This is ingrained now, and might explain the odd shoe wear pattern I have always had on the outside heel of my right shoe.
Funny, I don't usually think about these things, but lately I have been. No one is perfectly symmetrical, but I am pretty sure my right femur has more Q angle than my left. And I have high arches and my right foot appears to be higher than my left..
Or, it could all be in my head.
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Olympic trials stuff
The Olympic Trials have started. Our tickets are for day 7. My husband went to the Junior Olympics in pole vault (when he was attending a school that actually had a pit), so he should enjoy watching the finals in that event. :) I am pretty excited about seeing the 5k men's and women's finals, and the men's steeplechase finals.Today Amy Hastings got sweet revenge for missing qualifying for the Olympic Marathon by one person when she forced past the competition in the 10k.
Photo by tracktownphoto.com
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| Photo by Lucy Nicholson, Reuters |
I can't wait to watch some serious competitors on the 28th. I'll be rooting for all the Brooks Beasts- and anyone from Oregon or Oregon Track Club!