Things are starting to get real - the big race is in 18 days, so I need to stop sledding into the lake, climbing on the ice shelf, and get in some practice. Today I met a couple friends at the lake at lunch time for a swim. It's been so cold and windy out that the 32 degrees with sun and no wind felt so nice. I was standing around in my dry robe feeling a little hot. Of course, once I got into the water that all changed.
I decided to do the swim on the far side of the docks because the water over there is a little more open and I thought I could swim more in each lap. Which I think was a good plan. I got in and went for it, just like at the swim fest. Again, the first 20 or so strokes were fine, then it was really hard for about 40 strokes, then it was fine again. Unfortunately something was up with my watch because it said that I only swam 88 yards, which I know isn't true. I counted my strokes and it should have been a full 200 meters, maybe more. Hopefully more, because it took me almost 10 minutes, and I think we can all agree that that's more than 5 minutes. Hopefully during race day I will be a little faster with the push off the wall instead of having to stop, turn on nothing, and then go in the other direction.
After the swim I was so cold at first, then better, then really cold again. I tried not taking a shower when I got home, but it was killing me, so I caved and did. And it felt awesome. On race day of course I can't shower, but I will get to change in a nice warm room, and someone will bring me a hot sock filled with rice, etc.
I do need to work a little on acclimating my hands and feet. I've been wearing booties because I don't like walking on the pavement without them. A friend brings his crocs and puts them on in the water. I think I need to try that. I did swim with gloves on today instead of the lovely mittens, but I could only find one of the thinner gloves so I had to wear my thicker ones (what can you do?) Of course when I got home I found the second one in my bag. My plan is to go for another swim on Friday at lunch and bring the thin gloves and crocks and see how it goes.
Yesterday I had my last swim lesson for the session. We did a lot of drills with different strokes, but while practicing my freestyle I really focused on tightening my core and the pull work. Hopefully they won't pull me out of the lake if I'm going too slow, but if they do they do. I don't think I will be much faster over the next 20 days.
