Karen writes: The big swim
There is so much differing opinion about swim training, some saying don't worry, its the least important triathlon leg and as long as you can reasonably thrash out the distance you are alright, others saying it is a vital stage and recommending putting lots of effort into swim training so you are fresh for the rest of the event. Obviously I have barely done any swim training because I'm trying to preserve my dodgy shoulder so I have to wholeheartedly believe the first opinion is right for me.
Anyway, it is important before I get in the water at Taupo in about 3 weeks to be in the right state of mind and completely confident that I can achieve the 4km, so Kate and me headed off after work yesterday for the near high tide to tackle the full IM swim distance. After driving over the hill and seeing the whitecaps out in the harbour it was a relief to find it calm and sunny at the main beach at Maraetai, we went quickly over the road in our neoprene finery and swum up and down the beach for about an hour 50 and achieved our goal. Well, I achieved 4km, I figure Kate did a lot more. I looked up at one point to see her heading out to sea, knowing she usually checked where she was at least every 50 strokes I figured she would notice before she got to Waiheke island, and sure enough, back she came, this time heading for the beach swimming very strongly....then out to sea again, then back to the beach. I was in awe of the powerful and speedy swimming, literally swimming rings around me, I wondered what she was thinking about, turned out she was worrying about the photocopier at work, try as I might that didn't work as a motivator for me!
Waitangi day today, I'm glad we had our swim yesterday, there was a Tsunami warning at about the best swim tide today but you wouldn't have known it from the number of people on the beach. Anyway, I had an excellent time out on the bike this morning, the aerobars are starting to feel like friends, the ride was followed by a 45 minute run which went well too. My new aerobar water bottle means I'm drinking more than usual, that might be contributing to why I'm feeling good in spite of the current heat, or it could mean I'm almost ready for IM, and I should be, it's nearly the end of the last official week of training with taper proper starting next week and that feels completely unreal. Again.
Anyway, it is important before I get in the water at Taupo in about 3 weeks to be in the right state of mind and completely confident that I can achieve the 4km, so Kate and me headed off after work yesterday for the near high tide to tackle the full IM swim distance. After driving over the hill and seeing the whitecaps out in the harbour it was a relief to find it calm and sunny at the main beach at Maraetai, we went quickly over the road in our neoprene finery and swum up and down the beach for about an hour 50 and achieved our goal. Well, I achieved 4km, I figure Kate did a lot more. I looked up at one point to see her heading out to sea, knowing she usually checked where she was at least every 50 strokes I figured she would notice before she got to Waiheke island, and sure enough, back she came, this time heading for the beach swimming very strongly....then out to sea again, then back to the beach. I was in awe of the powerful and speedy swimming, literally swimming rings around me, I wondered what she was thinking about, turned out she was worrying about the photocopier at work, try as I might that didn't work as a motivator for me!
Waitangi day today, I'm glad we had our swim yesterday, there was a Tsunami warning at about the best swim tide today but you wouldn't have known it from the number of people on the beach. Anyway, I had an excellent time out on the bike this morning, the aerobars are starting to feel like friends, the ride was followed by a 45 minute run which went well too. My new aerobar water bottle means I'm drinking more than usual, that might be contributing to why I'm feeling good in spite of the current heat, or it could mean I'm almost ready for IM, and I should be, it's nearly the end of the last official week of training with taper proper starting next week and that feels completely unreal. Again.
Comments