When you're pretty sure you've gone over the edge.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Before a race, all the training and angst builds up. The mind and body know that a battle is coming. They are just looking for the battlefield. We are now 20 days pre race (Augusta 70.3 on 9-27-09). Our training volume is decreasing, but the intensity is very high. We are going to deep dark places to get through some of the training sessions. It makes me tired but too wired up to relax... and unfortunately it makes me cranky. Cranky may be inaccurate, downright mean is more true. So here's a little list of things that I hope are entertaining, some are pre race angst, some are just triathlete oddities.
Things that might mean that you have gone over the edge:
1) My last blog, ranting about swimming pools. And the fact that we have all the pool numbers programmed into our phones.
2) Blain's comment that some people in those little scooters in Wal-Mart are just too lazy to walk. I was worried that he was considering a tipping party to see who really needed the things.
3) Our peanut butter assortment. Yes this is real, I don't know how it came to this. And yes, we do use all of these. Some are exclusively his, some mine... some is special ordered in by the case.
4) The bikes hanging in our living room, beside the trainers and the treadmill.
5) If you read other triathlete's blogs daily, and follow them like soap operas. Once you actually start corresponding with the pro triathletes, and ID Bree Wee's son on your trip to Hawaii... you're gone.
One last thing, on our way out of town last weekend we had a short delay as we were leaving the farm.
Till next time,
The Three Coconuts
Pool Blues
Okay, I was going to name this "swimming is ruining triathlon" but I have calmed down a little since this afternoon. Lets start by remembering that I am not a Flipper type creature, I am not referred to as The Diesel because I am built to float in water (in fact I have very sturdy legs, that sink rapidly in water), I really don't like to be cold or wet, and chlorine makes me sneeze. So I admit I am usually a little cranky when facing a swim on a good day, and when a race is approaching all days become cranky as my alter ego Helga assumes control. So let's review my last week or two of pool complaints.... if you don't want to hear whining you should probably stop reading here.
I usually have to drive to Gainesville, just over 1 hour away, to get to a pool for lap swimming. When I go there I have to go before 3 pm or there are no lanes due to swim team use. When I go on the weekends I frequently have to share space with those taking scuba lessons. The lanes run from shallow to deep and the scuba people swim under us while we swim through their bubbles. I find this very distracting. They are learning and often don't stay deep enough to avoid contact and I have hit a tank when one unexpectedly surafced in my lane. Now the game is: If I can hit or touch any part of them or their associated equipment I grab and pull. This has helped to make swimming more entertaining if not actually beneficial.
We do have pools in Live Oak and Lake City. The Live Oak pool is only open for high school swimming (though every now and then we can beg our way in after practise-- like last week when after driving to Gainesville we found there was one storm cloud, so the pool was closed). Lake City is open from 3 pm on and I was told you can lap swim... only problem is that there are no lanes left open. The staff member suggested that I swim laps around in the shallow area where the recreational people were lounging. You see all lanes are taken by the Lake City swim team, THEN by the Gator swim club that comes up from Gainesville. Both pools have heaters but neither city will turn them on due to the cost, so both shut down in the winter.
Often, we travel to Jacksonville and try to catch swims en route. We have 5 options and keep the numbers in our phones to try to find one open and lanes available when needed. Last week we were coming in after lunch and called Cecil Field Pool only to find it closed 2-3 then busy with swim teams. So we switched to the next on our list UNF closed 2-4. Then we go on to the YMCA options: Winston, open for laps only till 1 then closed until swim teams start, then no more lap swimming. The St. Augustine YMCA, closed more than open... and when is open may be occupied by hostile water aerobic people who take over all but 2 lanes. I shouldn't have such a dislike for water aerobics, but it is not an efficient use of space. If they would just put the bouncing old people into a pace line, then they could all shift positions with the music, we could get them all fit into one long lane... like a congo line. Finally we ended up at Brooks YMCA which has the best hours, but only 5 total lanes and the coldest water in town. I try to avoid Brooks because it is indoors and I want to put off being forced to swim inside until colder weather.
And it's not just nobodys like me, I read a twitter where Macca had to reschedule his swim till the next day along with his long run... because he found the pool closed. This pool thing is wasting the time and hindering the training of triathletes everywhere.
Okay, I warned you I would be on a soap box. Why can't someone just run a pool like a real business that takes care of its customers, has consistant reasonable hours and utilizes its space efficiently. And please if you have heaters use them and find a way to stay open at least some hours all year long. Most amateur triathletes do place value on their time and would likely be willing to pay for the benefit of having access to an open pool, rather then be put through all of this aggravation.
I'm finished now... and Flipper has reminded me that we never had these issues
swimming in Kailua Bay and looking for turtles. I'll try to work on the happy thoughts, and redirect Helga and her aggression towards the race course.
Aloha for now,
The Diesel.
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