Ok, I get MAJOR points for going to swim practice last night. It was cold, windy and, as you can tell for yesterday's post, I was NOT in a good mood. Swimming in an outdoor pool sounded like a little slice of Hell, but I sucked it up and went anyway.
It wasn't so bad.
The pool was heated so once in the water it wasn't so bad as long as you kept swimming, and believe me we did that. We did 2260 yards of drills (now, to you real triathletes, that doesn't sound like too much, but to this hater-of-all-things-swimming it was a lot!) and we swam pretty much for an hour and fifteen minutes straight. The girls (Note: I did not say mean this time. Things are improving) were much nicer. Some of them are too good to talk to the slow, fat girl of the group, but I have a few that have accepted me. Even one of the hardcore gals is nice to me. We will take it as a win. I would have loved to gotten a training partner(s) out of this, and I don't think that is going to happen, but at least it is tolerable and I am learning a lot.
Unfortunately, the one swimmer from last time that was slower than me was not there last night and several of the other girls from the slow lane weren't there either, so I was BY FAR the slowest swimmer (except for one injured girl. I would count her, but she did just have shoulder surgery, and that would make me an asshole, so I guess I can't)
I do have a couple of questions:
1. If fat is supposed to make you buoyant, why can't I keep my ass up in the water?! Not fair. If I am going to walk around with this more than ample booty I should AT LEAST have the "pull buoy" effect when swimming!
2. How can I use these legs to run 26.2 miles, but can not for the life of me get ANY forward motion when using a kickboard for kick drills? I list to the right like a sinking ship, run into the lane line, and am panting like a dog, while everyone passes me (even the girl that had surgery) and tells me to pull my hips up (see #1).
Gear Review:
For those of you that mave motion sickness issues while swimming or just truly HATE getting water in your ears. Here are my reviews of ear plugs. I have tried several!
1. TYR ear plugs: HATE them. May as well try to stuff rocks in your ears. Worthless.
2. Mack's Ear Seals earplugs: Don't completely block water, but ok. The leash holding them together makes it easier not to lose, but is a pain in the ass during a race. They got pulled out several times as I was swum over by nine trillion people. (Yes, I started in the back of the swim wave. It was subsequent waves that got me)
3. Mack's Pillow Soft earplugs: Are NOT pillow soft. See TYR review.
4. Doc Blocksurf problock earlpugs w/ leash: Pretty good seal. It says you are supposed to be able to hear with them (not true, about the same as any other ear plug) the plastic, clear leash is a MAJOR pain to deal with. Too expensive and the sizing is very confusing.
5. Putty Buddies ear plugs: Made for kids, soft and
fit in ear without pain. A little sticky like playdough, but completely seal out water and you can hear about as well as any other ear plug. These are the ones I am going to stick with for now. You get them through Amazon.com (putty buddies).
5 comments:
OMG! At first I thought that last picture was a condom selection. Like the one that Julia Roberts has in "Pretty Woman". I'm a Safety Girl! LOL!
Glad the mean girls aren't so mean anymore. And STOP CALLING YOURSELF FAT!
-Angela
Kudos to you for making it to the swim practice! Glad folks were friendlier. I too struggle with keeping my hips up in the water and always have to remind myself to look straight down (like focus on the line) when my face is in the water. Another tip I've heard is to push your chest down into the water so that you feel like your kinda swimming downhill. When I get it right, it does feel like I'm swimming with a pull buoy or fins. In fact, I often warm-up with a pull buoy or fins to get that feeling of correct body position in the water before beginning my main set.
Thanks for the gear review. I have never considered using ear plugs because I have a hard enough time hearing when I get nervous. BUT I do have motion sickness issues so maybe I'll try some out.
Very glad to hear the mean girls are morphing thanks to your superpowers! And I'll echo Angela - where is your positive self talk? Be good to yourself or we may have to beat you up. :D
YOU ARE WOMAN! YOU ROCK! Often when in serious training mode it is hard to lose weight. I have gained during my training for the half. GO FIGURE! It is frustrating! I wish I could help you on the swim thing. I'm one of those natural born swimmers. I'm very happy in the water. (I am a pisces too. LOL) Have you tried doing freestyle just arms with a floatee your legs? I can remember doing drills like this on swim team. The floatee between the legs helps pull up the back half. Its a thought - perhaps you could get the feel for the placement of your hips in the water and mimic it later without the floatee??
Yay for you!! I know it was hard to drag yourself to do something you don't like....especially when not even the weather was cooperating. So, yes, you DO deserve major points for that! :-)
Ditto on what Angela said - stop calling calling yourself fat! You are not fat. Maybe you feel out of proportion, but FAT, you are NOT. :-p
(Sorry I've been reading your posts for the past few days without commenting. It even makes ME feel creepy when I do that... like I'm lurking behind the virtual bushes or something. LOL)
Have fun at the Zoo Zoom this weekend!! (I hope Andrea's flights don't get screwed up with everything that's going on lately.)
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