Week 8 - No time for slacking

Week 8 Build Week #2
What does that mean? In my opinion it's a whole of training - hard training - Swim longer, Ride longer, run longer. It's building on your endurance and speed. Basically it's where I look at the training schedule and roll my eyes.  I usually end up sticking my tongue out at the coaches. It's my way of saying I love you but today's training sucks, but I'll do it anyway because I love it. 

Tuesday Swim - Drills. Drills. Drills.
I'm not very good at drills. The drills help us perfect our swimming form. Most of the time I end up swallowing a bunch of water. I have some bad habits and it's hard to get rid of them. If I think too much about what I am doing I end up doing it all wrong.  It's crazy. I'm working on getting rid of those bad habits. 

Today I'd like to introduce you to my amazing teammate Kelie, also known as One L. 

A lot of people I talk to say, I'd love to do a triathlon but I don't know how to swim. Ask Kelie about that.  She started out in beginners group, this group is usually for people who have little to no experience where swimming is concerned. She came, she is conquering, and is now in the intermediate group. I don't know her exact time, but when we had our 1st swim physical recommittment test I believe her time for the 1,000 yards was somewhere in the 40 minute range. Within a month's time she dropped that time by 10 minutes (by now more). That is HUGE!! I feel so fortunate to be on this amazing journey with you Kelie!

Wednesday - Acupuncture Day
I am a work in progress, but I won't let my aches and pains stop me. There is always an excuse, but the minute I stop I regret it. Our coaches have this theory about eating elephants. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. My elephant is so tasty! Some days I take huge bites, other days itty bitty bites, all in all I never stop. 

Thursday - Swim Homework
Our schedule change a bit due to Friday being a rest day or travel day for most of the team. 

I've been doing my homework swims at a local college. The water temperature is perfect. I can usually get my own swim lane. What is not to love. I quickly got in my swim and then off I went to get a deep tissue massage. Which I must say was AMAZING!! 

Friday - WOO HOO travel day to Bradley, CA for Wildflower Training Weekend.

I drove up with 2 of my teammates - Bobbi and Jay. The drive went by really fast. We chatted the whole way and before we knew it we had arrived.

Wildflower training weekend is a camping trip mixed in with a little bike ride and a little running and whole lot of team bonding.

How many people does it take to move a fire pit? See the team bonding going on here.

Friday night most of us arrived and just gathered around getting ready for what Saturday. Driving I had forgotten all about the hills. I will admit after I saw them I asked myself 'What am I doing here?'

Saturday Morning - It's time for a little bike ride (25+ miles)  

It's always fun taking photos before we start. We all are smiles. 

How would I describe the bike course? Umm... It's hard. This course has been best described as being on the Top 5 list of most challenging triathlon courses. 

I always compare this year to last year. Last year was hard. SUPER HARD for me. I remember struggling and crying and being so angry that I couldn't peddle up that hill. This year, I smiled and sang to myself a lot. The ride didn't start off so great, I'm still struggling with my ankle and back. I just reached from within and told myself whatever happens will happen just don't stop. It's interesting what talking to myself will do. 

So to make a long story short. Last year I walked the hills, this year I kept on peddling and realized those hills weren't so big after all. Each time I got to the top I did a little yahoo. The downhills are always the scariest for me. BUT what sucks about the downhills that is on the way back you have to go up. 

All in all...it was a great bike ride. My only complaint is this hill right here. Lynch Hill. As Coach Riz was giving us instructions on the bike ride, she blurts out this... OK Year 2's (that is the group I am in) You are to ride the Olympic course and then go back out for an hour. First come back to base camp and ride down Lynch Hill and back up. And continue on until you have reached 1 hour. I think I might have blurted out something not so nice, but i can't remember.  

I saw Coach just right as I was completing the Olympic course. In my head I was like fake it, pretend you went down it. She follows me. OH Yes she did!! OK Bucket I am going to be here when you get back to the top. What???? really? OK I wasn't really going to fake it but I wanted to. I thought about it. So I rode down, and who is there, none other then my teammate Bobbi. So off we go. I told her, you go first and I'll follow you. Damn you Lynch Hill!!! I did STOP but I did not WALK. I would stop, take a breath and then keep on going. Hardest ride EVER!! 
      

I found this video that someone took while driving up Lynch Hill. Check it out..crazy that hill keeps going up and up. It's about .79 miles of hell. I came..I conquered..ROARRRRRR. 

Oh...did I add in after all that..we had to do a 2 mile recovery run. Yeah. More Hills.

Saturday Night - down with the Bieber! Kelie and I saw another LLS Chapter bringing down the Bieber and we asked to join in the fun. :) 

Just a quick picture of our camp site. 

Sunday Morning - time to run a 10K
Coach Riz is pointing out where we are to run. Lets do it. 

What goes down must come up! 

This is a must see. My teammate Pai took these photos. Look at Lake San Antonio. There is a major drought going on in California. I know the rest of the country is drowning in snow, while we have the sun we really need the rain. Come on lets all do the rain dance because we really could use it.