Week 19 - Recovery Week

Recovery Week 5/19 - 5/25.

The weeks are flying by and honestly sometimes I can't remember what I did.

This weeks swim was hard. It's those bad habits and lazy arm pulls. My swim form has improved but it needs more. This week I work on my form it was a touch your hip, high elbow raise, and long lean strokes swim technique. It's HARD. It's not an easy technique to master. It's easier to have lazy arms and just go into the swim. 

In case you are wondering this is what high elbows looks like. 

Which leads to this. (I don't look this glamorous but you get the picture)

then your arm goes into the water to do this pull. It's the PULL that makes you go faster (i think so at least). 

I have these weird things I do when swimming. I coach myself while swimming. So here is what I tell myself. 

Me_1: Ok here we go, High Elbows, Long Lean Stroke
Me_2: Stop punching the water!! 
Me_1: *sigh* shit OK, now pull - 
Me_2: don't be lazy - use your pull to propel yourself forward.
Me_1: This shit is hard.
Me_2: You are getting it - now don't stop. 

Now that I come to think of it Me_2 sounds like Coach Riz. :) 

You have to talk to yourself, no one else can motivate you but yourself. It's not easy this swimming business but this is my thing, the better my form the better swimmer I will be. It is taking me a long time to understand all the concepts of this swimming thing.

My run and bike were done at home. It's been a crazy week at work. I've been working late and it's not fun. 

Saturday 5/24 - Open Water Swim plus a 30 mile Bike Ride

If you have read my post from before Open Water Swimming is not high on my favorite things to do. I envy my teammates who make it look so easy. Last weekend a few of them swam with dolphins! How amazing! For me...well I didn't make it that far out. 

I hate that I stand on the shore and just stare at the waves. They scare me! So there I was standing there and saying Nope Nope Nope can't do it. 

BUT then I talked myself into it. Don't be a chicken! You can do this, you have done this. OK fine..so I go into the water, waves were calm and here I was out to chase Coach Javier and I was on a mission. Umm...shit..that is when the waves came. Stupid waves. I was OK and went under the waves, then another one came quickly. Shit. I looked around and saw I was by myself. Shit. Shit. Shit. Help. I am not ashamed to say I yelled out for the closest surfer to come help me. Well yes I was wearing a wet suit and yes I know I float wearing it but shit (I know I say shit a lot) I got scared. So the guy came over and helped me. He said here get on my surf board. I said I can't I'll get in trouble by my coach. HAHA No I wasn't going to get in trouble but hey that is what popped in my head at the time. While I didn't make it out past the breakers, this time, I will keep trying until I do. 

How did the 30 mile bike ride go? Pretty amazing. It felt amazing. My hip felt great. All this icing is working. I won't lie I was afraid of doing hills, afraid that my hip was going to act up again. But it didn't. I talked to myself and said just go for it. I did just that. While it wasn't my fastest I did feel strong. Even my 10 minute runs felt good. I didn't run but did a Hip to Nip walk. Not as fast as this guy, but you get the picture. 

 

My team. See me in the back with my arms up in the air. That is how I felt after practice. HUGE smiles and excited because I am feeling amazing. 

Sunday - meet a few teammates for Aqua Jogging. Let me just say - it is hard. I didn't think I'd be tired from it but I sure was. I need to start doing this more often. :) 

Adding these pictures on here for fun. It was totally random that my friend Kelie and I were both wearing red polka dot dresses. 

 Tina, Jay, Chrystine, Rachel, Kelie and me. 

So cute. Thank you for including me in your birthday celebration Kelie! We both turned 21 again.