See Jane (and Heidi and Brooke) Tri...

I did a sprint triathlon with my sister, Lindsay, and bro-in-law, Jon, a few years ago in Long Beach, CA. It was SO much fun and it felt great to accomplish something new. Sprint triathlons are intended for either a) beginners or b) people who wan to go wicked fast. We were obviously part of Group A (well, except maybe Jon, but he is a freak of healthy nature that is the kind of person who can enter a race on a whim in the morning and then just, well, win it).

Anyways, my Dad has us write New Years Resolutions every year and then we all read them out loud to each other on NY Eve (Dad, Carolyn, Jon, Lindsay, Dave and me), either in person on the good years or over a conference call when we can't be physically together. We discuss our goals and what's to come in the next year. I LOVE this traditition and always learn about some new interest from everyone in the family (including Dave!). Ever since that first tri, I have had another tri listed on my resolutions and haven't come through with actually doing one. Until this year!

I begged and pleaded with my girlfriends and finally got ONE to agree (Heidi, our world-traveler-extraordinaire) and we are on our way! We signed up for "See Jane Tri", a sprint triathlon that will take place in September in the East Bay. It consists of:

* 400 yard open water (lake) swim (1/4 mile)
* 11 mile bike
* 5K run (3.1 miles)

As we are still in Connecticut hanging with Dave's family, my brother-in-law, Jon, volunteered to swim the lake with me yesterday! We weren't sure how far across it was from the house to the beach at Lake Beseck, but (of course) it didn't "look" too far. Just the same, I begged Dave and his mom to paddle the kayaks along side us (combination irrational fear of wild-and-crazy fish attacking me and of boats hitting me). They generously complied and we were off!


Lake Beseck and Our Journey Across...yes, it's a rather small lake that is 1/4 mile across and 1 mile "long"

The swim wasn't THAT bad. I was never on swim team or anything, but can certainly swim the necessary strokes (freestyle, breast, sidestroke...not butterfly...who swims butterfly in everyday life??). The swim experience was an eye-opener to me on the importance of form. Dave kept laughing at me because I'd swim 10 strokes of freestyle, look up, and be swimming completely crooked, almost perpendicular, to where I was supposed to be going. I'd get back on track again and do the same. Finally, he suggested I point my body to a location FAR to the right so that, when I started curving, I'd end up where I was supposed to be. Hopefully I can rectify this before the Tri in September as it could be quite embarassing to run into the water when the shotgun starts, then find myself swimming left when everyone else is right...or the ultimate taboo...find myself swimming in a circle. :-)



Thank you, Jon, for being my swim-mate! We are planning to attempt a "mini-biathlon" tomorrow with running + swimming...if I can make it across again.