The Latest and Greatest

It's been a long time...since my last post. I've struggled to keep up with posting as my days have grown longer and filled with some travel (including to Boston for a Sox game), more training, more work (at work), more yard work, and some occasional housework (cleaning--if you think I've neglected my blog, you should see our house).

I don't want to bore you with details, so here are some highlights...

Screeching Halt
Our coach, St. Maria, usually comes to practices and asks us how we're feeling and what we want to do to get started. We usually respond with silence and blank looks. Maria does what any coach would do and gives us direction. She told us she had something new to try--screechers. Maria had us do 6 screechers (possibly 8--I can't really remember). This means, we had to hang onto the pool wall and kick HARD for 10 seconds. At the end of the 10 seconds, we had to turn around and swim a lap (25 yards) while kicking as hard as we could. Wow! My legs were on fire! Now I know where the term, "screeching halt" comes from.

All Dressed Up with No Where to go
Two weekends ago, we were in Boston for a Sox game. When we returned home, we were delighted to find two packages from TNT on our doorstop. Our tri suits and wet suits have arrived! The tri suits look super fast and sleek...I love the TEAM colors. The wetsuit is...a tight squeeze. Maybe I don't need any dessert for the next month.

Ridiculous Rules

During our brick workout this weekend, Maria filled us in on some essential information on triathlons--such as the rules. I'm having a hard time with some of the USAT (USA Triathlon) Rules. Let me elaborate. There is a USAT biking rule that specifies passing on the bike. You need to stay 3 bike lengths away from other cyclists. If you break into that zone to pass, you have 15 seconds to complete the pass. The person being passed needs to show that they are trying to slow down (by braking and/or not pedaling). If you don't complete the pass within 15 seconds (and you can't back off when you start), or if the person being passed doesn't back off, then you can get a 2 minute time penalty.

I find this to be ridiculous coming from a sport that allows someone to swim on top of you with no penalty. What next? If someone wants to pass me when I'm running, should I move off to the side of the road and sit down? Bizarre.

Aero Dynamic Fears

Later today I'm headed out to purchase some aero bars. The irony in this purchase is that my bike came with really nice aero bars. My fear of the bike and lack of confidence on skinny tires has led me to stay away from aero bars. In fact, it's more common that I'm grabbing my brakes to slow down than I'm ducking to go faster.

Maria strongly recommended that Marty and I invest in aero bars for our 1/2 ironman to save our legs for the run portion of the tri. So, I'll be facing my fears and purchasing aero bars. Even scarier is going to be using them.

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