6000 yards = 3.4 miles of swimming = tired arms!!

Last night I found myself staring at the screen in disbelief. I knew this day would come, I knew it well, I just wasn't prepared for it, wasn't aware that it had arrived so soon. None the less, it was here. I tried to rationalize it, reason with myself and the schedule "You know Ironman is 2.4 miles, so swimming over the distance by a mile or so would make sense some of the days." Yet, it still remained right there, staring me down, daring me to not write down some of the workout mistakenly, and cut off a 400 here, or an 800 there.

As George Bush senior would say "not gonna do it." I'm not a skipper. I pretty much do what's on the schedule. So, I wrote it down. I could relive it right here on paper (well, electronic paper), but I won't. Let it be known that it had something like 3 x 400, 3 x 300, and 2 x 800 as a main set, and it was long. I started at 6:10am, I finished at 8:00am. I barely had enough time to lift before I had to be showering and getting ready in my usual 5-10 min fashion before work. I was STARVING afterward. I mean hungry like I haven't be hungry in a long time. If I would have had a three egg omelet, two chocolate chip pancakes, toast and bacon, I would have eaten it ALL!! In fact, I miss breakfast. I haven't eaten breakfast on a Saturday or Sunday for as long as I can remember! It's always up early to ride & run. O well, I'll eat breakfast on October 12th.

Most importantly, I finished! I didn't leave out one 100 yard repeat. I can't say that it was fast, but it was in my heart rate zone and that is what counts. I don't know what all this dang swimming will bring on race day (total this week 18,500 yards)...but I'm just the athlete. My coaches know, and I guess that is enough for me.

Congrats to all who raced this weekend. I heard (and read) many stories about people toughing it out in situations that are pretty much every triathletes nightmare (mechanical troubles, medical troubles!). You are all my hero's, and your stories of perseverance make me so much stronger. Thank you for sharing with the rest of us, I am proud to call you my friends!! Way to go!