This morning K, M & I swam out beyond the reef from Outrigger
took a right and headed for the Royal Hawaiian:
The water was turquoise and glassy and I could see 50 feet in any direction. There were fish everywhere, surface to bottom, flitting about doing their fish business. I saw one making sand. Wonder Woman disappeared and I turned back to find her a few feet under holding her breath while a giant turtle checked her out. We made a little paceline and swam from Diamond Head down the length of Waikiki, just short of the Waikiki Roughwater's 2.4 mi course, splitting it up into a main set of three ten-minute intervals at various paces. K & M will race HI 70.3 in two weeks. I might swim it, but have yet to decide if I prefer a DNS or DNF. It's a tough call.
Jaco the PT threw me on the tready for 3 minutes to check my form. The pain kicked in about 2.5 minutes into it. I admit it, I am not in good form. I thought I was healing but I am not. And it's making me a little bit crazy. If you're reading this from far away, be grateful you didn't run into me today -- In the span of an hour I could be found goofing off at the swim, crying while walking to work, yelling at my cell phone for getting lost in my giant bag, cussing at my latte for being hot, arm wrestling my co-worker for the parking pass and purposefully stepping on bees. I'm starting to make Tom Cruise seem sane. I am such a grump. I'm considering dying my hair black, getting a trench coat and a Splish with the grim reaper on it and going Goth.
Clearly I need a nice, positive, refreshing list. I will call it The Upside of Swimming Instead of Having Fun Running: My fingernails are really clean. My running shoes are not getting dirty. And my ipod battery is definitely not running out. Man shoulders. Oh wait. Feel free to add yours, I'm all out.
Tomorrow is a new day, as a wise four year old I know likes to remind me each night when I tuck her in..
I miss Hawaii. It has snowed 3 times in 10 days here in Boulder. There is no swimming.
ReplyDeleteHere's one for the list....LESS LAUNDRY! (okay I know, it's reaching...but still...) Hang in there. From one runner to another I know how it feels. Nothing can replace running. But when it does heal and you are feeling strong and out there again doing what you love, you won't even remember these days of grumpiness! Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteTHAT'S THE COOLEST SUIT EVER!
ReplyDelete:-) mary
Sorry about the lack of running progress. I know I would be going crazy too if I were you... hang in there, lady. Just think though, at least you can pound the pavement on the bike and that's an improvement from where you started, right?!
ReplyDeleteBenefits of swimming... hmmmm... let me refer you back to your first paragraph something about freakin' turtles and turquoise, glassy water with 50 ft. vis. Here, you can swim in sub 50 degree water that resembles a mud puddle.
Yeah, it doesn't help when you're having a crappy day. Your 4 year old is right, tomorrow's a new day!
Swimming benfit #8 - You get that "beachy" smell in your hair! I bet some of our fellow bloggers in the midwest would kill to be anywhere NEAR a beach right now :)
ReplyDeleteOkay, gotta confess, we live in paradise! BUT not running feels a lot like life in hell and Rach I am SO SORRY! I keep hoping you get running soon... how the heck did you do this anyways??? Is it from racing Ironman, Clearwater, then Honolulu 26.2 all in 4 weeks or something short like that!?! If so... I AM DEFINETLY never doing Clearwater!
ReplyDeleteYou can ride and you can swim. Maybe this no run thing is a blessing in disguise! Remember when we were pregnant and the lack of running YET we got running better than before after a long BREAK of no running post baby and stuff... so on the positive side your swim is incredible right now and you are only getting faster on the bike, the run MOST LIKELY will be exactly where you left off when you start again.
Okay, go yell at more cell phones... you deserve too! AND get the grim reaper suit too but leave your hair like that :)
humph. after a swim like that, I'd be blissed out for a week..
ReplyDeleteBree is right, with all this swimming you'll maintain probably 90% plus of your run fitness. I've done it through many running injuries, except I get to swim laps indoors in gloomy chlorine-scented caverns. Add that to the list of blessings..
I just ran through a hailstorm, here in the fine Rocky Mountain springtime.. run between the raindrops is fine, dodging ice bullets is less fun.
Alright Rach. I've read this post a couple of times but now I have time to make a list...
ReplyDelete#1-This is the season of "Rachael the swimmer". You are going to make your swim as strong as your bike and run.
#2-All this recovery for an Ironman athlete has it's benefits. Call it a fresh, clean slate. When you do start running, your body will thank you for stopping for a bit.....and yes, it will happen.
#3-You're getting to ride and swim, at least you aren't laid up with a broken bone and a cast and unable to do any training. THAT would suck.
#4-My prediction is that you will have your best Ironman yet in Kona this year. You will impress yourself. My predictions are always right.....not kidding. There's no doubt in my mind you will look back at this crummy time and be grateful for it. It'll make you stronger.
#5-You could be as slow as me.
#6-You get to live and train in HAWAII!!! That swim sounds absolutely DREAMY.
#7-You look hot in your swimsuit...and you're getting to wear it more lately.
#8-Your body has a natural way of telling you what it needs....keep listening to it and it'll be kind to you.
#9-Your attitude and drive has gotten you this far, at least you are able to laugh at your grouchiness.....and allow & encourage others to laugh as well :)
#10-You get to be you. Refer to #5
Keep up the good work and you'll be running in no time!
Phaedra.
Sorry to hear you're still unable to run, but I'm sure you'll come back stronger then ever!
ReplyDeleteUmmm- yeah, that crystal clear water looks nice, but I bet you'd much rather be swimming in TTL right, come on- admit it! ;)
Colleen
I was going to say becoming a human lick-n-sniff for chlorine... but then I saw the pics and stories of your swims and remembered what "pool" you have access to. Then I had a harder time feeling sorry for you :)
ReplyDelete