Swim Day.

I swam 2400 yds today in 1:09.  That’s a little over the 1.25 miles that the triathlon is.  Of course, as we’ve all learned, pool swimming and ocean swimming are vastly different.  I did mix up my strokes today, using free, breast, right side, left side, and back stroke.  It was a great workout and I felt really strong, even throughout the rest of the day.  No real fatigue, no soreness – it’s all good.

So here’s my issue for the day.  If you’ve been reading, you know I’m in the last 6 weeks of a pretty intense 16 weeks of training.  I’ve been very dedicated to the plan and have missed very few workouts.  I’ve also been diligent (excepting the Krispy Kreme extravaganza) about eating clean in my usual fashion:  high protein, low carb.  With the volume of training, especially as it continues to increase, it is only expected that my weight would drop a little.  Not a problem, and in fact it helps me with the running portion to be down a pound or two.  WITH THE RUNNING PORTION.  The swim portion of the race is affected a bit differently by my bad slim self.

Hmmmm, how to put this….my entire life I have carried any extra weight on my bootay.  My entire life I have not minded this…small waist in exchange suits me fine.  It’s one of the things that makes me ME, like my turned-up nose or my long arms and legs.  So what’s the problem?? 

Fat is bouyant.  Fat is lighter than muscle and is bouyant.  Now picture a swimmer in freestyle…see that nice streamlined look?  See how that swimmer is planed out on the water?  See how that bubble booty keeps the hips elevated and the feet just below the surface of the water, making the flutter kick so efficient?  Without that nice fat hunk o’ love bobbing around back there, the hips sink, the swimmer loses that form and struggles with fighting the vertical trend that the heavy muscular glutes, thighs, hamstrings and calves add to the mix.  That’s your girl there.

One more thing with which to contend as long as we’re discussing weight.  In the racing world, a woman is considered a “heavyweight” if she is over 150 pounds (140 pounds in some races, such as this upcoming half-iron).  Somewhere along the line when this brilliant strategy was developed, someone suggested titling such a qualifier as “Athena” (oh yes, that’s much less offensive, for no one will know what that implies).  FYI, the over-200# men’s division is known as Clydesdales.  Thank you SO much.  Anyhow, with this training, it becomes harder and harder to maintain my division qualification.  Most races will take you at your word, but if there is any prize money at stake, no such luck.  I learned the value of hydration/dehydration at weigh-ins from my wrestling sons, so maybe that will keep me in the class on race day.

Favorite random song:  Lily Allen, the song about brother Alfie smoking pot.

Thanks for reading…