The Trail of Terror!

Okay, so this week we're in Smith Mountain Lake in VA.  It's the most beautiful, clean lake I've ever seen!  In face, its the same lake Mike did his first outdoor tri in earlier this year.
Well we've gone running (we is Mike, his Godfather, and his 2nd cousin) every morning, not something I usually do and I had every intention of getting in a bike ride, but not so far. I've also wanted to swim in the lake everyday to get rid of my extreme fear of open water swimming. I've been IN the lake everyday, but with goggles is a whole other story.  I think I fear that I'll see some giant fish, a killer whale, submarine, I don't know...irrational fear, seriously!

This is the yesterday's workout...

Mike, his Godfather, and I went on what I now affectionately refer to as the "Trail of Terror"!  It wasn't exactly a trail, it was roads, but on these roads I saw a big fat dead snake smeared all over the road...I HATE snakes, HATE them, dead, alive, whatever, HATE them!!!!  Then we got to the end of that freak show and turned left onto a road that I'm seriously scared to even DRIVE on, and stayed on that for about 1/2 mile.  We then turned onto a road that seemed pretty docile until some driver decided we weren't important enough for her to move over more than about 18 inches away!!!!  Sheesh, people, share the road!  So then we turned around and went BACK down the highway from hell (not really a highway, but people seriously try to set records on that road I think!) and then back onto the road with Mr. Hiss.  I was very happy when my husband who runs much faster than I offered to run ahead and put Mr. Hiss in a final resting place so I wouldn't have to see him again. I'm so lucky :) 

Well that run was done without my HR monitor.  This is probably good as I would have been about 10 beats faster the whole way than normal b/c of all my "traumatic" experiences, LOL! 

STAT's were 6.30 miles in 1:00 hours.


Today's run:

I went with Mike's cousin because I wanted to go a bit shorter distance.  We did 3 miles.  Mike had my Garmin, so I don't know our pace, but it was slower than I could have done and I was glad...I'm trying to be more observant with my training needs. 

I had intended on swimming about 1/2 mile in the lake....well....Mike and I got in and I was all geared up in my goggles and we started.  About 12 strokes into it I felt like I was going to panic, see, Mike has to swim right next to me to keep me calm (although he CAN swim much faster).  So I could see him, but I felt like my breathing was too fast, and everytime I stopped I felt like I was going to cry b/c I was getting to worked up.  When I swim open water (and I actually practice this technique in the pool) I close my eyes while my face is IN the water and then open them when I breathe.  I take 5-6 strokes (maybe more, depending on how straight I'm going) and then spot.  Spotting is HARD!!!!  It takes a ton of energy...clearly something I need to work on. 

Well this is where I am this week. I was hoping to have a bike ride in b/c I haven't been on my bike since JUNE!  But we'll see.  I just do what I can do b/c priority number one is the baby girl!