Swimming at Gyro

This is the 900m loop at Gyro beach. This time I started by swimming the straight line across the beach width, which is about 275m, (Erik measured it with the Garmin). I swam back and forth four times, at about 6 minutes each length, which is about my speed in the pool. I wasn't going hard because I just wanted to focus on my form today, and as always, on keeping calm.



When I got out of the lake, to get ready to go home, a older woman from the masters swim club came along and she was looking for someone to swim with. I told her I was pretty new and hadn't even been out over my head and we talked a bit. Then I decided I would just swim with her straight out from the beach until I was over my head, and then swim back alone while I had the chance. Interestingly enough, we got to buoy fairly quickly and I was still alive! It was only about 6-7 feet deep and the water was clear and the bottom was sandy. I felt very comfortable so we decided to swim straight across to another buoy (but not out any further). I was a bit tired so my throat was starting to fill up with crap as usual and I had to stop to cough some of it out a few times but she kept an eye on me and swam slow enough to me to keep up. How nice of her! When we got to the buoy on the far side, we turned and swam towards shore and soon enough we were back in shallow water, then we swam back across to where we had started. By this time, I was pretty bagged. I figure I did at least 1600m that morning, probably more, and with my stress level fairly high, it seemed like a harder workout. LOL. But I was SO happy to have finally have made that final step!

When I got home, I found Gyro beach on Google Earth and mapped out the 900m loop that the triathletes swim. One of these mornings, I will go down early and swim with them, or maybe I'll call my friend Carmelle, and swim with her. On the map, I can clearly see where the drop offs are so that one section that is a bit further out than I've been will be a bit scary, but I'm sure I can do it. One thing I have to remember is that when I'm in my wet suit, it is very little work to float or tread water and I can easily be calm.

I am contemplating doing the "Across the Lake Swim" next Saturday but I'm not sure if I'm ready. If only I had a few more days of practice. If I did it successfully, it would do a lot of raise my confidence but if I had any scares, it could set me back. I am going to try to get out for a swim every second day this week and then make my decision on Thursday or Friday. We do have access to the canoe so Erik can stay with me the whole way. I just don't know...

Finally - to celebrate reaching my final mental challenge of swimming out over my head I actually REGISTERED for the Kelowna Apple Triathlon!!! Whoo hoo! I think I'm gonna puke. LOL...



So yesterday was supposed to be Day Two of my training schedule, a long easy swim, and that was done. When I got home, my body felt really tired, but it was 21C and a gorgeous sunny day, and Erik was on his way out for a bike ride. I told him to go do an hour of hard stuff and then I would join him for an easy ride. An hour later, I was feeling rejuvenated and I rode down to meet him at the school. We mostly stuck to the flats and rode out to the airport (I went easy on the TT route hills). I was fairly dehydrated so I had finished my only water bottle by then so we stopped at the store at the end and I bought a Gatorade and a nut and fruit bar. I tolerated the Gatorade well so I may drink that on the bike during the tri instead of plain water. My recovery ride ended up being 57km over 2:15 hours - oopsie. But what a beautiful day to ride! It didn't get over 25C before we got home.

Today - Day Three - easy run, which I plan to do this morning. I am HOPING my shins feel ok. Please!!!! (Noon update: My shins hurt like crap when I ran today. Only went 3km in 21 minutes, then stuck them in a bucket of ice water and did ice massage. They feel a little better now. I see the PT on Monday....)

Tomorrow, Day 4, I'm supposed to do my long, higher intensity ride. We have a brunch to attend at 11 am so I'm thinking I might get up early and be on the bike by 8 am. I'll ride 12km downtown as a warmup, then ride the tri loop twice at medium intensity, then ride home. That'll give me a 45 km ride before 10 am.

Here's a picture of Tugboat Bay, with my best guess on the triathlon swim route. 750m. Looks like it's quite a bit deeper here than at Gyro Beach.