SKID, CRASH, BOOM, BANG!

Well it's almost the end of my first official week of training... Whew!
**That's my mentor Joan just prior to my first ride**

SWIM:
I managed to verify the actual true length of the pool. The longest workout completed this week was 1200 yards.
We were instructed to incorporate a Pacer with our workout. A Pacer is a little, flat device that can be programmed to beep at a certain pace. The idea is that you swim with it under your swim cap and follow each stroke to the emitting beep. It was really helpful and I noticed a very slight improvement in my stroke (I emphasize the word SLIGHT). Now if I could just figure out how to breathe and what to do with my flailing feet! Im comparing my swimming style to my inability to Jazzercize... i have NO RHTHYM and it's UGLY!

RUN:
Of all the events, running is obviously the one i am most comfortable with. Although I am used to running a certain way, Coach Wayne is teaching us a slightly different technique. Im learning about Pick Ups and Cadence. How to push ourselves just a little further so that our bodies get used to the high level of exertion.. and then we teach our bodies to maintain a certain level throughout.
I ran about 3.2 miles the other evening at 32:53... there is definitely room for improvement!

BIKE:
Now this is where the SKID, CRASH, BOOM and BANG comes in. I recently purchased a new Tri Bike and with it new clips for my shoes. Supposedly these clips were easier to use then my old ones. Myself, my mentor Joan and the Honoree Captain Judy, all met up in the Safeway parking lot in Orinda. As the other two ladies were preparing, I decided to hop on my bike, clip in and do a few loops around the parking lot. The first loop was successful... the second one was a disaster. I was just finishing my second loop... coasting towards our meeting spot and as I was slowing down.... I attempted to clip out. It was then that I realized that both my feet were locked into my clips and I was unable to free myself. Panic was setting in because I knew that eventually this bike would come to a stop and I was going to be locked into the pedals still. So in slow motion.. I came to a stop, tried to balance for a few moments and fell over hard onto my left side. I was entangled in my bike, my right foot was free but my left foot was still attached to the pedal. While I was laying there, the water from my water bottle was just gushing all over me and onto the ground. I had to wait for my teammates to help. I was slightly embarassed and just laid there laughing at myself. I eventually got up and resituated myself. I again hopped on my bike and was determined to do another loop and practice clipping in and out of my pedals. Well... that was over in about 3 seconds because I got locked into my clips again and fell over immediately. That was when Judy decided to evaluate my clips. A few adjustments had to be made and eventually I was able to clip in and out with great ease.
So... now we were ready! Joan lead the way, I was in the middle and Judy brought up the tail end. We were not more than 1 mile into our 30 mile ride, when Joan's front tire catches a deep groove in the road. The poor thing skidded sideways while still attached to her bike, right into the middle of a very busy road. Luckily there were no vehicles coming around the bend from behind. Poor Joan ended up jamming her shoulder and scraping her leg. Talk about Iron(wo)man... she was still willing to continue the ride, unfortunately her bike could not. Apparently the accident twisted the front wheel sideways. Something or someone in the cosmic universe was trying to tell us something. We took it to heart and called it a day.. today was not meant to be.
***And I thought all I had to do was worry about drowning!***