Missing Hannah!

Lorraine:

So I have to warn the very few people who might read this blog - Hannah is off for TWO WEEKS on vacation without internet access. I know, such a thing is imaginable in some ways ;) So we won't have any idea what she's doing with training until she gets back and posts a 10-page summary. Until then you're stuck with me.

Yesterday I went swimming and thank goodness for Hannah (my personal triathlon coach) had some new things to work on. She pointed out that swimming in a large lake is somewhat....different...than swimming in a small clean pool. Basically that I need to be prepared to lift my head out a lot to check that I'm on track. I can guarantee you that had I arrived on triathlon day without thinking of this, I would have been found somewhere out in the middle of the lake 30 minutes later. So I did as Hannah suggested - every three to four strokes I lifted my head forward as if checking for buoys. Then after doing my 600m, instead of doing 10 laps with a pull buoy, I did 10 laps alternating pull buoy and then swimming a lap entirely with my head up. Certainly took me back to my lifeguard days! I definitely found it harder and am glad I'm getting the practice. It also took a bit longer so I wasn't able to do my last (10th) lap with the kickboard before I had to hop out to let the next person in at 30 minutes. Alas....

Today was, of course, "Wednesday Weights Day." I've found I am able to comfortably do more weights on several but I still have pretty puny arms. I did a bit of ab stuff but there were a few people on the mat and I didn't want to crowd so I skipped the last part. Oh well!

I think tomorrow I might try another Hannah suggestion, running on the treadmill with it set to a hill. Sounds....um....fun.