NOT THAT I HAVE MUCH TIME!
By this time next week, the triathlon will be over...for better or for worse. I wonder whether I will hang up my gear and be happy with what I've accomplished, or whether I will be looking for the next event shortly after this one ends Everyone says they are addictive! Only time will tell, I suppose.

But, good news! I swam in a lake and didn't panic! I felt good! I suspect that part of it was that we were having such a nice day---we rented boats and enjoyed the scenery as we paddled and motored to find an area that was out of sight of the boaters and park rangers. The sun was shining, the lake was beautiful and all was calm! And we jumped into the water, and I was fine! I wasn't going for distance on this swim, just getting accustomed to the open water swimming. And I came back with my head in a good place! I don't know where my head will be on race day, but I at least know I can do this!

This morning a few friends and I went down to Philly and got in a 15 mile bike ride in the area where our race will be. I wanted to get a visual of the Schuylkill where we will be swimming (it actually didn't look that bad, but then again, I wasn't standing in the water when I was looking!), riding and running! The bike course is mostly flat and fast; there are some hills but we didn't go off the closed-to-traffic area today (the whole thing will be closed to traffic on race day!) so we didn't see the hills. The run looks flat. And hot! No shade in that area! So we have an idea what we're up against next Sunday! Our main competitors are the geese that are walking all over the drive! Apparently, there was an incident between a cyclist and a goose at the SheROX triathlon last year;I never learned who won! Worse yet is the goose-poop lining the grass on the way to the water! Can anyone say disposable flip-flops?

When I got back home, I went to the gym to take my first swim in my wetsuit. I was pleasantly surprised by the buoyancy when I first got into the water, but there were some negatives as well! It was really hot swimming in the wetsuit! And more importantly, I felt like it was so tight around my shoulders that I was fighting against it to reach out on every stroke! My muscles tired quickly as a result...but I still made it through my 1/2 mile. I am hoping that I will get used to this with a little more practice! Not that I have much time!