Triathlon Training: 1500 Yd Swim + Ab Ripper X

The countdown is on ... 6 days until my race!

I am not at all nervous, somehow I have been born with out that emotion, but I am anxious!

This afternoon I went to the pool to do laps and practice my bilateral breathing and Total Immersion technique. I am happy to report that today was my strongest swimming day in months! I did the first 20 laps (500 yards) focused on alternating breathing every 5 and 3 strokes. So my cadence was like this: 5 underwater strokes - Breath, 3 underwater strokes - Breath, 5 underwater strokes -Breath ...repeat .... I would normally take me about 17 strokes to per lap so I was breathing an average of 4 times per lap. And by breathing on odd numbers it has me alternating on the left and right while taking my breaths

The next 20 laps I just breathed every 5 strokes. This went much better than the last few times I have done it. The best apart about this is that you can really work on your freestyle technique when breathing doesn't get in the way and I was moving like a fish through the water! By far the best my TI stroke has felt since I began swimming a few month back. I am pretty pumped about this development more importantly confident.

The next 20 laps I did a pyramid. 6 laps (30 sec break), 5 laps (break), 4 laps ...etc. I stopped at 2 laps because it was the side of the pool I started on and I had to grab my towel and locker key! The last 4 laps of the pyramid I did the backstroke. I decided that if something went wrong (cramp, muscle pull, elbow to nose...) with my freestyle stroke at the Tri I better have a back-up. I was surprised at how well the backstroke went for me considering I had no idea how to do it. But if something does go wrong I'd be cool with doing this for a little bit.

I have started to lay the supplies out that are going to be needed for the race. I bought myself a bag that is made for Triathlons. It has a ton of compartments and a little chair/bench that comes off so I can sit down in the transition area to put on my shoes. It also has a compartment that is water proof to put your swim gear in after the race - very cool. And it comes with nylon mat that can be used to stand on in the transition area. Yeah, I took that out because a towel will be fine! Anyways, my dining room table has become my staging area and will continue this way until Thursday night when I pack everything I need in the bag.

Tomorrow is a running day. Will try and do 4 miles on the treadmill.

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff