Just Keep Swimming!!!

Unlike most triathletes I love the water.  
I believe swimming was added to triathlon because the running guy and the biking guy wanted something both of them would consider pain stalking.  I also believe you swim first in hopes of not dying- if you swam last then you would be tired and chances of death go up. 

If you know me, even just a little, you know I am not the "normal" triathlete (in lots of ways).  I am one of the few busting at the seams ready to swim at 7am.  I am the girl complaining when there is talk of shortening or canceling a swim- calling it a shame to triathlon (even if it is the safest choice).  I am the girl wanting waves and current and fish and "fun".  I am the one everyone else wants to drown because no one should be happy to go for a swim at 7am. 
Now don't get me wrong there are others who enjoy the swim but most athletes will tell you they simply tolerate the swim as a means to get to the other portions of the race.  
For me swimming is an escape, even in the pool where all you have to stare at is the black lane line.  When I swim I am completely alone, although in the beginning of a race "alone" means  in a washing machine with a thousand other people.  With swimming there is no pain, only the smooth movement of my arms and legs.  There is a set rhythm to breathing and motion.  It is a calm place for me.  Yes, sometimes someone thinks they can come into my calm place, disturbing my peace, but I hold my own.  
I may be a little bit of an aggressive swimmer; I blame the guys I normally swim with for this fault.  You see, if you are the only girl around and they know this by your cap color, boys tend to try to out swim you or cut you short on turns.  I don't take to well to that, but I will let it go and push on- the first time.  The second time normally ends in a elbow- look I don't want to drown out there either and seriously I have been around swimmers who have tried to come over top of me more than once in a race. 
Now that you have a warning about swimming with me, back to swimming for me.  
Since we are in training right now we have been doing a LOT of swimming.  Our pervious one mile swims are now consistently two mile swims.  I know what you are thinking, "Isn't this Ironman in September? And isn't it only 2.4 miles swim?"  
Both true statements.  However, Patrick and I will be completing in long swims in May.  These swims are actually the only race that we do not race together at the same distance and time (barring exclusion due to injury).  Patrick will swim the 10K 3 Mile Bridge Swim (yep a there and back along the bridge); the day prior I will swim a 25k Swim and then be in the water with him on Sunday but only swimming a 5K 3 Mile Bridge Swim.  It turns out the one thing Patrick appears to have little desire to do is swim 15 miles!!  I don't know why :)   
Due to these distances and the gulf/bay being cold, we spend time in the pool.  in recent days we have swum for over 3 hours at a time.  One would think it would get boring, sometimes is does, but then you focus on other things-  sex, work, and Ironman.  Those are Patrick's top three things that seem to repeat on an endless loop while swimming.  The good thing is that by the time the swim is over he knows he can finish the swim at Ironman (in time limits), he has a plan for work tasks for the next week, and well, I won't go into details about how thinking about sex works out.  Every once in a while thoughts about food, television shows, or the state of the world may come to mind.  
While these are often Patrick's thoughts my mind seems to wander in other directions.  First I work out my work frustrations, plan my day, plan my emails, and let things go.  I then move on to house work and grocery list.  Those only keep my attention for a short period of time.  Through out the swim I take time to watch those around me- those in my lane, in the lanes next to me, and depending on where I am in the pool I get to watch the people jump off the diving board.  However, most days now I just hear Mike Rowe's voice, or the voice of the guy announcing the cross country skiing in the Olympics, as they do the play by of my swim.  The two sports casters get especially excited when I pass the person I am sharing a lane with or when i am making my turn to start a new mile.  You may be now thinking I am crazy, but even with my music playing in the background, my mind has to make up a world of motivation.  Imagine a 3 hour drive; now think about all the things you think about on that drive- you know you play the Indy 500 announcements as you pass the little blue haired lady.  We all really do live in the same world- mine is just underwater.  
I guess the story of swimming is- it makes you crazy.  You hear voices, you imagine situations, and you have sensory derivation.  I love this water filled world.   
I will say this when the boat sinks I am swimming to shore; you have fun with waiting for the rescue plane. 

Everyone trains for swim day. 
A great friend Cheryl preparing for kayak support.