The past few days has been a lesson of overcoming, pushing through challenges and, most important, remaining calm when your plan falls apart.
Thursday, I went on an open water swim with a plan to at least 4 300 meter loops before the sun went down and the storm off in the distance got closer (and they pulled us out of the water). I was doing great on the first loop but near the end my goggles kept fill up with water and my swim cap kept kept sliding off my head with my hair getting in my face. UGGGAAAHHH! I let the water out of my goggles, tried to pull my cap back on and started my second loop.
FAILURE. The goggles just would not cooperate. I don’t mind not being able to see but I do mind not being able to see with water in my eyes – make even sighting difficult. I was getting aggravated. My stroke and pace was crumbling because of all the adjustments and the swim cap was hanging on now by only my goggle strap with my hair all in my face. Panic was creeping up on me. What to do?
I kept saying “remain calm, remain calm”. I flipped over on my back and floated for a min. I pulled off my cap & goggles, tucking one into my suit while I worked with the other, kicking to keep may face above water. I put my cap on, and floated. REMAIN CALM. I adjusted my goggles and put them back on – that was hard. I expended a lot of energy treading water to get it back on, but I did it. I floated for a bit to get my breathing under control and went on to finish the loop.
My goggles were still filling up. SIGH. So, I got out. I didn’t feel like fooling around with them anymore. I think a 1 1/2 years of racing & training with these goggles that they finally said put me to rest and give a new pair a try. What do you think?
Yesterday, I went on a ride with the OC’s and the plan was to do about 35-45 miles (or more…because G-Note lies). I was feeling great. I did a short run before hand because I wanted to be done with my training and have some weekend left to me & my family for a change. We finally got on the road after the first major climb, I got dropped (I SUCK at hills) and couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t catch the group no matter how hard I worked. Frustration was kicking in, but I figured I would just keep pushing and just ride on my own. Perhaps I was just having a bad day – despite the fact I was feeling good. About 17 miles into the ride, I was so far back that one of the guys came back to bring me up and noticed that my back wheel was not centered & wobbling. Another mile and we stopped to take a look.
SIGH. I had a broken spoke.
My roadside savior mechanic, Burt, flipped it over and went to work, wrapping the broke one and attempting to tighten the spokes nearby…but of course that kind of throws the balance off the rest of the tire. I decided to go back and take my bike directly to my bike shop. That was one of the hardest rides as it felt like I was dragging the back of the bike and the wobbling just got worse as we went along. Instead of giving up, I kept pushing & working despite the mechanical issues and made it back to the car – slow but stead for a total of 30 miles in.
Thanks to the 3 cyclist that went back with me so I wasn’t alone out there. Thank you to the OC’s that rendered assistance and didn’t just drop me…they never do BTW.
Dominique Diva Dawes in the the bike hospital till about Tuesday. Poor baby.
