2009.05.24

Yesterday, we ran a 5k. It was a great course. I ran a decent time (for me). I ran the 3.1 miles in 28:15. That is four seconds slower than my personal best. I ran a 9-minute mile pace. I am slowly making progress. Our 10-year-old son, set a new personal record by running a 27:09. My wife also set a new personal record. She completed the 5k in 23:30 which was good enough to be the first overall female. After the race, we headed home to grab our swim gear. A few months ago, we all purchased wetsuits to aid in our triathlon quest. At Ceasars Creek Lake, we tested out the wetsuits. Swimming in a lake is quite different than swimming in a pool. I can swim very straight in a pool. I stay in the center of the lane. I do not swerve. I do not turn. Ceasars Creek Lake is green. I could not see more than foot into the water. I picked a point that I wanted to swim to, I put my head in the water, I swam a half-dozen strokes. I stopped. I looked up. I was facing a completely different direction and was 15-yards off of target. I planned to swim a far bouey. I put my head down and swam, and swam, and swam. I heard a noise. I stopped swimming and popped my head out of the water. A few yards away was a guy on a jet ski. He politely told me that I shouldn't be swimming this far from shore because a boat would probably run over me. I had accidently swam about 20 yards past the swim zone and into the boating zone. Oops. I put my head down and swam back to the safe zone. I am starting to feel like I can swim, really slowly. Swimming in a lake certainly added a new element to the equation. I need to spend a lot more time in the lake before my first open water triathlon... in 3 weeks.