I should have realized how busy my training was going to get.

My normal weekends used to be limited to a run on Saturday morning. I would sleep in every Sunday.

Lately, I’m usually swimming on Saturday mornings, possibly followed by a bike ride. I’m getting runs in on Sunday mornings. If I don’t bike Saturday, I try for Sunday. (There have been a series of 5K races, some Saturdays and some Sundays, which have messed up the schedule a bit. But I’m pretty much done with those.)

During the week, I usually run on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This summer, sometimes I’m adding a swim after a run. Or replacing a run with a bike ride. Or adding a swim on a Monday or Wednesday.

Tonight, a group of us got together for an open-water swim. We are fortunate to know somebody who lives in a waterfront home, on a river. She is also training for Iron Girl and doesn’t like swimming alone. It works out perfectly!

While the river is saltwater, unlike the lake where the race will be held, we do get to experience the murky water. This is my second open-water swim — we also jumped off her pier after one of those 5Ks on Saturday.

I think we got close to our 1K distance tonight. It’s hard to estimate the space between her pier and her neighbor’s, but we think it’s at least 80 yards. Yes, we’re still doing laps — but they’re much longer than the ones at the pool!

This has definitely helped me feel a little better about the swim portion of the race.

The bike part is still scary … but I’m sure that will come around too.
Soon, I hope!