I did it! That could refer to doing another 10,000 yard workout, but the part I was really worried about was managing it while travelling. But all went to plan. Once my brother clarified the pool we could easily go to AND that it was open AND that they’d have enough lane space, all E and I had to do was get our butts out of the house at 6:45 AM on the 4th of July. Easier for me than for him, but we both did it. Once we got to the Claude Moore pool, all we had to do was put down our 12 bucks, wait an interminable amount of time while the guy at the desk stared at it, stared at his computer screen, stared at it some more, and finally made change. We went in and the rest was history.
Although that history was somewhat frustrating, body-wise. After a thousand warm-up, 1000 drill/swim, 20x50s alternating paddles and swim and 10×100’s on 1:30, my plan was to go 40×25 swim with fins on :20 in order to give my shoulder a little break. On number 9 I got a bitchin’ arch cramp in my foot and had to stop dead in the lane. I tried to stretch it out; I used all my usual tricks, but that son of a bitch would not loosen up. I finally had to get out and stand on the deck before my toe would stop spasming violently out to the side.
From that point on it was a slow march trying not to anger my foot, my shoulder, or my neck. In the course of the attempt, my other foot cramped. Oy.
The best thing about it was that I got through it and realized several things:
- After riding in a car all day, I’m going to need to do some yoga the night before my race.
- Even the worst cramps CAN be recovered from and I’m glad I kept going and finished out the 10 K… albeit somewhat lamely. If I have to limp home in the race, I’ll know I can do it.
- I need to eat more the night before and the morning of. And I need to make sure I’m drinking throughout the race. My Hammmer Nutrition drink samples should be there when I get home – hopefully they’ll help keep me together better.
- Hammer gels are GROSS. “Tropical” tasted like clinically depressed corn starch. Peanut Butter Chocolate tasted bad until I tried Tropical. BUT they did not appear to affect me ill, AND I was able to swim with one in my suit and then down it while floating no problem. I’m considering taking a couple of chocolate Gu’s with caffeine in my suit since I know I like them and they work well for me.
Pretty tired now – We tried to take A to the pool, but there was just enough thunder to keep us out but still trying, so I sat on hard concrete for an hour and a half – NOT the best recovery. In bed now and pretty happy about it.
