It has been a fantastic couple of days. Wednesday afternoon I wrapped up the end of a tough ten-day training cycle with a much-needed massage. Yesterday was a fairly light recovery day, first day of the new cycle. Easy swim (I'm still trying to get a feel for the water again... right now I feel like I'm swimming through Jell-O, not water), easy bike, and a little strength work.
Then last night my roommates were going kayaking. They had an extra boat, so I went too. First time kayaking! And despite a few attempts to drown myself by doing stupid things like rolling the boat upside-down (not recommended if you don't know how to get right-side-up again!), I managed quite well. The guys got me all set up with the gear - boat, paddle, skirt, life vest, helmet - and showed me how to get in the water and get going. They forgot to tell me how to keep the boat upright, however. So after a few very unsteady seconds, I quickly and amusingly tipped right over. They told me later that it was only once they saw the bottom of my boat sticking out of the water that they realized they hadn't told me how to get out of the flipped kayak. Fortunately I've read enough outdoor magazines and adventure stories to know the basic idea. I attempted twice to use the paddle to spin myself back upright while staying in the boat. I was more than aware that I had no idea what I was doing in that regard, and the two attempts informed me that I wasn't about to figure it out in that particular moment. So I let go of the paddle and reached for the pull handle on the front of the skirt. For those unfamiliar with kayaks, the skirt is more or less what it sounds like: a neoprene skirt which fits tightly around the midsection of the paddler and then loosens and expands into the shape of the top hole on the kayak. The bottom edge of the skirt has a bungee in it, and once the paddler sits in the kayak he fits the skirt around the hole and the bungee snaps it into place. Essentially, this contraption holds the paddler in the boat and prevents (most) water from getting in the boat via splashes or rolling over. There's a large strap at the front of the skirt, so whenever you want to get out of the boat (e.g. you're stuck upside-down under water), you just grab the front strap to pull the skirt off the boat, then you can swim out from underneath. Of course, now that you're swimming, all your buddies are giving you a hard time ("we came here to kayak, not go for a swim!" "whoa, what are you doing down there? I almost didn't see you because you're not in your boat!" etc etc - all in good fun). Further, you have to swim across the current with your life jacket and skirt on (both of which only act as water parachutes), towing your paddle and boat, which is still upside-down and now half full of water!
Still, I was laughing the whole time - it was so much fun! And a good workout, too. Core, arms, shoulders, balance (which I am clearly lacking). We must have spent a couple hours on the water, getting to watch the sun go down as we fooled around in the current. They even taught me how to roll myself out of the water with my paddle, the technique I had so desperately needed earlier. All in all, I'll definitely do this again! Next non-triathlon goal activity that I want to do out here: fly fishing.
This morning Dixie and I had a fantastic run, just one of those "lucky to be alive and get to experience this" workouts. I've been exploring the Rattlesnake trails area, which is basically wilderness and state park with lots of dirt and gravel trails. I managed to find a wonderful 6-mile loop today. A little bit of rolling, some beautiful countryside, barely a soul around. Just amazing. I'll try to take a camera next time I head out there, though I don't think the pictures will do the area justice. The effect is not captured in a 4x6 frame, but is the overwhelming 360 degree magnitude of it all.
On the down-side, I'm out of food. I really don't want to look at my credit card statement right now, because the food expenses must be absurd! I'm going through food even faster than I imagined. Oh well. Off to the Good Food Store for more wonderful, fresh goodies!
Every night I go through
Why can't I forget you and start my life anew
Instead of having sweet dreams about you
Oh Patsy. What a classic.
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