Well, here I am again. My weekly blog in tow (yes, I AM trying to blog more often). Yesterday, marked a victory day - swimming in the open water in my new wetsuit. What a fun experience (insert sarcasm tone here). I mean, who doesn't enjoy sweating like a small farm pig as you try to squeeze your fat ass into a little black rubber suit that appears to be 10 sizes too small? I wondered if they sent me the wrong size at first, is this the matching wetsuit for my baby doll I asked myself. No, it was a "women's medium"... really? (maybe a Chinese woman, but can this possibly be for an American woman?) My friend Pam got to witness the entire thing, in a "friend voice" she encouraged me... "don't worry, they are always really tight the first time". Ummm, ok maybe - but is the thing supposed to feel like I have been shrink wrapped in a Michellin tire with a baby elephant standing on my chest? Oh ya, and whoever said black was "slimming" was full of shit. I was standing there looking like a giant tub of road tar and I mean GIANT, enough to cover all the cracks on I-90. Thank God I had a swim cap on, at least a passerby wouldn't have been able to tell my gender (oh wait, take that back - I guess a skin forming suit does show the tatas). Now that I am completely embarrased (and have even been mistaken for a scuba diver by two boys who were swimming nearby) I stood there - staring at Pam, "what's next"? What other embarrasing thing is next? What other self esteem crushing activity do you have in store for me? Off I waddled like an emperor penguin into the lake. Whoa! This thing kinda makes me float (perhaps it was actually my weekend bender of wedding food and wine that helped with the bouyancy, whatever, I will take it). Technically, "floating" doesn't count as swimming so we started to swim straight out into the middle of the lake. Pam looked like a windmill swimming effortlessly. I, however, looked like a spastic giant bobber in the lake. Here's how I "roll" - freestyle, breastroke, "bob" for air, repeat. Sure, my endurance is lacking... but hey - I was out there moving the ol' bod. It felt good. I have much work to do before Ironman next year, but I just need to remember one day at a time will get me there.

I also had the experience this past week of changing my bike tire (cheers for me!). This actually happened in the comfort of my home, kinda nice for the first time. I had noticed the tire went flat by itself, so I manhandled it and changed out the tube! From a distance I am sure it looked like I was wrestling with a black snake, don't worry - I won. Shortly after changing the tire, I took her out for a spin. The wind in my hair, I was looking around like "Hey everyone! Look at me! I am a real life triathlete!" (not entirely true because I haven't actually completed on yet). I have decided that I will name my bike, (don't ask me why, these are just the types of things I do)... haven't settled on a name yet but I'll keep you posted.