Growing

I am now in my 30's. Theoretically, that means I should now be wiser (and not just older) than I was at 20. Most of the time I don't notice any change and think that I will be stuck being a type A, control freak, for the rest of my life. But, every now and then I have a moment where I realize that maybe I am growing after all.

Recently someone in my life mentioned something that could have a big impact on my life. (How's that for vague?). It was a casual comment and it is something that is a remote possibility. Yet, being the control freak that I am, I let it worry me. I was just going to bed and so I laid awake for quite awhile worrying about the future. That's nothing new for me.

But here is where something new happened.

I realized that I was getting carried away and getting myself all wound up about something that probably won't even happen. I told myself to to let it go and to go to sleep.



It would make a much better story if I said that I exhaled all that worry right out of the window and immediately fell asleep. I didn't. I continued to alternate between worry and telling myself to let it go.

I am okay with that though, because that's still progress. I am still evolving. Recognizing that I am letting myself get all upset over nothing is the first step. Maybe I'll get to the actually letting it go part by the time I'm 60.

Do ever notice yourself growing as a person?

Showered With Love

What an absolutely amazing weekend I just had. It was full of everything I love most- the ocean, friends, family, food, and music.

The fun started Friday. My best friend (and Maid of Honor), Breezy, and I headed up to Cape Newagen around noon. We wanted to get there in plenty of time to get in a boat trip and to start party preparation for my bridal shower on Saturday.

Saturday morning I went for a nice run by myself and then we started the festivities with a yoga class taught by me. It was a beautiful morning to be practicing yoga by the sea. It was also the perfect way to slow down, let go of any lingering worries from the week, and enjoy the present moment. I left the class full of gratitude. 

Then it was time to party. My friends and family did such a good job decorating our boathouse. It was full of my favorite colors, favorite foods, and favorite flowers. 

The shower was exactly what I wanted- low key and fun! We played a few games, drank a lot of mimosas, ate a lot of delicious food, and played in the ocean. 

Overall I just felt so showered with love and support. My friends and family are the best!

Luckily, the fun didn't end with the shower. Later that evening we headed to Freeport for a free Josh Ritter concert at L.L. Bean. Is there anything better than a free concert on a summer night? 

What was the best part of your weekend?

Surfing

My soon to be sister in-law, Erika, has gotten into surfing this summer and talked me into taking a lesson with her. I then talked my sister, Maddy, into coming with us too.

Me and my little sis

We headed down to Wells, where we took a private lesson through Wheels and Waves. It was a gorgeous day, but very windy!

those waves look so small from the beach

I was tired before we even got into the water between trying to get myself into my wet-suit and attempting to carry my board down the beach in the wind. 

Carry these suckers in the wind is not easy

We did some drills on the beach to practice popping up. Both my sister and I are pretty athletic, so we caught on pretty quickly. Little did we know how much harder it would be on the water!

Then we headed into the water. Even with the wet suit it was cold and my poor bare hands and face were aching. Getting out with my board into the deep water was really hard. Between the breaking waves, the wind, and the undertow I was really struggling. The waves were really close together yesterday so I hardly made any forward progress before I got pushed back by the next wave. 

Finally we were out into the deeper water and I let Erika and then Maddy catch waves first. Poor Maddy got whacked in her face with her board after she fell. She cut her nose and it started to bruise and swell. Then it was my turn. The instructor helped me pick a wave, told me when to start to paddle, and then yelled to tell me when to pop up. 

It was so much harder to pop up and balance on the water than the land. My first try my legs were way too close together and I quickly lost my balance and flew face first into the water. I battled my way back out and tried again. That time I was looking down which called me to lean too far forward. Again, I went flying into the water head first. 

So it went. Battle out through the waves, paddle down the beach since the current kept sweeping us down towards the rocks, catch a wave, stand briefly, and then fall into the water. 

After about an hour and half, I noticed Maddy was heading to the shore. I followed her in. When she admitted that her face really hurt and she wasn't having fun, I was so relieved. 

"Oh thank God," I said. "I am freezing, I am tired of getting hit in the face with waves, and I hate falling face first into the water with my foot still attached to the board and gulping in tons of salt water. I just didn't want to be the first to quit."

We rested for a few minutes on the shore and then stuck to riding the waves in on our bellies for the rest of the lesson. Way more fun!

So I guess I can cross professional surfer off my list of potential careers. But it was still a good adventure and a good workout. My shoulders are so sore today from all that paddling. 

At least we look like surfers

Have you ever tried surfing? Did you like it?

Just as bad as I expected

You know how sometimes you are absolutely dreading something, but then when you finally do it, it isn't that bad? That's not what happened when I did my first ocean swim of the year yesterday. It was just as terrible as I thought it would be.

Tri for a Cure is now just 2 weeks away so I knew I needed to stop making excuses and get myself in the ocean. I headed down to Spring Point Light so I could practice on the actual course, slithered into my wetsuit, popped on my goggles, and headed into the water.

2 weeks from today this will be me

I gasped when my toes first hit the water. It was SO cold. I refused to let myself turn around though and kept heading into the water. I took a deep breath and then dropped myself into the water. I did the breast stroke for a minute or so to let my body get used to the water. Then came the part I was most dreading- I had to put my face in the water.

The cold took my breath away. I came up panicked and gasping. And so it went. Put face in water, gasp from the cold, panic, come up gulping in air. I couldn't find a rhythm.

I lived through the swim last year

My usual strategy in the cold water is to come up for air every 2 strokes, instead of the 4 I do in the pool. This means my face isn't in the cold water for as long and I get more chances to breathe. Except yesterday that wasn't working. The tide was going out so there was the tidal surge creating chop on one side. Then, it there was also quite a wind coming in from the sea, which created chop on the other side. Meaning that every time I lifted my face to breathe I got whacked in the face with a wave of water.

If it was that awful yesterday, I can't even imagine how bad it is going to be when I in a giant pack of people.

I know that I will get through the swim somehow, I've managed to do it the past 2 years. But, I feel like I am really good shape this year, and I really want to race. I'm going to be really disappointed in myself if I can't freestyle the whole swim. Plus, I feel like open water swimming should be getting better with time, not worse!

Help! Any ocean swimmers have any tips for me?

About that fall marathon

Last week I ran 33.89 miles. (And if I had know it was .89 I totally would have done an extra .11 to make it 34). With training like that I could totally be ready for the Auckland Marathon in the fall.

Except the week before I only ran 13.44 miles. But, the week before that I ran 26.8! But, the week before that I only ran 19.5. 

This, my friends, is why I've never done a fall marathon. I have such a hard time being consistent in the summer between the heat and all the fun summer activities. I'd so much rather go do a long run when it is 20 than when it is 80. In fact when it's 80, I'd prefer to skip running altogether and head out in my kayak. 

I know that in order to complete my goal of running a marathon on all 7 continents, that I will probably have to run a fall marathon at some point. I just wish I knew if this was the year. Maybe if I knew for sure, I'd be able to suck it up and train consistently. Unfortunately, there are just too many variables (money, work schedules, a new puppy, etc), that we just don't know if when and if we will be able to do New Zealand.

How is your training going this summer? 

TTT

Hi Friends! I can't believe it is almost the 4th of July! This year feels like it is just flying by!

1. This week has not flown by. In fact it has seemed to crawl, and that is because my kitchen is all torn up. I finally decided I couldn't stand my gross old while tile counter with the moldy grout one more day and decided to replace the counter top and sink. It should have been a 1 day job, so Monday morning they ripped up the old counter. Then it turned out that the new counter didn't fit and the sink was late in being delivered. So this is what we have been living with. We've been stuck grilling everything and washing dishes with the hose.

2. I decided to spring for a second block of 8 personal training sessions. I am using the wedding as an excuse. It is expensive, but I really enjoy it and I feel like I am getting fitter and have some great new ideas for the workouts I do on my own. 

3. Maine Running Company is doing Beach to Beacon Preview runs. They drive you to the start, provide support along the way, and then bring you back to your car from the finish (and give you snacks). I've never gotten into B2B, so this is the next best thing. 8 a.m. July 6th, 13th, and 27th

What is happening in your world this Thursday?

Love me some Lake

I've got this date looming on my summer calender. It's not my wedding, although that is rapidly approaching too, it's the Tri for a Cure. The race is now less than 3 weeks away and I was starting to worry about the fact I haven't done a single open water swim session.

I've been getting to the pool once a week, but I just haven't gotten myself in the ocean. The water here in Maine is still freezing! Not just a little chilly, but ouch this hurts and my feet ache cold. I went to the beach Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and brought my wetsuit just in case. But since it hurt just to stand up to the my ankles, I just convince myself to do a real swim.

The Maine ocean. So pretty, but so cold. 

Yesterday it was supposed to be 90 here so I decided to go see my future sister-in-law, who lives on a lake. As I packed up myself and the dog, it occurred to me that the lake was the perfect solution! I could get in an open water swim and not freeze to death!

It was Sushi's first time in fresh water and she was a big fan. She ran around like a maniac and I tried to eat everything, especially lily pads. She also drank about half the lake.

I was just as happy with the lake. The water was the perfect temperature- cool enough to be refreshing, but not cold at all. I felt great swimming- my breathing was regular, my stroke felt strong, and my wetsuit didn't bother me. It was so much better than open water swimming in the ocean! The water wasn't so cold that it took my breath away and it wasn't all nasty and salty when I got it in my mouth. And I didn't mind looking down and seeing all the grass and weeds and stuff nearly as much as I thought I would. 

It's basically impossible to look good in a wetsuit and swim cap

Now I really want to find a tri with a lake swim this summer. Mainers do you know of any?

Do you like ocean swims or lake swims better? Have any of you northern climate people gotten in the ocean yet?

Please consider supporting me in the Tri for a Cure to benefit the Maine Cancer Foundation. Cancer has personally touched so many of us, it is time for a cure!