Freaking Out

I woke up last week with my heart racing, I was breathing hard, and I had an overall sense of dread and panic!  Ugh!  Stress dream!

My go to stress dream is usually that I am taking a calculus final, I realize I haven't attended class all semester and I have no idea how I am going to pass. . .and I'm naked.  But this dream was more specific to what I am apparently freaking out about right now-my triathlon in a little over a week.  The basic plot of the dream was that I showed up to the race without my bicycle and I had to drive home (with my mom for some reason?) and get back to the race before it started.  Of course calamity ensued and I couldn't make it back to the race. . .and I was naked.  I think I might be feeling a tad unprepared.

Will I be able to finish the tri?  Yes.  But I really would like to have a time below the 1:30 mark.  I would also like to have a good swim. . .like one where I put my head in the water. . .and only get passed by ladies one heat back. 

So after my dream I had two choices: start popping Xanax or start practicing.  Since I don't actually have xanax, (despite several email offers from Canadian Pharmacies) I figured I had better start putting in some work.

Step One: Do some more bricks!  I have to get these old legs used to hopping off the bike and running.  I did one last week and one Tuesday.  I felt really good both times and was able to complete a 10.3m (very hilly) bike ride followed by a 5k around the neighborhood.  The ride is slightly longer for the tri but also considerably flatter.  I think I will actually ride it a few minutes faster.  Running off the bike was also good.  Tuesday I averaged 9 minute miles which is great with me!  I might be a little slower on race day because I will also be adding in the swim and there is a big hill at the start of the run (evil!).

Step Two: Get in that open water, lady!!!  I have also done two more open water swims since "the stress dream incident" and each one was better than the last.  Both times the water was warmer (yay!) and murkier (boo).  That did not make me happy at first but then I realized if I can't see how far down the bottom is and I can't see the icky lake creatures (that may or may not be trying to eat me) then I can just pretend I am in the pool.  And oh my gosh it worked (mostly because I am pretty gullible).  Today's swim was particularly good.  I swam the whole distance (plus some) and was even sighting.  Yup, figured out how to do that (thank you YouTube).

I am now starting to breath a big sigh of relief because I am feeling more prepared.  One more week of training to go and I am hoping it is filled with sweet dreams!