Icy Waters

This morning when I drove to the Pool to do my Sunday morning swim it was 5c outside and when I got to the pool the water was 16c. Luckily I took my wetsuit along as the water was 17c on Wednesday and I knew it won't be much warmer today. I would rather wash the wetsuit to make sure all the chlorine is gone than to freeze in the pool.

Rewind two days and I had this wonderful swim in my work town pool at 29c.

For those who don't know I live in a town called Witbank but work in a town called Springs. The distance between the two is 105km and yes I waste just over 2 hours a day getting to work and back. If you follow my blog you will know that me and Jacques( who is training for IM South Africa 2010) have huge issues with the gym and the temperature of the pool. During winter the pool's temperature dropped from 24c to 16c and the gym can't give any reason why( and it is a heated pool so they say). The reason this morning when I asked the receptionist was and I quote " It's winter that's why it is 16c".

To cut a long story short this is why I then decided to join the Gym in my work town. I went there on Friday night and the water was 29c, a little bit hot but I prefer swimming in 29c water than in 16c water. Going to a different pool and with the warmer water it made such a difference to my swim session. I've decided now that I will do my Monday, Wednesday and Friday swim session at the "work" pool and do my Sunday session at the "home" pool. Because of the home town gym not sorting their pool out I now need to pay two gyms just to get my swimming done.

On more than one occasion this morning during the swim I thought about this statement on a T-Shirt I once saw Bryan Payne( www.trainingpayne.blogspot.com) wore which said "Suck it up". I realized that if I want to improve my swimming I need to work hard at it and just suck it up. Even with the wetsuit it was freezing.

Later today I did my Brick session which was a 4 hour ride with a 30 minute run. Johann de Klerk joined me for the first 1h30 and then I was on my own. The wind was wicked and it was really a mental issue doing the bike. Yet again I just reminded myself to suck it up. After my run I looked at my "new" Newtons and could not believe that I've already done 150 km's with them, I just got them the other day.

When I finished my training, Gerhard my sisters friend volunteered to do the barbecue and I could just relax and watch him do everything, thanks Gerhard.

Must say I am over my mid winter over indulgence and are back on track with my nutrition and training. This week can be a real good one or a bummer as I am suppose to get my P4. Will see how it turns out.

Yesterday's Training
Gym: 1h03 547 kcal
Run: 2h00, 24.4 km, 4:55 min/km, 143 bpm, 1888 kcal

Today's Training
Swim: 56:44, 3 km
Brick:
Bike: 3h58, 116.2 km, 29.3 k/h, 134 bpm, 3398 kcal, 229 watts ave.
Run: 27:27, 5.5 km, 4:59min/km, 142 bpm, 425 kcal

Weeks Totals:
Swim: 7.5 km
Bike: 194.2 km
Run: 46 km
Gym: 2 sessions
Total: 15h02, 247.7 km, 11672 kcal.