Today was full of firsts for me, and I'm so grateful for them. One of the best parts of all this training is being able to push the boundaries I've built for myself, understand my physical limitations, confront some fears, and then blast on past them!!
I started off the day with some yoga. Pretty standard for me, until the very end of class. The teacher offered those of us willing to try, an opportunity to perform a head stand. She just immediately put her body into the position, and I sat there, a little stunned. At first, I wasn't sure what to think, will I embarrass myself and fall down? Then, before I realized it, something else kicked in, and I was doing it. I was shocked. I effortlessly pulled my legs from the ground and then above my head, and balanced, using the help of my core muscles. I almost started laughing out in celebration when I realized that I was doing it, but I thought it best to stay quiet and avoid all that falling stuff I had been thinking about just minutes before.
Later in the evening, I was confronted with some questions about what training to do that night. Our normal spin class is now over, it was 96 degrees outside, all the pools will be full.... then it dawned on me. I am not afraid of swimming in the ocean. If my training partner-in-crime felt comfortable giving it a try, then I was willing to do my swim in the open water.
Well, we arrived at the beach, threw on our wetsuits, and waded into the ice cold, and ultimately refreshing water. I looked over at C as we started swimming, and I was so proud. I was swimming in the ocean with a woman who was confronting one of her biggest fears. Yes, this was a first for me to swim around without a surfboard, but to see someone tackle their fears head on is quite an amazing experience. We took a few opportunities to just stop and float in the water, we practiced some resting techniques, I spoke to her about learning how to calm yourself down when you get in a panic, and before we knew it, we were face down swimming, having already covered our entire race distance!
Swimming in the ocean is so different from swimming in a pool. First and foremost, you're at the mercy of that body of water, but once you learn to give into it's power, to relax and go with the flow, to keep your eye on a focused point and just keep swimming towards it, it becomes a huge thrill. We were swimming along the Santa Cruz Wharf, in the company of sea lions, starfish, and otters. I felt like a kid exploring a whole new world, and I can't wait to make it a regular part of my training.
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