Sunday February 23 marked the beginning of TIFL(Tri It For Life) training season with the Raleigh chapter. Sundays are swim training days. This was also FIT FEST. That means athletes will be able to try on TRI gear that they can order for the upcoming Ramblin Rose on May 18 or for upcoming training sessions. Being a fluffy girl I'm always "concerned" about sizes. When it came my turn to try on, i ask about the larger sizes and they did not have any available. I was given sage advice of heading to local athletic/sports/running stores i.e. REI, Dick's, Fleet Feet or Inside Out. My experience with Dick's and their non-existent plus size section is not good. I won't even waste my time. I will call the other stores before i get in the Max to see if they have the avaialble sizes i'm looking for. The geek in me went and asked google. I LOVE google. Google rocks. Google directed me to an old fav site of mine that was a go-to for running gear years ago, Juonia. They have tri suits in "real" plus sizes. The prices are $$. I wasn't sure what a tri suit will cost. OMG this sport is expensive.
We met at TAC (Triangle Aquatic Center) in Cary at 1pm. Swim was from 2-3. Part of the requirement for TIFL with swimming is you MUST wear a sports bra under your swimsuit. Initially I thought that was odd. After several laps yesterday, i told get why it is a requirement. First drill involved floating and kicking while holding onto the kick board for 8 laps. Yes I said 8. this was not my favorite drill. it didn't matter how much i kicked i felt like i was not moving anywhere. i used my left arm for freestyle stroke and then i was booking. Laps were cut down to 4. thank goodness. Second drill involved going down one lane with 1 arm raised and kicking from the hips. this drill proved to me a lot better. i discovered one side is easier than the other. This drill was also for 8 laps. It was cut down for 4 laps. HALLEJUAH. The last drill was 3 strokes and then come up on your side for for 8 laps. This was my far my FAV. I got so caught up i was doing 5 strokes and overworking myself :-). Then it was cool down time. This involved going down the lane with fresstyle and coming back with elementary backstroke. I love floating on my back or swimming. I was more concentrated with my arms and not moving my legs. 1 of my fellow TIFL beginner swimmers came behind me and said "kick your legs" She even started moving my legs for me. Which caused me to laughing and spitting up water. I crack my own self up sometimes.
Then it was quitting time. Everyone else started getting out the pool on the ledge. I was determined to do the same. This was quite a feat. It took AWHILE. After several hundred attempts I finally got up on the first ledge and after another hundred attempts i got up on the final ledge. I literally laid there on my back. I told someone "just bring my car to me right here".
I survived my first TIFL swim training. A day later every muscle is talking back to me. I know it's a good thing. It's what happens every time I do some form of exercise I have not done in a long time.
I am TRIing this TRI thing. :-)
