10,000 lakes- training paradise or Paradise Lost?

TRIMAMA

Living in the land of 10,000 lakes (yes and taxes and potholes,which I've begun to number on my bike rides) you would think trimama would know how to open water swim. And you would be wrong. Sure I know how to swim back to the boat when I dump skiing, or how to swim out to the diving float but those swims are measured in feet-not yards and miles like triathalon. The wise training sages say you need to work your weakest discipline the most-oh great- so it's back to the lake last night for another training swim-at least I won't get bored for lack of options. Irony, the lake I went to was 42 degrees 6 weeks ago from the subzero winter days, today it is 85 airtemp with about 900% humidity so I brought the kids and their suits and met tridaddy. He was already ploughing his way through the water when I arrived-so every part of me that thought I was going to skip this workout vanished-he has taken on the role of "coach" so if he swims, I swim. As I reluctantly squished into my wet suit (an aside, why does tridaddy look like Batman and I look like an industrial accident at a Michelin factory? ) I watched my kids dive with great enthusiasm into the lake-oh to be young again. As I contemplated how few lengths I could swim and still feel like I worked out I noticed my 8 year old going into the water, dashing out and sprinting down the beach. "Look mommy, I'm racing!" The horror! My little girl transitions faster than me:) I have this internal chip that tells me I need to stay a few steps ahead of them in their acqusition of knowledge and skill-probably foolhardy- none the less- I just mentally doubled my workout and away I go. 400 yards into the swim it occured to me that my race Sunday really dampened my tri confidence-sidestroke is a legal stroke, but not a terribly effecient way to move in yards and miles. Then I noticed, hey, I'm swimming and breathing, and singing-a good sign- 1000 yards later I knew I had taken another step towards Florida-and that felt pretty darn good. Hey look honey, I'm racing too!