The shark or the manatee….
So there’s a bit of accountability in place.
I’m in a little training group with 3 of my favorite Boulderites …. (I have lots of favorites but these are certainly at the top of the list) …. Billy Edwards, Brandon DelCampo and JZ. “Training” is a bit of an overstatement, but some basics are in place. Those 3 are in off-season, and I am in no-season with emphasis on continuing to heal, so nothing hard core going on. Just some basics. My back is the best it has been in more than 18 months; I am grateful for that, and continue to move forward in calculated, small additions.
On Wednesday’s – JZ, Billy, Brando and I meet at FAC with our strength trainer, Joe Horton, to do a series of targeted core and glute work. Though I am by far the weakest link of this team (on many levels), we are each somewhat limited by core and glute strength, so we each need this. Then on Saturday am, the 4 of us meet at FAC for a swim led by our fearless warrior, JZ. With her in charge of the swim workouts there is no more slacking for Miss Carole.
At yesterday’s swim we did 4k. Bear in mind I have been doing 1500-2k for the whole summer, maybe 1-2x a week. Prior to that I had been out of the pool for a good year, making only sporadic visits to do 1k or so. So 4k was a bit of a leap. (But a needed leap!) We swam outside, and it was 30 degrees and windy — so f**** cold!!! Due to this, it was no surprise when we had the pool to ourselves at 8am. (JZ is a masochist!) After a 700+ WU, JZ had us do a 1500 for time. (HOLY CRAP!) This already would exceed my total yardage for a workout, so I knew this would NOT be pretty.
As I started the 1500, my first goal was to try to get to 500 before Jo lapped me in the next lane. When she went flying by at 300, I laughed amid my struggle and revamped my goals. When she lapped me again at 600, and again at 800 (can someone say out of shape???), I decided my only goal would be to FINISH the 1500! 
I finished in a time that rivaled my best Ironman swim! Ok, that’s a slight exaggeration, but not by much. Man, how humbling.
After the 1500, the mean JZ made us Do a 1000, negative split. Was she on crack? Jo held out her swim band and asked if I wanted to use it. “Are you kidding? I can barely pull my body!” She giggled. By this point my arms were just flopping around, form gone to shit, but I held out… and I finished the day with a final drag-my-sorry-ass 500. I think I did this final 500 in 11:00. Upon completion I flung my lifeless body onto the deck, legs draped in the pool, arms straight out to each side. JZ and Brandon laughed in the next lane. “I’ve beached myself!”, I moaned. JZ encouraged, “We’re going to get Carole in shape!” I just stayed motionless on the deck but lifted my middle finger at her. Brandon commented that I already look in better shape than I did 5 months ago. Thank God – progress bodes incentive.
Soon enough Billy finished his swim and the 4 of us ran back inside and into the hot tub for thawing. We joked about recent movies – “sci-fi versus fantasy genre” – and why women on their period seem to crave red meat. Quite the conversation(s).
Having our team has been helpful for me; the accountability is essential for me, and each of them pushes me in a unique and different way. We each have a fun-loving, teasing sense of humor, poking fun of one another as needed (and deserved) but always doing so with fun… but each of us, too, can get serious and help motivate the others. It’s a good balance. I value them all, and am very, very lucky to have them in Boulder.
I woke up this morning to a foot of snow. Yesterday was in the high 50′s – and, today I awoke 10 degrees and snow.
Boulder is, in a myriad of ways, different than any place I have ever lived.
I’m thinking it’s a good thing.
