PIcs! I want pics! :-)

AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

I was wondering how long it would take for B to give in and agree to get a horse :-)

If it works out, I expect a lot of pics.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

What she said!^^^^ :-)

So jealous!!! I grew up with Quarter Horses and got my first pony at age 5. Hope this works out for you!!

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Check another one off: indoor climbing. Went with K and L up in Whistler while P was doing a MTB race. LOVED IT! K had done it before so showed us the ropes (literally). Even did the ladder and a snudge of bouldering. Can't wait to do it again! Could totally work that into a circuit.

Next is tap. Better try it in Aug cuz skating season is around the corner!!!

AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

I've signed up to swim individual medley for the first time at the next Masters swim meet in a couple of weeks.

It's short course, so I'm counting on the 'fly bit being no more than about 15m by the time I surface and it's indoors so I should have the roof to navigate by in the back :-)

Stuck with a hotel pool most of next week which should be perfect for practising my turns!

Couldn't 'fly at all this time last year, so fronting up to do IM in Masters public is a step up for me.

Little did I know what I was in for... a bloody exhibition swim!!!

Being at the slow end of the field I was in heat one. To my horror when the program was published it was just me and two old blokes. Nowhere to hide. Swimming excruciatingly bad IM in front of stands full of masters swimmers. As if that wasn't bad enough, one of the old blokes failed to front so it was just me & one old bloke. Luckily we swim for the same club so I think we both got some comfort from that.

My dive start felt passable and my fly was feeling OK until I spotted the marshals at the end of the pool as they all had a slightly concerned look on their face as if they doubted I was going to make it. Marshals possibly look like that most of the time and they could well have been thinking about whether I was going to touch with both hands but it wasn't helping. I hope they were thinking about that actually as I certainly wasn't...

Into the backstroke & that was good as I was on my back and able to gasp for air. Even managed to turn at the end without either headbutting the wall or breaking fingers. Bonus!

Then I hit trouble.. I'd totally gassed myself by that stage and was perilously close to panic attack trying to get things under control and my head under water for the breaststroke. All the relaxed gliding strokes I'd been practicing during the week were completely out the window. To my dying shame I resorted to a few strokes of old lady "just had my hair done" head out of the water breast stroke half way up the pool to get some air in. In front of all those real swimmers. Oh my lord!! I managed to get it together in the last few strokes and another view of those disturbingly concerned marshals.

Last turn was reasonable and into some freestyle on the home stretch with some relief. Bet those marshals were feeling it too. High fived the old bloke when he finished and realised I'd PB'd by about 10 seconds. Yay!!

Still don't feel like a 'real' swimmer but it's one little personal challenge that will feature in my year's highlights if not the club record books :-)

I love your story. Good job getting out there. I swam summer club as a kid and I still hate the idea of IM - it's a tough one.

I need to "try something new", I just don't know what.

Oh my goodness you are brave! Good for you for doing it and getting a PB out of it!

AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

Good job!!! I used to swim 400 IM (a very long time ago). IM is tough!!

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Thanks gals!

clm, that one was only 100IM - next little swim challenge is 50m fly without doing the last 5m completely underwater so 400IM is still a way off for me:-)

My next 'try something new' is an interstate 70.3 in a couple of weeks. The swim/ride/run bit I'm all good with but the new bit is travelling solo and getting my bike into raceable shape at the other end. All doable but I'm sure I'll learn a few things along the way.

I think the key is just signing up for something and trusting that it'll be OK. Unless of course it's bungy jumping as I can't see any way that would ever be OK..

Since I still haven't been able to return to running/cycling, I looked around for something new that I could do. Yesterday I had my first kayak lesson from a friend. Learned how to get in a kayak from the shore--and tipped it over; learned how to get into a kayak while in the water--and tipped it over; learned wet exits--which meant I was tipped over; and then learning bracing against waves, got tipped over again, but this time I couldn't get quickly free from the kayak. Was futilely reaching above water while still stuck upside down. Good thing I had practice being upside down from the wet exits, or I might have freaked.

The funny thing was, I wasn't worried about drowning, I was worried about pulling my back. Once I got free though, saw I had amassed quite an audience--that was worried about me going under.

Had a blast and am looking forward to the next one.

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No coasting in running and no crying in baseball

Ooooh - kayaking is fun!!

So, the horse lease has been put on hold for a few months because another 'something new' happened. We adopted a newborn baby girl in August. It was a very last minute placement so we literally became parents overnight. Now that we're starting to find a new rhythm though I'm looking forward to getting back to horseback riding. And I've already told 'baby bird' she can have a horse when she gets older. :)

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http://smallfoodbiz.com
</blatent self-marketing>

Wow! That is something REALLY new. Congrats!

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No coasting in running and no crying in baseball

Congratulations!!

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

You win :-)

Well, that was pretty successful.

First crack at 70.3, first solo trip interstate with my bike. First drafting penalty. *sigh* .. Big learning experience all around.

Learned that I can pull my bike apart and put it back together and an old tube is a really useful bit of kit in the toolbag, along with a box cutter. Both invaluable. Learned that an ocean swim on a good day is awesome. Really awesome. Learned that I'm not as good as judging drafting zones as I thought I was - "You're drifting in and out of the zone, go directly to the penalty box". Learned to live with it. Learned that you can have worse experiences in life - like the poor guy who didn't make it through the swim. Learned that most of the food I pack in a race is unnecessary (after it popped out & I lost it 5km into the bike). Learned that I can run through more aid stations in more discomfort than I thought I could and leave less in the tank than after a 140.6.

Learned that I'm pretty happy to go and race solo anywhere I choose. That was worth learning:-)

Lot's of learning going on there. Congrats!

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No coasting in running and no crying in baseball

Next up.... Night trail run:-)

http://www.afterglowtrail.com.au/


Good excuse to spend up on more fluoro gear and I love a good torch!! This one is going to be FUN!


Any tips for running off road in the dark while high on adrenaline?