I Had a Clever Name...

Bike (Sunday)
time- 2:39
distance- 37.78mi

Swim (Monday)
1 x 200- Warm-up
5 x 200- 100- 1, 2, 3, Swim/ 100- 5, 7, 9
2 x 300- Odd 50s Easy/ Even 50s Hard
1 x 100- Cool down

I came up with a clever name for this post Sunday during the ride. But I forgot it. Maybe that is for the best because who knows how clever I actually am when I'm tired and hot. Don't answer that.
Sunday's ride mark the beginning of this year's Honolulu Century training. I did the ride alone last year and this year the Grey has decided to ride it with me. Last year's Century training was actually when I met Diesel, though like this year he wasn't training for it. He's got Kona in his sights and, as such, he doesn't need to pay to ride one hundred miles. He's probably doing it that weekend anyway.
The Grey and I though, we like paying for rides. And at $70 right now that's less than a dollar a mile. Not bad since the ride is so well supported. I also signed up because I need something to look towards. I missed all kinds of cheap registration dates because Super Awesome Wife and I were looking to move at the end of the summer, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen. Drop dead date for that is September, so maybe, but I'm not holding my breath. But I missed any version of cheap registration for the Ko'Olina tri, which is now at $110! Holy crap. I know I practically spent that much the last two years, but not this time. Not worth it for an annoying swim, mediocre at best bike course, and pretty run. I missed the Tradewinds tri this last weekend. And I don't think they will let me in to the Na Wahine. So there are no triathlons on the horizon from now until December. And in December my training and racing funds/schedule get thrown out the window in favor of a much larger adventure. I'll still be trying to do both of those things, but who knows how Dirtbag Fetus is going to change what I'm able and willing to do.
Anyway, Sunday was a short but decent ride. The Grey and I have been starting down at the airfield since Ewa isn't a great place to start and Mililani means we have to go over a few of the narrow bridges, which are never fun with impatient drivers passing us. We hit Pupukea and that was fun fun fun. Harder than I remember. Every time for the first couple times that'll be the case. We stopped at Waimea to chat with Diesel and MamaSaid, who were taking a dip in the crystal clear water. Seriously, clearest that bay has looked in a long time. Really pretty. But I didn't feel like getting in so it was only a stop, but not a swim.
I also made faces at a line of school buses full of children, because that's what I do. Faces like this:

I'm a growed -up teecher

This morning I swam. I didn't get up as early as I wanted, so I hit a small slow down on the way to the pool, so I didn't have quite as much time as I wanted. There should have been at least one more 300 in there.
I forgot how much that 5, 7, 9 set hurts when you aren't ready for it. It hurts a lot. Which is good, because I need to build up the pain tolerance. Stroke technique is only as good as the distance you can hold it and right now mine is kind of rubbish. I'm noticing a lot of waggle in my hand at the entry/start of stroke, which means I'm wasting time going laterally before starting my pull. My core weakens too quickly as the sets go on, dropping my middle and creating drag. As always, I'm not finishing as consistently as I ought to be. I need to get stronger again and fine-tune those little mistakes. It'll come. The front end of training after a break is always frustrating. But the hard sections of the 300 are getting faster while still maintaining proper stroke. And I'm still running on Olympic visions so every wall I see Phelps kicking ass with his dolphin kicks. Work that wall. Good swim discipline even if there are no walls in triathlon.