Down to the Wire!

Elevation Profile from 0' -795' in 30 minutes and back down!

It's 11 days until the OC International Triathlon! Whoohooo! I feel like I've been training forever. After that, I've got two weeks until Escape From Alcatraz. I feel ready to race and ready for a little break! We had a great last Saturday tackling both a 1.25 mi ocean swim and a seriously hilly trail run at El Morro. My plan said "rolling hills" but we hopped on a trail that had one direction - UP. We gained 795 feet in the first half hour. Um...what? Some of the hills looked like walls. It was insane, intense and an excellent workout. If nothing else prepares me for the dreaded Equinox Sand Ladder, this run will!

Oh hai sand ladder! See you at mile 3.5!

I finally had a successful ocean swim - my best yet! Adam and I went out to Crystal Cove and swam the full out and back (roughly 1.25 miles) without the insane panic-caused stops every 100 yards. I made a commitment to myself the night before that I was going to be in control of my fear. By refusing to let it surface whatsoever, I kept that promise to myself and had a successful, smooth swim. I also tried earplugs this past week as I had a major issue with swimming related ear pain (or someone was taking an ice pick to a voodoo doll of me). The earplugs prevented pain and helped me keep my equilibrium upon exiting the water. Nothing like swimming like a champ to stumble in the surf on the way out! 

I'm really excited for everything. I'm definitely excited for tapering - my body is tired and needs a week of slow spins and easy jogs to get set for race day. This week we're in the final push before taper week. Because I'm doing two races back to back, I'm only doing a partial taper next week, then a medium week, and a more serious taper before Alcatraz.  I think my recovery time will be pretty swift given that we already did a practice run of the OC Tri course and went back out to ride the following Monday. 

I'm also looking forward to our backpacking trip in Catalina (to hike the Trans-Catalina Trail)!! Then it's back on the training schedule for our first HALF IRONMAN (the Orangeman)!