Different Strokes

I’ve been working on my swimming efficiency lately.   I am one of those who doesn’t remember learning how to swim.  I’ve just always “known” how to swim.  I am not afraid of the water [I know it can kill me; I respect that], but as I have been training for my triathlon, I realized that I don’t really know how to swim properly.  Upon further reflection, I realize it has been years YEARS! since I have even tried to swim [actual strokes].  I play in the ocean at the beach.  I jump in a lake on a dare.  I tried to learn to surf.  I kayak.  I’ve been white water rafting.  All of those things are called water sports, yet actual swimming is not required in any of them. [OK, paddling is required in surfing, but there is a giant floating device under your body helping you out].  So  imagine my surprise when I hop into the pool, begin swimming, and discover that I don’t actually know how to swim or breathe well enough to swim more than one lap at a time [I usually swim the entire length of the pool holding my breath].

So to combat my ineptitude, I have signed up for Adult Swim Class.  I am the youngest and the most advanced in my class.  I had my first lesson last night and was pleasantly surprised that I actually learned something.  Heather, the swim instructor, is quite good.  I’d say there are 3 levels in the class of 8.  True beginners [those truly afraid of the water], beginners [people not afraid of the water, but unable to swim], and me [one who knows the strokes, but not how to breathe.]  So I got my first  lesson on breathing yesterday, and practiced more today.  I am getting better, but I still can’t do it properly.  It the head turning thing that gets me.  I keep wanting to lift my head out of the water when taking breaths.  I know this is improper technique, but I keep doing it. Hopefully, I will improve as today, really, was only my first day practicing.

I also rode 15 km today.  I am finally getting the hang of riding a bike.  True story:  I got my first bike when I went off to college.  I had a lot of wrecks.  It kinda made me not want to ride so much, but here I am, riding again.  I do OK as long as the terrain is not crazy. 6 weeks to go…

 

I’m so awesome, I am scary….

Random thoughts

Apologies for the randomness of the topics:

Triathlon Training:

Training is going well.  Last week I rode a total of 60 km including 3 consecutive days with mileage (kilometreage?) of 15km, 20km, and 25 km.  The race distance is 20 km.  I am covering 20 km in about 50 minutes.  I am thinking the bike part will go well.  I am swimming the 275 meters regularly in a little more than 7 minutes.  Of course I am doing all my swimming in a pool not in a lake.  I don’t know what effect swimming in the lake will have on me.  I may be faster not having to worry about turns or I may be slower knowing that I can just stop and put my feet on the floor if I need to.  The run is what may do me in–I think I can firmly say that I am not a runner.  I don’t think it is a cardiovascular issue as I can swim and bike with minimal issues so it must be my technique.  My problem is that I am a horrible jogger.  I run at the speed I run until I can’t run anymore.  It is not a flat out sprint, but it is definitely faster than a jog.  My 5k time currently is around 40 minutes, but I do really well that first kilometer.  I usually end up walking a large part in the middle and then run really well at the end.  As my only goals are to finish and to not finish last, I think I will succeed.

MCAT studying:

I am taking the MCAT in January.  For real.  I was going to take it August 12 which is next week, but there is no way I am going to be ready for it by then.  Organic Chemistry took up more time than I thought it would, and I really need to have a good MCAT score to sort of off-set my GPA.  So this fall, I am not taking any classes, just working regularly and starting in September MCAT studying.  September and October–content review.  November, December, January practice exams and review of exams.  That’s the plan.  I’ll keep you updated on how it goes.

Relationships:

I am not a social butterfly, and I am perfectly OK with that, but I know that I could very easily end up as an old hermit with only animals for company.  I try to make it a point to see my friend Kristie and her husband and kids at least once a month.  Darcy is 2; Sydni is almost 4.  They love me (It’s because I am awesome), and Kristie is one of my closest friends. (We met at college; she lived 3 doors down from me our freshman year).  It is important to me to have people in my life that truly know me since I am not that easy to get to know.

My best friend from childhood lives in Charleston and I try to see her at least twice a year.   It not that easy though.  Even though Charleston is not too terribly far away, our schedules never seem to work out.

I have  a boyfriend…I call him the sometimes boyfriend because that is how much I see him–sometimes.  It’s no one’s fault–work schedules (mine and his) and kids make it  a not so normal relationship.  I would like (sometimes) to be able to spend more time with him, but I understand having children makes things difficult.  It is very rare that we spend the night together.  I would not consider moving in with him and I am ambivalent about marriage.  I know (eventually) a decision will have to be made, but we can put it off for a few more years (Its only been 5 after all).  My entire adult life I have said that I don’t want to get married until I am finished with school because I don’t want to have the responsibility of being a wife and a student.  I have been in school more or less my entire adult life. Coincidence, I think not.  Maybe one day I will have everything figured out; probably not though.  BUT since having children is not a priority of mine, I do not have a biological clock ticking away.  AND I have at least two friends who dated their significant others for 12 years prior to getting married–so plenty of time for my to make a decision.

What’s up

It’s been a busy week. (Of course, lately all weeks have been busy.)  I had an organic chemistry test on Tuesday (I did well!!!), and have been busy at work as well.  Today I found out that my AACOMAS application has been returned for various reasons, but what that means is that all that work I did to get the application in early was for nothing. And I have to wait until I finished my summer classes in order to re-submit.  Instead of a submission date of  6/18, it is now going to be 8/4 at the earliest (Organic Chem ends on 8/3).  I guess in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t really matter since I am not taking the MCAT until September 2.  My AMCAS application is still marked “Ready for Review.”  That means they haven’t even gotten around to looking at it yet which means it could be sent back as well.  ARGHHHHHHHH.

I am now back UP to the same weight I was when I started working out.  I am hoping that is due to the muscle I have gained in the last three weeks.  My clothes do seem to fit better so that is what I am hanging on to.  I have also dined at Chic-Fil-A a lot recently [grilled chicken sandwich= good, french fries and Dr. Pepper= not so good] so it is back to the fish, vegetables, salad, and water as soon as I can get to the grocery store [which might not be until Sunday.]

I have also had to revisit my original triathlon goal.  I just don’t think I am going to be ready in three weeks.  I can swim the 300 meters [on my back faster than on my front, but unfortunately swimming on the back is illegal]  I can ride the 20 km on a bike [slower than I would like, but still completing it], but it is that damn 5k run that gets me.  [I would just like to remind all that I am NOT a runner, nor have I ever been one, and if I ever hope to do well in triathlon I need to get over that.]  Right around the 3.5k mark, my lungs refuse to go on anymore.  I go into these horrible coughing spells, start producing copious amounts of phlegm, and that’s it.  I can’t physically do any more until I recover [usually by drinking lots water, spitting,  and walking very slowly.]  I know [now] that this is my asthma [exercise-induced] flaring up.  Nothing I have done [to this point] can get me past this stage.  Maybe it is a time thing.  I usually take 4 puffs of albuterol prior to beginning my work out, but by the time the run comes around I am closing in on 2 hours straight of physical exertion. I haven’t figured out what to do about this yet, but until I do, I probably shouldn’t sign up for any race that I may not be able to complete.

Popular Psychology Personality Quizzes

I am a sucker for pop-psych quizzes.  I’ll even take those called “What is the first letter of the name of  man you will marry”  just for the hell of it.  However, I found one unlike any I had ever seen before.  It is a right-brain vs left brain quiz, and according to the quiz results–I am definitely right-brained.  I remember coming across  a saying something like “If the left side of the body is controlled by the right brain, then left handed people are the only ones in their right mind.”  I am not left-handed, but I have always wanted to be left handed.  I can write with my left hand (slowly, but legibly), I have always eaten with my left hand, and I sometimes brush my teeth with my left hand…you know, it case I break an arm or something.

As a right-brained individual, I should consider careers as a forest ranger, athlete, beautician, actor/actress, craftsman, or artist.  Nowhere does it say anything about me being a physician or pilot which are two of my goals in life.  Although it may explain some of my hobbies:  photography, fencing, swimming, hiking, and  my goals of competing in a triathlon and buying an old house and restoring it (as much as possible) on my own.

I also am an expert procrastinator.  Instead of doing these pop-psych quizzes, I should be studying instead of goofing off on the computer–which is what I am going to do.  In just a few minutes.  I promise.  I have promised myself that if I do well on this next test, I can go see Harry Potter in the theater on Tuesday.  If not, I’ll have to wait until it comes out on video.

Motivation

I need to get some of that.  I have spent the last few days  organized my travel blogs.  One of the things that sucked about moving my blog to the new site was that I lost all of my formatting and the use of plug-ins.  All my photographs (which number more than 1000) were organized in a plug-in.  Now they are all gone.  So I apologize that for the next few months the blog will be terribly un-organized.

I have my first organic chemistry II test on Monday.  I really need to start studying for that.  I have not done much of anything these last 5 days other than work and I need to change that.  Starting today I will be studying for the MCAT and organic chemistry and not doing much of anything else.  Two months of studying in exchange for a new career should not be too much to handle.  My problem is I lack motivation.  I don’t have anyone to hold me accountable other than me, and I am a horrible motivator.  I don’t do well in creating a punishment/reward system for myself because I always know that I get whatever the reward was on my own.  Say I decide to treat myself to a massage if I make a ‘A’ on my test.  I know in reality I can have a massage any time I want. Or what punishment could I give myself–NO working out (that would be counterproductive.)  That being said I really need to get motivated…Coming Soon…Organic Chemistry II test 1, first ever triathlon, MCAT… none of these things are events you can just show up for without prior planning.

Things I hate: Shopping, running, and unpacking

Today I went shopping for clothes.  It was the first time I’ve gone shopping since I went with Emily, Corinna, Dasha, and Steve (do you see the anomaly in that group?) in Trujillo last year.  I got  6 shirts, 2 pairs of pants and a dress all for $47.  I did not get what I went in for, which was a black skirt.  I pretty much hate clothes shopping.  I always have always hated it, but its done and I shouldn’t have to do it again until fall.

I have signed up for Running Racig’s virtual mile.  The rules are pretty simple.  I have the entire month of July to run it.  It has to be run outside, I have to take a picture of me wearing the virtual mile racing bib, and  I have to be honest about my time.  Since I am currently clocking in at just under 15min/mile, I probably won’t send in my time until closer to the end of the month–just so it won’t be completely embarrassing.  I have decide that the Lake Rabon triathlon will be my first.  I just don’t think I’ll be ready for the one on July 17, and I really only had 2 goals:  to finish and to not be last.  But if I do finish last, at least I finish.  This one is on August 13.  The swim is 300 yards, the bike is 12.8 miles, and the run is 3.1 miles.  I guess they have something against  using the metric system–otherwise it would be 275m, 20k, and 5k.

On a different note,  I finally ordered some of my photos from my South America trip.  These will go in the frames that I have hanging photo-less on the wall.  I hope to be settled in soon.  After all, I’ve been here 3 months…I should be unpacked and decorated by now.