Glub, glub

A very snowy day here in Minneapolis. Just as we were starting to actually believe that spring might be on its way, we got socked with about 10 inches of wet, heavy March snow. It is beautiful out -- the limbs on the trees are hanging low topped with big heavy blankets...There are no foot tracks or muddy mounds around from the constant meltingfreezingmeltingfreezing. Just nice, pristine snow.

Hubby and I are both working from home, which is a treat. We are still in our jammies and multitasking away. Sort of a nice way to start a work week.

Our weekend was good. Hubby's son was with us and they went to a game conference on Saturday. I ran some errands, but did not run. (Tisk, tisk).

Sunday, I met a friend of mine (AmyP) for coffee. She found out and her husband are expecting their first child, so this is a very exciting time for them.

I then went to my first Total Immersion swim lesson. My coach is pretty cool -- he swam competitively in high school and college and then "relearned" swimming the "TI" way. His recent claim to swimming fame is having swum the English Channel. Took him slightly over 13 hours.

The deal about these English Channel swims is that, unlike triathlons, you can't wear a wetsuit and you can't hold on to your support vehicle for a break or to get your nutrition. You are constantly either swimming or treading water.

Bleah!

I have no real interest in doing something like that. Even this goofy 0.9 mile swim in JULY in a land-locked lake (which, by the by, was a balmy 87 degrees last summer when I did the Sprint distance of this event...) seems like a long way. I couldn't imagine swimming the dang Channel with no protection or relief.

I do want to be a better swimmer, however. So I signed up for six lessons.

He had me do a couple of lenghts and then basically told me all that needed changing. And I mean ALL that needs changing.

I don't turn enough on my side. I roll my shoulders, but don't roll my hips. I kick "too much". These are things I knew, but until he had me break down the stroke and ONLY work on the "laying side in the water" thing, I had no idea just how poorly I was swimming.

So for now (until further notice), I'm "banned" from the freestyle. My first assignment is to practice doing laps just laying sideways in the water, my lead arm extended over my head, my other arm in my "tuck" position, with my head facing straight down, unless I'm coming up for air. I'll do one lap with my right lead arm up; then come back with my left lead arm up. I get to use swim fins to help with the kicking for now. (Boy, do those ROCK!)

He wants me to get 2 1/2 hours of this practice in between now and next Sunday, when I have Lesson Two.

He also works with a group called "Minnestoa TriMasters". I don't know much about that group yet, but will probably do some open water swims with them this summer.

I'm still reeling a bit from the big Grandma's rejection slip. This is the first time since 2000 that I will not be participating in a Grandma's event. (I suppose I could do the 5K the day before, but hotel prices are crazy and it seems like a lot of money for not much glory).

However, I have decided to do a few more triathlons in place of the 1/2....so, where there is a ying, there seems to be a yang.

The final fun thing from the weekend was the long-awaited season premier of "The Sopranos". Hubby and I had his sister and his neice, my sister and brother-in-law, and his kids over for a big Italian dinner before the show. Dinner was a ton of fun and it was great to get back in to Tony and his family. Should be a good season of Sunday night episodes.

I'll run this week and get my swimming in. Will also keep an eye out for that first robin!