5/17
I missed my run on Sunday and wasn’t able to get it in yesterday either…boo. So, now I really need to get in the bike ride today. Which normally I would really be excited by but having not been able to get my new pedals and shoes put on 'till yesterday I am less than thrilled to ride clipped in for the first time on this dreary wet day. So now I am nervous and feeling cranky about whole situation. Wish me luck and no broken bones!

5/18
Did not die. Did not fall (sort of). Had a relatively dry ride too. Need to just stop fretting so much and just do it and let myself relax. All this angst is so unnecessary. Hope as I gain confidence with each new thing I am trying, I can learn to not waste energy on fear and worry. Found being clipped was a neat feeling and not too scary at all. Although to be honest I did have a minor incident when coming to a stop sign at the bottom of a hill. One should definitely unclip before breaking, which I did, but you should also not try to put your feet down (to help slow you down Fred Flintstone-style as my one friend described it!) until you are very close to stopped as this can cause an individual to slide off their seat and land, very painfully, on the cross bar of the bike. No worries I am sitting mostly pain free today, but truly…OUCH! Swim tonight, where I will remember to BREATHE!

5/19
Did not want to run. Had a million errands to run and squeezing it in was a pain, especially with the storm clouds looming all day. I still do not like the first 5-10 minutes of running but then once I was out there and saw several others out running as well I felt better and was really happy to have not let the million excuses that I had had running through my head be used to stop me from running. In the end with a little (lot) of juggling, I fit it in and the rest of the night was the better for it. Amazing how I can be so tired before working out that I have to drag myself to do it and then afterwards I am brimming with energy. More reason to not let the excuses take over.

5/20
Break through! I was really frustrated with my swimming during the class on Wednesday and feeling like a bit of a lump at swimming, which isn’t good because lumps sink! Today, when I got in the water I held on to the words one of our instructors said to me, “It’s not a race today. Just slow down and it will come.” I slowed it down and tried to follow the other words of another instructor…”Don’t think about it so much!” Low and behold it started to work, I could feel the rhythm of the movements coming together or as Coach Brendan says I was getting a feel for the water. I am hoping I can hold on to this breakthrough and remember all the sage words during next week's training.

5/21
Must not talk to boys when unclipping while on the bike! I fell…twice. Both times while trying to talk/listen to two different men. Lesson learned and first war wounds of this battle I am waging in full display on knees and elbow!
Today was exhilarating! Riding in small groups with a few women that are really so much fun around the streets of Franklin Square was magical. The quiet splendor of a Saturday morning on a bike with friends is just soul warming. When you run it is a very head down and feet forward sensation and of course looking around while swimming is really not too doable or advisable either, but on a bike you are forced to look at your surroundings, to notice the details. And that is where you really get a wonderful look at this city. Most times it is just a blurred scenery from a car window. Love the biking, even if it gave me a bloody knee and elbow!

5/22
I was unable to run today because of time constraints in putting in our veggie garden. Super excited to have the fresh food to fuel my summer training!