Sunrise swim and freezing feet

I was incredibly disappointed to learn that sunrise is now 6:30 a.m. or so. This pretty much means the end of my early morning swims and bikes, mostly because it's going to get so much harder to convince people to come with me. At least I have my running gals!

So when I got to the lake at 6, it was so dark! But I figured the lake itself would be light enough, and it was getting light quickly. There was fog across the top of the lake like yesterday, but there was better visibility.

I thought someone had said they were going to meet me at 6, but she didn't show up. Fortunately there were enough others down there that I could get in the water. I did two laps, then saw my co-worker Bryan in a kayak. By this time, I'd pretty much decided that I was tired and not super-interested in doing the full triathlon workout. I have learned this summer that my lack of desire to work out precedes getting sick, so I figured I could bag today's bike and run. Why am I training so hard anyway? Is it because of the evil number on the scale this morning - so high I can't even type it? (Or get back on the scale to try again; I didn't want confirmation that the scale was right!)

So I offered to Bryan to take a turn in the kayak and watch the swimmers, but he didn't need me to. I did one more lap than I'd planned for a total of a mile swim, then got out. It was about an hour before I had to be anywhere, and I saw a couple of women I know but haven't worked out with much. They were headed out on a bike ride, so I asked if I could join them. They said they were doing a very easy ride, but I was welcome to come along.

Well, I learned something new. While an easy ride where we chat and whatever is fun, it's not okay to do soaking wet in 50-degree weather. Maybe 50 - could have been lower! And most of the ride was fairly shady, too.

I did put on a long-sleeve jersey over my (wet) tri suit and I wiggled my warm full-finger gloves over my damp hands, but it wasn't enough. I was so cold. It wasn't just my toes that were numb - it was the entire bottoms of my feet! And my hands, and my legs were stinging with the air hitting them. It was really uncomfortable - and even more so when I stopped. While in the car with the air on full-blast it was okay, but trying to walk from the car to the coffee shop SUCKED. And I had to do a favor for my husband, so I was at his shop for a short time before coming in to work - I had to sit on the floor by the heater vent with a blanket around me to be warm enough. And even then, my teeth were chattering and I wanted to cry. I HATE BEING COLD.

I originally started worrying about Black Diamond, because it's Sept. 23 and the water there is freezing year-round, but then I realized that if I push hard on the bike, I'll warm up enough to be okay, then I'll be running 13.1 miles and I'll definitely be warm for that. So...I think I'll be okay. But from now on, after I swim I need to either ride up hills or fast on the flats.

Finally, as I said above, my weight is really high. Usually when it's this high I can eat properly for a day or two and it drops back down to normal, but I thought that except for last night when I had the "tea party" with Camille, that I'd been eating okay...so maybe it was horrible after Danskin and just never went back down. I don't look fatter when I look at myself in the mirror. However, I found my Danskin photos from two years ago, and I appear A LOT thinner then. Now, I wasn't as strong then, but still...I look almost skinny in those pictures, and I definitely do not look skinny now. Which is okay, but I still need to drop a few pounds. Friends who read this and want to chastise me: I know you love me and think I look great, but seriously - I just want to drop 8 lbs or so, and I beg you for your support. I know you all know how hard it is to lose that last 5-8 lbs!!!

As such, here are today's data:

Food:
Pre-workout: 1 Vitatop and milk in coffee, 130 cals
Breakfast: Ham and cheddar scone plus milk in coffee, 350 cals

Exercise:
Swim 1 mile
Bike 10 miles
Approx 2 hours with HR monitor on
600 cals burned (see? Low key!)