OCEAN SWIMMING CAN BE SOUL CRUSHING

4:00 am and I'm sitting on the family room couch in darkness. I turn on the television and it's a rerun of Access Hollywood.  I truly hate celebrity gossip...and even more so at 4:00 am.

I sip my coffee while our dog Toby saunters over to see why I'm up so early again.  By now, I would have thought Toby was used to my 4:00 am wake ups.  With Toby by my side, I procrastinate for next 30 minutes as to whether or not I should join the group for an open water swim at Long Branch this morning.

One side of me says that I don't have to go. I swam at the lake yesterday and completed a 1.5 mile swim. I'm allowed to sleep in.

The other side of me says that I still have one more triathlon to go.  I know its only a matter of getting dressed and getting in the car, so I force myself up and out the door.  4:45 am and I'm on the road again

Its still dark outside when I arrive at Long Branch.  A few other swimmers are suiting up on the boardwalk, but the group is small today.  It's Labor Day weekend, and many triathletes are doing the Great Six Flags Triathlon at Great Adventure this morning.  At least they get a lake swim. None of this ocean nonsense.

Last Monday night the waves were huge because of a hurricane that was moving up the East Coast, but once you got past the waves the water was pretty flat. Caitlin accompanied me Monday night and had a blast.  We went for dinner afterwards and had our version of "girls night out".

Caitlin and I hanging together at Long Branch NJ


The waves this morning were not nearly as large as Monday night, but the swells and chop were constant. No flat ocean swimming today.

I got in with ease but went up and down, and up and down, and up and down the entire time. I managed to complete a very slow 1/4 mile swim, and that was it.  I swam out and saw a girl staring at the ocean.  "Soul crushing, isn't it?"  She started to laugh, making it obvious we shared the same sentiment.

And it did feel a bit soul crushing, especially after such a successful swim the day before.  But I made a promise to myself that I would try to see the positive side of thing and if I really hate swimming in the ocean, its okay. A bad day doesn't mean a bad life, and a bad swim doesn't mean that I can't swim at all. 

I'll continue practicing in the ocean, simply because I believe "if I can swim in this, I can swim in anything". Its the only way to get the situation dialed in. For the time being, I'm going to limit the number of triathlons I do in the ocean and I'll stick to shorter distance races.

Next weekend is Iron Girl Sandy Hook.  My last triathlon of the season and I'm thrilled to be doing it with Caitlin as a relay team.  I'll do the swim and bike (1/3 mile ocean swim, 15 mile bike) and Caitlin will do the 3 mile run. I'm hopeful she'll enjoy her first triathlon and will consider doing one by herself in the future.