Days Four and Five - Running and Swimming

Passed out last night before I had a chance to blog. Right after work, I headed out to the lake and ran around it six times - the number of times for the triathlon. I think I had enough in me for another round or two.

It was our first sunny day in a thousand years and it was warm and their was no spine-numbing wind like the one that's been swooping in on all our warm days all this spring and swallowing all our heat.

The lake water was calm and mirror-like and I think I may have seen the occasional bass jumping for bugs.

Yes. Bugs. They're back. At the end of my run, I did some stretching in the grassy hill behind the beach. I was soaked with sweat and it didn't take the black flies long to find me. I finished my stretching and did some very fast Tai Chi. By the time I was finished, I was surrounded by a cloud of the hungry little assholes. Too bad the bass can't crawl onto the beach and eat them. The world needs fly eating sand bass.

This morning I was up at 6:30 and off to the Nashwaak indoor pool. Gail the lifeguard was there with her usual big cheery smile - a rare gift for someone who has to do the 7:15 AM lap swim twice a week.

I went easy on myself today and only did 80 laps. I usually do between 100 and 120 (2.5 to 3 kilometers). My legs felt like they were going to fall off. They hurt. They cried about sore muscles and tired ligaments. I said: "Sorry legs, we're going for a hundred today." They tied themselves into knots and said: "Get us the hell out of here and into the hot tub right now, or we're gonna drown you on the next lap."

Damn legs.

I withdrew from the pool and pushed my way through air that had grown suddenly heavy and thick and made my way to the hot tub. There were bubbles. There were water jets. The water was warm and relaxing. My legs were right. And they haven't let me forget it since.

I guess, if I want my body to shut up, I should listen to it.