Weird, Scared and Ugly

Friday night I went out with a friend and we had a really nice night.  Good food and some good laughs and one really nice cosmo.  Stopped at the one knowing that I had a long run in the morning.  When I woke I was 'sleptover'(..my new word for needing more sleep and feeling hungover for not getting it).

I had to do 10 miles, it was a stepback week on the HH plan.  I was dreading it as I trudged downstairs, prepped myself and headed out the door.  It's crazy how those runs you are dreading the most turn out to be some of the best.  I really enjoyed the run and felt great the whole way through.  Hal (we're on a first name basis) says that by week 9 you start to notice a change on how you feel during the long runs.  That they don't seem so long anymore.  I got a little taste of that on yesterday's run.  It just didn't seem like such a big deal anymore. 10 schmen.  I think that is why I like his program...he goes big, bigger and then let's you soak that in for a week with a stepback week.  It's good for the mental aspect and helps the body recover also.

Scared and Ugly:

I took my 10 mile run down to the beach and decided to try out my wetsuit and swim a bit.   Sounds easy right?  Well I freaked out in the water and it took a lot of self-talk to even swim for 10 minutes.  Um, did I mention that I have a TRI next week?  My first tri?  Okay...lets talk scared.  I can be your biggest scaredy-cat which is nuts because I can also be one of the most daring people.  I will try things but I'm usually scared crazy while I'm doing it.  Why was I so scared you ask?? THE CREATURES!!!! Dude...when you have those goggles on you can see everything! EV-ER-Y-THING!  There were eels, crabs, horseshoe crabs...all kinds of crap.  Now, I know, they live there....but I was still scared.  That's where the ugly comes in....I screamed like a bat out of hell when I saw the eel...it was a bit funny to others...ugly to me.  So if there are swimmers out there...please helpe me get over this silly mental part.  Tommorow I will go out and try it again.  I'll be sure to pray to the swim gods first that I will be swimming without so many creatures.  

Here's where I swam with the creatures...with not the best form!

Weird- 

Today I had a cross-training day and took the bike out because..you know...that TRI that came out of nowhere is next week.  I'm stopped at a light and some guyish/kid (couldn't tell) rolls up besides me on his bike.  Now, I'm thinking that's weird already...do you?  Shouldn't he have just waited right behind me? So anyway, he takes out his ipod, looks over and says "hey".  Um..."hey" I said.  He goes...." So whatcha doing?".    What am I doing?  I'm knitting.  Really?  I say, "I'm riding".  Then we just sit there quietly until the light changes .  Is that weird or is it me?

Let's cross our fingers that tomorrow will be a better day in the swim department.

Any last minute Tri pointers would be greatly appreciated.

What are some 'mental' obstacles that you have had to get over in your swim, bike or run workouts?