Today is the start of the 5% Challenge Team Challenge so I had to do a weigh in. So first thing this morning I hop on the scale & it says 177.5. I'm happy with this as last week I was 180.

I then made myself a good breakfast (egg & veggie wrap with side of kiwis). Sooo yummy. I know I have to be good as I have 2 workouts scheduled today. Swim in AM & Run in PM.

Then I took everything off my vision board (it's time to re-do as it was geared for the half marathon I finished two weeks ago). I put up my new training schedule & new pictures. All motivation for my next adventure..my first triathlon on May 13.

I then walked 1 km to the pool.

Side story (to make sense of upcoming story):

Earlier this week I was feeling alittle discouraged as I don't know how to swim 'properly'. I asked about lessons a month ago, but they're short staffed & can't teach classes. So I've been trying to teach myself & I use the kickboard alittle (okay, all the time). When I try to freestyle I get water up the nose & feel like I'm gonna drown. I've watched youtube videos, I've read articles & I just can't seem to get it. I look at the other swimmers to see how they do it & I'll admit, I'm jealous. I'm jealous because I see them gliding effortlessly lap after lap & then there's me looking like a fish outta water. On Thursday I did my laps with the kickboard then decided to try 5 laps without it. I did it, it wasn't pretty, but I did it. How did I do it?? Well I started with the breaststroke, but I feel I go to slow & if I put my face in the water I feel exhausted/winded. So I changed to the dog paddle. That's right, the dog paddle. Turns out I'm comfortable doing that. So I decided I'll just swim the event doing the dog paddle. It may look funny, but hey, at least I'm trying, right?

Back to my great day story

So I'm at the pool swimming my laps, and I swam all 15 laps without the kickboard. To me this feels like a HUGE accomplishment. I then grabbed the kickboard as was gonna do a few laps doing different exercises. After 3 laps, I got talking to the lifeguard (I was the only person at the pool. Kinda nice having the whole pool to myself for 1.5 hours). I told her I signed up for a triathlon & how I tried to teach myself how to swim freestyle & it didn't work out so well. To my surprise she said 'can I see you freestyle?' Told her it isn't pretty but okay. So I showed her a few strokes. She then told me what I'm doing wrong & gave me a few tips, demonstrated a few things & said try that with the kickboard. So I set off on my lap & it felt better but it still wasn't quite right. When I finished my lap, she told me what I needed to change & showed me a few more things. Then gave me some fins & told me to try them as it would help. So off I go for another lap. WELL...let me tell you...I felt a HUGE difference. It felt right. When I finished the lap, she said that just between the 1st & 2nd lap there was a big difference. Told me to keep practicing & it'll become second nature.

Let me just say, she spent maybe 10 minutes with me. And to her it was probably nothing. But to me..I can't even express to you what it meant to me. There are no words.

I swam more laps & felt my confidence grow with every lap. Were they perfect...heck no. I got water up the nose, I chocked on water, I forgot what I was doing at one point...but it just felt right. I now have a better idea on what I need to do to become one of those swimmers that I'm jealous of. Probably won't happen next week or by race day. But hey, 2 years ago, I couldn't run 1 minute without feeling like I was gonna die. And now I've ran 2 half marathons. So it CAN & WILL happen one day.

Needless to say, I left the pool with a extra spring to my step!!! I probably skipped all the way home.

I then went for a late birthday lunch with a friend and ate healthy. Then we went shopping & I bought a new summer outfit & jean capris. As an added bonus... I didn't have to pay for much, as I had a prepaid Visa from Christmas.

When I got home I put my runners & finished my scheduled work out with a 7km run. And it was a good run.

What a great day today was!!!