Open Water = Terrifying

Well, first I didn't get into the NYC Marathon, I'm a bit disappointed, but it's probably best, not sure I would have been ready for a marathon in November. Just sitting at home relaxing a bit, had the best weekend! Started off with a happy hour with Matthew and Omar. We went to this place by school, I think we ran out at about 3:16, I mean some days are just like that and with the sun out, how could we resist! We walked through the doors of this Heuriger and it was like walking into a whole new world, we were sitting in a beautiful garden looking out into the vineyards and I wasn't really drinking = white wine spritzer... kind of afternoon. We were having such a great time, but realized we needed food and for some reason fried meat and potatoes just wasn't going to work. We ended up grabbing a taxi and having a delicious tapas dinner at Bodego Marques, the food never tasted so good! I'm sure the sun and wine helped. It was great because I was home and in bed before 10:00, that's my kind of night!

I was up and out the door by 5:55 for a super hilly 4 hour ride, I was trying to figure out how I could ride up to Kahlenberg and over to work and avoid tram tracks. I did manage to figure out a way and got in some great hills along the way, but was TIRED on the hills! I need to work on that as much as I can before the races that are coming up. I smashed my ribs into my bike pump while trying to pump up my tires, I would explain how, but I just don't exactly know, but anyways, it hurts to breathe deep, but I don't have to breathe entirely shallow, but it is definitely painful. The riding was ok, but the hour run after was pretty painful. I finished up around 11:00ish and lounged around the house for a bit and then went out to the Prater to lay out in the sun. I was surprised to find that at 1:00 in the afternoon at the Prater, where there are small children and families relaxing and playing in the sun, there are also prostitutes. Have never seen them in Vienna in 3 years and certainly was not expecting to see it in the middle of the day in a child friendly area! I was SHOCKED. Well, I was able to move past it and find a grassy area and lay down, read my book and actually fall asleep. It was perfect! Sunday I woke up with my ribs still a bit sore, the night before I debated going into AKHA, but I HATE that place and will avoid it at all costs, so I just decided to self diagnose and take the same drugs that I took when I cracked my ribs a few years ago playing soccer. It helped. I met Steph and Mel at Edison's, this great new place by my house for brunch and then we set out to find where I had been before to do an open water swim. We found it really easily and I eventually got my wetsuit on and did a quick swim. It was terrifying. There is not ONE thing I like about open water swimming, literally everything about it terrifies me. But, this place was really easy to get to and not too many boats, and the boats that were there were paddle boats and/or slow moving. There is a little pedestrian bridge that I think keeps some of the bigger boats and the sail boats away, so that is nice, but it's still scary to be out there with boats. I was hit by the boat last year and it just scares me now. And, I was coughing like crazy and it hurt to breathe, so I just went a short distance. In my mind though, it was really helpful, I just need to get out there a bunch more before the race, which is three weeks from today. Scary. Tomorrow is a cooking class, I was looking forward to it, and I guess I still am, but the planning/organizing of it became difficult and annoying. Matthew and Omar must be annoyed too, they did the menu planning and recipes and all that. Ugh. But, it will be fun. I'm sure of it! We have Tuesday off and I leave for Sofia, Bulgaria early Friday night, so it is going to be a very busy week! I think the next month or so is going to fly by. I can't wait for my mom to get here May 15!