Bike and Open Water Virgin Swim

We were out of town this past weekend in Southlake, TX, which is where we moved to San Antonio from a few years ago. Two work associates and I had a great 24 mile ride on Saturday in some rolling hills of Tarrant County averaging about 17 miles an hour. Then after about a hour break it was into Lake Grapevine for my first open water swim with another work friend. It was really cool to train with two guys who are virtual training partners all the time and we got to work out together for real. I think, while triathlon is definitely a singular, sometimes lonely sport, training with someone from time to time really is great. Ray and Mark and I ran last year in Chicago on the shore of Lake Michigan, we ran the Austin Half Marathon together (sort of...us and 12000 friends...) and now have ridden and swam together too.

I think the tri community is really cohesive online and I really like the camaraderie. It is even a stronger bind when friends tri together. Urge your friends and/or family to join in. I cannot wait until June when my wife and our daughter complete their first sprint. What a deal!

I was interested in how the OWS would go. I really liked swimming in the lake. No line on the bottom of the pool didn't bother me. Not seeing very far didn't bother me, wondering what was swimming with me didn't bother me...I was pretty surprised. I thought there could be some issues, at least at some level. There really weren't. Now, that said, my next OWS could be freak out city but at least my first one is over. I don't have to ever do another first OWS.