The Benefits of Swimming
July 10, 2014Wake up – It’s Daylight Savings Time
March 14, 2016Life has been really busy (what else is new) and full of lots of changes. Change is good; however many people are afraid of change. I’m not. I like challenging myself to learn and grow. My tweets, and Instagram and FB posts have BeBrave, LifeLife, LifeLifeToTheFullest, and Fearless as hashtags. They are reminders for me and also to inspire others. I’m challenging myself to live outside of my comfort zone and not have such a rigid plan for my life. It’s not easy since I’ve had my life planned since I was 4 years old. It’s quite freeing and allows me to ignore the expectations and preconceived notions of others.
This year I went on vacation by myself for the first time. I’ve been on business trips alone, but never on vacation alone. I was trying to figure out where to go and I always came back to the same thing…you need to be near water.
I love the ocean. The sound of the waves breaking is so peaceful and restorative. I hadn’t been to San Diego since the 1980s and have really wanted to go back. It’s triathlon heaven and has beautiful weather year-round.
Plus I could learn to surf. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while, so why not?
Bonus was being able to meet the De Soto Sport Triathlon Company folks in person. They’ve been so wonderful to me, although I’m not special. I think they treat everyone the same. 🙂 They have the coolest office. Don’t you love the way they painted the front?
I wanted to get a wetsuit while I was in town. I figured it would be easier to try one on than ordering it online. I brought one from another company more than a year ago, but ended up never wearing it. It fit when I bought it, but by the time I needed to wear it, it was first too small and now that Ive lost so much weight its too big.
I sent Greg my measurements ahead of time. He really knows what he’s doing. Only had to try on one size and I had a perfect fit. [Note to people who want a De Soto wetsuit — you can be comfortable ordering online].
I love that De Soto’s wetsuit are 2 pieces so I get the perfect fit for my body type. The bib style bottoms fit really well and don’t bunch in the hips. The top is easy to get on and off – much easier than a traditional one piece wetsuit. It’ll save a lot of time in transition.â I ended up getting T1 Espresso too. It’s a one-piece wetsuit that I’ll wear for water sports like paddle boarding.
Bonus – De Soto had new colors in both the tri capris and running capris, so of course I had to stock upâ! I’m glad I made sure to bring an expandable suitcase. I really needed it after my trip to De Soto. When I got done, I headed to my hotel — the fabulous Loews Coronado Bay Resort. When I got there I discovered my dear friend Vicky had me upgraded to a suite!! #spoiled
When I woke up the next day I could barely contain my excitement. OMG! ‘m going to learn how to surf.
To no one’s surprise I love surfing! And yes, I was able to get up on the board (multiple times) and rode several waves. I’ll admit that I was a little intimidated when my surf instructor showed me the board, but it’s apparently easier to surf long board. Even after only an hour lesson, I’m totally hooked and can’t wait to do it again!
The water in San Diego is a bit cold, although I heard it was warmer than it has been in years. I wore my De Soto tri capris in the water with my skirt, so my legs were fine. I wore the T1 wetsuit top so my upper body would be warm. It was the perfect combination. Unlike most wetsuits, the T1 gives me a lot of movement in my shoulders so it was easy to surf in. I’m sure this will make swimming it in very easy too.
The following day I went kayaking and snorkeling in La Jolla. It was so much fun and I somehow managed not to get sunburned (thank you De Soto cool wings!). I got to see sea lions up close (they stink!), kayaked into a cave, and then snorkeled above more than a dozen leopard sharks (take that NatGeo!). It was an amazing opportunity to see the wildlife, plus I love ocean swimming. We had a small group, but I was the only single kayaker. Fortunately I could handle it and being competitive, I made sure I didn’t get left behind. However, I was feeling the 2 hours of kayaking the next morning. I emailed my tri coach saying I need to do more upper body workouts.
La Jolla is absolutely beautiful. And the beaches are spectacular. Granted I came the week after the tourist season ended, but I could so imagine this as my backyard playground.
Now I understand why people love Southern California so much. I had amazing weather the entire week I was there. It is paradise for outdoor activities. I got to run, swim, kayak, and surf. I would have biked, but I ran out of time with all of the other activities.
And being someone that loves sunshine, I really picked the right destination. The picture below really captures the essence of my trip. This trip changed me for the positive. I came back rejuvenated and ready to conquer a new set of goals. Until next time San Diego…or wherever. That’s the benefit of not being tied to a plan.
