Training on the Road

First of all, eight days into February, and eight swims done. This ... is kind of difficult, but also kind of awesome?

Anyway, when I chose the swim streak, I did it because February is the shortest month. However, I neglected to remember the fact that we had a mini vacation planned for early February to go up to Grand Forks, N.D., and watch hockey. Oops.

Unless a trip is planned for the purpose of exercise (read: races), we sometimes have issues working out on the road. However, breaking my swim streak three days into the month just wasn't going to happen. So, we did the research into pools. Okay, Brandon did the research into pools.

We were originally going to hit up the University of North Dakota wellness center (their gym), but the new fitness center apparently doesn't have a pool attached, and the building that does have the pool has stupid pool hours.

Okay, plan B.

Plan B was Choice Health and Fitness, which had possibly my most favorite pool to swim in to date. It was indoors, obviously (people don't swim outside in Grand Forks in the winter!), and gorgeous. Three wide lanes, clean water (it smelled so much better than our home 24) ... glorious.

We swam both Friday and Saturday (swam Thursday before our flight and Sunday after we got back home). Friday's swim was amazing; Saturday's, not as much. Probably because it was a terrible, gloomy day.


From Friday, when it was sunny. Featuring: SMASH swim cap!

While the gym was glorious for swimming, neither of us liked lifting there. I had a baby lift planned for Friday and I'm glad I got the majority of my strength done earlier in the week because it was a super short crappy lift.

On Saturday, Brandon took me on a running tour around campus. It wasn't snowing a lot that day, but it was snowing just enough to be annoying and to make the sidewalks super slick. Those factors combined with the fact we were chatting the whole run (okay, mostly him playing tour guide), meant it was super slow, but it was also really fun.


From Instagram. Featured: SMASH beanie, Skirt Sports Lioness (paired over Skirt Toasty Tights).

The other thing that I think helped getting in the training is that I do believe I'm being successful in my 2017 goal of enjoying the process - I genuinely looked forward to getting in the pool and for going for this run (despite it being cold and windy). We also planned both into the trip so there was time set aside for it.