5K swim and 5K run

SWIM: 5500y in 2hr 5mins. This is a 5K!
RUN: commute from Y, 29:30 for 9:31m/m pace

It wasn't my goal at the start to swim the 5K. In fact, I wasn't even thinking about it until I hit 4000y. But first the details.

200WU, 200 fins, 9x200 as each 3rd set, 200 fins, 9x200 as 2 easy, 3 mod, 4 fast alternating swim/pull, 200 fins, then 200's to reach 5400, then a 100 CD.

WOW. The swim didn't start out great. I felt sloppy and weak, and just not engaged in the swim. Then during the 2nd fin set I realized I was having a migraine aura! This was distracting to say the least. But it went away soon enough and oddly I felt better afterwards--more clear and focused. Whatever these aura things are, thankfully they only last 20 mins or so and don't have any aftereffects. Unless clear-headed-ness is an aftereffect.

Then at the last lap of the first 9x200 I stopped to talk to DH. During the conversation, he noted that I was the only woman he knows who wears rings to the pool. It is only at that point that I realize I'm missing my "journey of a thousand miles ring"!!! What's that saying about knowing the back of your hand?!  My ring is GONE!!

A quick check found my two wedding rings in place, and then I spent the next few laps watching the bottom of the pool for the ring. WTH?!  Am I that IronFuzzed?! I've had that ring since late Dec 2009, I bought it to commemorate the start of IMWI 2010 training. I first put it on at the IL Valley YMCA on xmas break when the program started. GONE! How could I NOT NOTICE?!

I'm thinking it probably come off recently with my bike gloves, and if I find it at all it will be in a glove or around where the bike is parked.

Then I start the pulls, and in the first lap I bang both knees into the bottom of the pool at the shallow end. Then I have to pee. So now I'm triply distracted: ring, knees, pee. Time to reset--quick pee break and back at it. This was 1hr in.

The 2nd hour just flew by. At one point I looked down to see 1:30 had passed, when I looked again it was 1:48! The 200 is a nice distance, 4 laps, 4 minutes, 10-15s rest. It was when I hit 4300y that I started doing the 5K math. Surprisingly I was able to calculate that 3 miles = 3x1700 + 3x60 =5300. It was the 0.1 that had me stumped. And I was struggling with the math counting the laps. I knew how many 200's I had--I forgot my swim lap counter but had the watch--but I struggled to double the 200 to get total yardage. 200x22 was....duh....4200. Then I though I could just repeat the last 9x200 and add another 1000 to that. Except 9x200 =/= 1000! It equals 1800! So no I can't do another 9x200, even if I felt good enough to do it.

I decided on 5500y. Sure I could have done 6000, but save that for the next time. I was feeling great! A little swim-dizzy, but faster, stronger, and more like I was extending and using more back muscle than arm muscle. The yards and minutes just ticked by! But by the time I was done, I was getting cold and I had to PEE AGAIN!

And I had to get to work! For that it was a run commute, I decided to go just a bit extra to get the 5K on that too. :) Can't be out swimming more than I'm running can I?