I wake up Sunday morning feeling about the same as I did on Saturday, aka with a sore throat and congestion. But since I skipped swim practice the night before to rest, and also since we would be riding with the younger kids and thus not at a super high intensity, I didn't think twice about going to practice, although I was debating whether or not I would swim and/or run. Anyway, I woke up early because I had to meet Coach at the subway at 7:20. We started riding aroun...maybe 8:30a when everyone had gotten there and put bikes together and whatnot. Coach assigned the older kids to ride with each group of younger kids, as always. I'm standing over near the Cs, thinking he would definitely put me with them since I told him I was feeling the same as I was the day before, which ended up turning out to be a horrific bike performance. But for some reason, he puts me on As...I looked at him in shock...!! What?! But Coach knows best. Naw but I wasn't feeling absolutely horrible and I knew that even the As wouldn't go super fast, so I was cool with that. Just surprised.
The first hour was pretty chill - I was riding up in front and one of the kids' fathers was riding with us as well as the second older person with the group. When kids ride in a group with elders though, I often see them leading and setting pace and the elders in the middle or right behind the leaders. But today they were all staying behind me...kind of in a straight line (pacelining)...so I'm not sure if I am going too fast, too slow, or what. Eventually I had some of the kids come up beside me or take the lead because sometimes I would end up dropping them not knowing it...and other times I think I was just going too slow. Anyway. Towards the end, though, two of the kids in the A group started doing sprint intervals...and then were actually really fast! But at this point I'm not thinking 'ah, my body can't handle this' but rather my mind is automatically thinking 'keep same pace because you need to make sure that everyone is safe', so I wasn't really focused on the amount of energy I was exerting. To make a long boring story short (or at least shorter), towards the end most kids had already finished (we were doing loops so As just did more), so some of the older kids started hauling (Coach was behind making sure everything was ok), so I went ahead with them and tried to push it for the last few kilometers. At first I felt like I was going to get dropped, but once we hit the top of the hill I started hammering (I don't know where I got the energy from) and hammered it in most of the way back, hitting about an average of 28mph. It was sick.
After riding, the older kids (like the coaches for the kids' team) and the adults - like the people who bring the van every weekend for technical support if needed, as well as some food and coffee - went to lunch (like the last time we biked in this area). Delicious food, as always. I was wondering whether or not we were going to swim and run, and Coach said that S didn't bring his wetsuit so he wasn't going to swim. Also, Coach said that he knew I was tired so we didn't have to swim or run today, but since I didn't swim Saturday I wanted to at least swim a little bit, even if just for a few minutes. So Coach said that was cool, and that he would go with me. So he, his wife, his son and I went to their apartment to rest first and to change. Then we went off to a 'special place' to swim...
We went to the place where Coach took me the first weekend that I trained with them...I remember writing in my blog that that was one o the best weekends on my life, so I think it is safe to say that this place, Igidae Park, is one of my favorite places in the world. We got there, got into our wetsuits, and jumped in the ocean/bay water. We entered through a rocky "beach" type of area which had a big sign saying "No Swimming" (even in English)...haha...(I love the fact that I train with the first triathlete in Korea (at least first documented) because I don't have to worry about warnings like that...haha), quite similar to the beaches in Hvar, with no sand at all - and started on our way. Ok. Even aside from the view, the swim was the best I have ever had. The water was just amazing - open water, like I like it - not completely serene, but not too wavy - definitely not like Haeundae has been lately. There were a few small swells somewhat frequently, which was very pleasant. And I was just gliding through the water - I think swimming alleviates all negative things that are going on, because I didn't feel sick at all in the water. And occasionally I would stop so Coach and I could reconvene from our respective routes taken, and we would take a look around us (oh this is all deep water by the way, which does make a difference I think - I think its more enjoyable, more at-one with the water)...oh my goodness. Breathtaking. Honestly, I felt like I was in a dream. I cannot explain it.
After swimming, we were going to go for an easy run, which turned into a really hard hike, around Igidae Park. Again, breathtaking. Amazing. I'm glad Coach takes so many pictures! (I really should buy a camera that works and start taking more pictures...) Before hiking, we changed on the beach...they brought a tent and we took turns going on and changing...haha awesome...and had some healthy snacks, and then dropped off his son (whom I will now refer to as T) at his grandparents.
Hiking was amazing, and the company was even better. Every time I am with them I am so thankful to have happened upon this amazing bunch of people, over the internet mind you, who give me motivation to train, great training partners, and help with pretty much anything I need - and just knowing that there are people out there like them gives me so much comfort. Ah. :) So after hiking, they asked me if I wouldn't mind going to their house for dinner... :) :) So we went to the market to pick up a few ingredients, and Coach's wife taught me how to cook this delicious (and very nutritious) meal called Samgetang, which consists of a small chicken stuffed with jujubes, garlic, and ginseng. Oh my goodnesssss. And then she took the excess water from the pot after cooking to make the rice that goes with it - I forget what it is called - but its like a thick rice soup with a really delicious flavor to it...wowwww. Oh and then they send me home with like 50 packets of a drink called Baejeup - (I think, that is what is written on the packages), which is made from pears and is also really healthy for you - and a bunch of kimchi. :) :) :) Then they drove me and my bike home because it was too dark to ride safely. So...yea...amaaaazing day. I think I will be happy all week just from the memories.
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