Q: How do you practice for a mass swim start?

A: Swim at your local pool during the afternoon peak period, that’s how!!

“But Lisa, why were you swimming in the afternoon when you normally swim in the morning” I hear you ask.

Let me explain.

My swim session was almost the "swim session that wasn’t". See my alarm went off at 5.15am, I drove to the pool, was about to enter the pool and realised....I had forgotten my towel. Dammit.

You would think that after all this time, remembering to bring essential workout items would come naturally to me. Unfortunately today's omission, as well as those here, and here, and here, would suggest otherwise. I suspect the fact that we are living out of boxes / bags at the moment in anticipation of next week's house move may have something to do with the disarray.

While I seriously contemplated attempting to 'drip dry' after the swim, the chilly temperatures outside spoke reason to me and I headed into work nice and early instead. Plus, one bonus of getting to work at 6.00am, is being able to leave early! After a dash home this afternoon to collect a towel, I headed back to the pool for a late afternoon swim.

If you could call it a swim.

The medium lane was a frenzy of arms, back strokers, kids with kick boards and even a guy with a snorkel! Over the next 45 minutes I was kicked, hit, smacked and even had a head-on collision while swimming along in my side of the lane (snorkel guy is high on my list of suspects). I may have done my share of mass swim starts in triathlons over my time, but I swear this was crazier! Hey, it was great practice for swimming in congestion though and I managed to complete 1.5 relatively unscathed.

As it has been raining steadily in Canberra over the last few days, I wasn't sure whether my usual Tuesday  interval running session would be on.

As the session is conducted on a grass oval, during periods of steady rain the local government often 'closes' the oval to ensure that it is not ruined. This doubt (when combined with the lure of dinner and also having run 11km in the rain last night) was enough temptation for for me to head home (and not to the ovals) after my swim.

Dinner

Walking in the door I knew I had made the right decision. I was met with wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen, where I found  Mr BBB's mum making the most of the cool weather and cooking up a storm.

On the menu, leftover roast beef from the other day.

With a couple small slices of sucuk.

Together with a big tray of roasted vegetables.

Sweet potato, parsnip, carrot and garlic, seasoned with butter, honey and thyme.

Plus a side of green.

  

A delicious end to another soggy day in Canberra.

On that note: Are any of my other Aussie readers finding that fact that tomorrow is the first day of summer somewhat inconsistent with the current weather!? Check out the view at lunchtime…

 

It has barely stopped raining in 3 days - and the rain is set to continue for the remainder of the week?! Bring back the sunshine I say!!!

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Well, its time for me to go and pack my bag for tomorrow's (no doubt soggy) ride to work. Here's hoping I don’t forget anything this time!

Happy Baking :)