Steven Munatones from Huntington Beach, California runs the very informative “The Daily News of Open Water Swimming” Blog.

My picture taken during a training swim in Lough Neagh is just published together with lots of interesting open water swimming info.

The good old mid weeek club race was on the schedule yesterday. Nice and windy flat course with 26 riders in the bunch. No serious hills along the route so it was a nice fast racing fest.

I could not push to the fullest in the sprint so 5th place was not too bad for some injured recreational cycling.

Niall and i finished the day with a stunning sunset swim in Loch Neagh.

So, after next week, the marathon quest she set for herself as a little girl begins in earnest. “We’re going to pony up to some real serious training,” she says of the goals being laid out by her coach, Jerry Schumacher. (By David Leon Moore)

The above article on Shalane Flanagan’s NYC preperation made me thinking. Is my marathon season 2010 over?

As i do not know what is wrong with both of my legs i am pretty unsure on the next (running) races.

I am signed up for the Berlin Marathon (90 days to go) as well as the New York City Marathon (132 days to go). The Berlin Marathon 2010 is already a write off for me. With the current time frame i wont get a good preperation done. As i am gearing towards the Big Apple for my yearly highlight i am unsure as well.

By now i should be getting serious base miles in, but i do not. I am still not running. Since may i have not ran a single meter and there is no progression with my injury. A recent pressure studies showed no unusual data. That still leaves me unsure for another while, without training and no date to start back training.

Swimming and cycling is the only (sporting) activity for me at the moment. But the muscular problems wont let me train properly on the bike either. Both legs are tight since months. A frustrating scenario.

The next step is an MRI scan that hopefully helps the doctors to find out what is wrong with me.

Swimming and cycling is fine but nothing beats the early morning run.

The Queens Triathlon Club are running a swim session every sunday evening.

Finally i made my way to the lake just 5 minutes south of Lisburn. And it was worth every minute.

Around 20 people joined in and made the swim around the lake a nice workout.

Meteor Water Ski Club is taking care of the rescue so it is even more enjoyable and safe to swim in open water!

What a lovely monday evening. As i was driving towards Carrickfergus the sun was hitting Belfast Lough. No clouds in the sky and no wind. Unusual conditions for Ireland.

After finishing my last triathlon in 2008 (the Challenge Roth) i havent touched my swimming googles in a competitive way. This had an end today.

I signed up for one of the longest running open water swim races in Northern Ireland. Since 1968 “The Inshore Swim” is taking place beside the Carrickfergus Sailing Club. A nice and literally cool challenge for a monday evening.

As always around Ireland it is great to attend events like this. Everything is so easy, simple and friendly. No rush at all. The weather was just perfect and the water was reasonable warm (14 C).

I did not know what to expect from the race. 1k is not a distance to be scared but without real training it is long enough. Swiming in the open sea would not be on my weekly agenda so there were quite some points that made me nervous before the race.

The biggest point was that this event was a “non wetsuit” race. As a Ex-Triathlete i am used to “hide” in the water covered in a fancy neopren suit. No neopren-help today. Pure FINA conform open water swimming.

Lucky enough another swimmer had a spare pair of jammers as i only was equipped with classic speedos. To give my body a bit protection against the cold i used the rest of my vaseline tube to cover myself. It eventually did the job.

“On your marks and… GO!” No time to hang around. Straight into the cold sea and around the buyos. The course was four loops and i struggled throughout the race. As i was not warmed up properly it took me a while to get moving properly, Eventually i found the rhythm and from then on it was fun.

The water was wavy and for the next couple of days i dont need salt again. The loops were flying by and i loved the new challenge. I dont know my finishing time but it was good enough for fifth place.

It is late again. But not too late.

As i shut down the PC i look out the window. The sun is up and shining. A bit windy but the clear sky and the strong June sun draw a beautiful picture.

I rush to get changed. Work is over for today. Another day in the office finished.

T2 for me. After cycling to work in the morning i cannot wait to get back on the bike again. Back out on the lonely and ruff irish backroads. Back out again to breath the fresh clean air.

The sound of the cleats hitting the pedals makes me switch off. Im cruising over the empty car park towards the main road. A look left, a look right – i get the legs turning and switch on the i.pod.

It is not busy at this stage of the day. I make my way past horses and cows towards the Antrim hills.

It is still bright. Up here in the north of Ireland the days are long. The sun will eventually set at around 10pm. No rush for me so.

An old rusty sign beside the road tells me to go left towards Belfast. The road to the right will lead to a place i have never heard before. I go right.

3 hours later as i roll down the road towards my house the street lights switch on.
It is late now. But it is never too late…

After all i have to say it was a stupid decision. Just back on the bike and straight into a race is not the wright way.

Hardly nobody went on the sunday morning club ride. Nearly everybody from the club was racing in Banbridge or at the Wicklow 200. So i made the (stupid) decision to get into the race in Banbridge. I like racing and i knew that i was not 100% fit after the forced break i had to take. I expected to sit in the main group and just roll along. It wasnt that easy – not for me and not at this day. I simply didnt had the head to get stuck in the race.

After the first loop and a couple of kilometres i called it a day.