I learned an important lesson Saturday: If your wetsuit is scratching you, let it. We had our ocean swim, and the arm opening on my (sleeveless) suit was a little tight and kind of chafing me. So I naturally stopped swimming to try to reposition it. What happens when you try to move a watertight seal when underwater? Well, all that freezing water that your suit is protecting you against comes suddenly rushing inside. Fortunately it doesn't take long for your body to acclimate to the water, but woah did that wake me up quickly.
On Sunday
Coach Gareth gave us a bunch of pointers to help us with our training. He spoke with a British accent, so therefore he must be smart. One of the discussions involved why men shave their legs. Some of these reasons I knew already, some were new to me:
1. When you crash on your bike and all your skin rips off, being hairless makes it easier to clean. I knew that.
2. Smooth skin is easier to massage if you have knots or cramps. I did not know that.
3. Being smooth can accentuate your leg development and make you look more buff. I knew that.
4. Hairless legs are cleaner if you want to pee on yourself during the bike ride and not waste time stopping at a port-a-potty. Not only did I not know that, I didn't WANT to know that.
As compelling as these reasons sound, I think I'll be passing on getting my legs waxed. As I enter my late 30s, I realize I need all the hair I can get.