That's it. My six hour qualifier is done! I feel terrific. This was an amazing swimming weekend. Every aspect surpassed my expectations. I met Steffan Sarkin and his wife, from Arkansas (and the Channel chat line). He was a super swimmer. Strong and fast. And his energy was a pleasure to share. We swam Friday evening in balmy 57-58 degree water and then enjoyed a meal. Then Saturday morning we met Suzie Dods at the Club at 7:00 am and jumped in for a two hour adventure. We swam right outside the cove to Fort Mason against a strong flood. Steffan is so much faster than I am that the poor guy was basically on his own in cold unfamiliar waters. He was a champ. We were joined by several Sunriser swimmers whose pilot failed to show. So I got to swim with Diana and Kristen much to my joy. We had a great meal, saw a bit of the Barcelona vs Man United game and then jumped back into the bay for another two hours. Steffan was shocked by the temperature, but I was excited that it wasn't colder. We swam in the wind and some rain, but mostly ok weather. This was all a prelude to me attempting to swim my six hour English Channel Qualifying swim. I went home Saturday night a very nervous girl. The longest I had been in the bay to date was three hours, and now I was planning on six? What was I thinking. I had some serious doubts. So I sent out my fears to the club. I emailed the SERC chat line what I was planning along with all of my reservations and no surprise, people flocked to the club Sunday morning to support me.
My plan was to swim 12 Coves and feed every 30 minutes as I passed the SERC dock. I started out by chasing Steffan down to the flag, and then I was on my own. But when I came to the dock for the first feed there was Danielle ready to spur me on. I had told everyone in my email that I was worried that it would be hard to feed and then "turn right" and start off on the next lap because on the first leg of the circuit the wind is in your face, you are swimming against the current and waves slap you on every breath. And you know that you have to do it again, and again. So it was super to have someone calling me down the buoy line. Every time I hit the dock there were different people smiling, cheering and encouraging me onward. At the two hour mark, Joe, Bryce and Don jumped in, and Joe stayed for the entire middle two hours. This was huge. I knew I could make two hours, and I thought I could do the last hour since I would be like the horse that can see the barn on the ride home, but those middle hours were a bit fuzzy, and I was worried I might falter. So Joe was a real trooper. At four hours, Joe went in, but I didn't know it because Eddie and Barry took his place. I was thrilled. Eddie was crazy, he wore flippers and had a kick board. He was like a big puppy throwing the kick board ahead of us and then butterflying to it. All the while Barry kept saying, "Come on, Ranie. Keep swimming" in his beautiful Irish brogue. He was relentless. I must have been a bit out of it because I wasn't worried and wanted to play around. But Barry knew better because the water was cold and I needed to keep my engine revving our I might be done. At five hours, Steffan came back in as did the whip cracker, Suzie and dear Stephanie came back in for a double dip. Suzie had gotten me started and she was going to be there for the finish. I was so happy.
I never once wanted to stop. I never once thought about getting out. I never once lost my sense of humor (Jen I will always be embarrassed about how cranky I got with you after six hours in Lake Tahoe).
After the swim, I warmed up with potato chips and coca cola in the sauna (recommended recovery food :), thank you Lynn, and the only ill effect I had was a very unhappy stomach. I don't know if it was the fuel I used or the amount of salt water I drank, but my stomach was very upset. But it passed. I didn't eat much last night, but I am fine today. My shoulders are tired, but not sore. I can't believe how good I feel. I feel like I could do it all over again, but thank god I don't have to today at least. I know that there are more six hour swims in my future, but it feels very good to have this official swim put to bed.
I have crossed all of my "t"s and dotted all of my "i"s. I am Channel bound!
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