So Many Good Things

So many good things keep happening to me. Last week I was freaking out. So much so that I couldn't write. Everything was worrying me. Which suit to wear, should I take seas sickness medicine, what about food for the people on the boat, I'm going to have my period during my window (bummer), should I use channel grease or bag balm, sunscreen, how do I get solid food, why do the last two km take longer than the first five and on and on and on. My friend Steffan said that this is the time when the romantic notion of swimming the channel gets run over by the enormous reality of the challenge ahead. Well I was getting a splitting headache with too big a dose of reality.
But that has all changed.
So many good things keep happening to make my channel swim feel like a group effort.
Cathy gave me a yellow silicone South End swim cap.
Katrina loaned me a new two piece suit with South End stitched on the butt (and it fits)!
Mark loaned me his spot tracker so that everyone can follow me across the channel.
Joe asked to swim for three hours Wednesday morning to help him train for his Tahoe event, as did Danielle for this Saturday and Suzie and JP plan to jump in too. Fast Eddie wrote my name on the Channel plaque (in sharpie - I hope it comes off) just to make me laugh. My cup runneth over with good feelings and encouragement. I am feeling so much support from every corner.
I am going to crew for Karen from England on her Catalina Channel swim, just think what an invaluable experience that will be. I will see first hand just what a channel swim is like.
It might freak me out, but I think it's worth the chance to learn what goes into one of these events before I try to host my own.
Suzie reported to the chat line that "Summer had reached SF, the water hit 60 degrees." Well it left the very next day. Tonight the water was 57 again. Who cares, I love the cold water! It's better for my sore shoulders, right? My right shoulder is sore. I go to the doctor Thursday for him to take a look (ultrasound). I think he will recommend corizone, and I will probably agree to it just before I travel. You have to take four or five days off from swimming after the shot, so I need to wait until the last minute...
I have this funny feeling that my channel experience is coming to an end. It's bitter sweet. I have been thinking of little else for the past nine months, and now there are only three weeks left of swimming, then about a week of waiting, and then one really tough day of swimming!
Wow, then what? Well, I think all of the great things that have been happening this week will come back to me while I am swimming and they will help me get through the tough parts. Eddie, writing on the plaque, Mark telling me the sweetest parts of his channel swim, JP telling me not to do a 6/7 back to back that I had done enough and a 4/5 would be fine (oh joy) and Suzie asking me to help get her out of the house before 7:00 am and Kristine getting me to kayak for her in Lake Del Valle. All of this is karma and good feelings in the bank for the dark times in the cold water. And Jonathan's story of him making it even though his rotator cuff was shot, and Katrina lending me her suit, it's like they'll be there with me. And Steffan wants to use my bubble cap after I christen it. This all feels good, and lucky and I know I will make it.
Stick with me, I have a spot tracker to follow now, thanks Mark!

Does Eight Hours in Fresh Water still count?

Fourth of July weekend, Lake Winnepesaukee New Hampshire, I swam for eight hours escorted by my faithful husband and joined for two important hours by my sister Krysia. We got a late start, about 4:30 am, but the sun never really came out luckily. I swam from Kenniston Island to Parker Island, back to shore and down to Goodhue and Hawkins Navy Yard to get some gas, then back across the broads to Kenniston so Jorge could have a break and grab some food. While he was on land I kept swimming around Kenniston, then he got back in the boat and my sister Krysia and I swam across to Barndoor Island, around it, and Little Barndoor, and back home. This wasn't quite eight hours so I went around Kenniston one more time for a total of 8:05. I don't know how far I went because my phone GPS crapped out because I hadn't charged it properly. The water was about 66-68 degrees, there were about two hours of the eight that I would consider rough swimming, waves, wind and white caps around the backside of Barndoor and in the Broads, but all in all a great swim. I can't believe how well Jorge did. He just slogged it out. I can't imagine what he was thinking, but he probably thought the same thing about me. I counted to 100 a lot.

Checking out the Atlantic (American side)

I got to swim in the Atlantic yesterday. It is saltier than the Pacific, but the same temperature as the Bay. I am on vacation visiting my mom, and we went to Rockport Massachusetts, where she grew up. I channeled my grandmother who swam in the Atlantic every day, year round, off Back Beach. I was very happy to get to swim at her beach. I spent many a happy summer day playing there on the rocks. And now as then, I had a Weimaraner at my side, my mother's dog, Tulla.

I only stayed in for twenty minutes, but it was the thought that counts. There was a lot of seaweed. Something else to get used to. I will get to swim in the Connecticut river for a few hours tomorrow. My mom thinks that she wants to come with me in a Kayak, I think she will get bored, but maybe not, but I will get fed. And I will get some photos, which I always like. I need to just keep swimming... time is flying by.

Summer's Here...

It's finally hot here today! Not that the bay has warmed up, but my house has. Today I got to swim in the bay; my first weekday swim, yay! I got there around 7 am. Way too late for any Sunriser, and I had to deal with commuter traffic. Lesson learned. Leave earlier. I had planned to see how many outside/insides I could do in two hours, but there was a rip roaring flood so I tried, unsuccessfully to swim to Fort Mason. I really tried. Three times I went out there and slogged it out for more than thirty minutes. It was glorious. I didn't make it, but I got some good swimming in. It's like swimming on a treadmill, but way harder. I love it. The feel of the power of the water coursing all around you. It was a blast. And when I got tired I would float back to the opening and swim around the cove to recuperate and then try again. It was a fun workout. My plan this week is to swim 2 hours Tuesday (Bay) (done!), 3 hours in the pool Wednesday, 2 hours Thursday in the Bay, rest Friday, and then 3 hours both Saturday and Sunday in the Bay. This is a big increase of time from last week, but not from the two weeks before. So I think it's a good plan. I just need to get started early to avoid too much sun, traffic, and wind.
I must admit that I am a bit tired from the intensity of this morning's swim. But that's why the pool day in the middle. I will focus on technique and stretch out and swim relaxed.
I must say that I might not have made my goal today if it weren't for the nice man, Jeff?, I met at the flag this morning. I was a bit bored, so of course any excuse to talk to someone in the water, and he asked me what I was up to, and then offered to swim a bit together. He was faster than I was in the calm cove, but I was stronger in the flood outside. Funny how that is. It made me feel good to see that I had some power, if not speed. That might come in handy, who knows.
But in an email today my friend Steffan remarked that I was a social swimmer, which I guess I just proved to myself yet again. I would have followed Jeff anywhere and would have swum a lot longer, anything not to have to do another loop alone. I hope I can visualize my friends swimming with me in England. Or that the goal will be partner enough. I sure do prefer having a body in there with me. Must work on setting a goal and doing it. Oh right, that's what this whole bloody thing is about. Must learn to read the tide book, then I won't set unreasonable goals for my swims and feel bad about breaking them. Good plan, off to bed.

Wish I had a Picture...

I had such a fabulous day today, I wish I had a picture! Last night I got a text from Jimmy asking if I was swimming the club Yacht Harbor swim this morning so I decided to join him. It couldn't have been better. It was a super group. Jimmy being a triathlete, ran to the start while the rest of us had a fun ride in the zodiac with our intrepid pilot Diana. Jimmy, Bonnie, Kristin and I swam together in a tight pod (we were so well behaved)! It was so fun riding the flood. There were other swims out there so the place was crawling with kayak support, but we were a small group under Diana's watchful eye. At the opening I invited everyone to go on and swim an outside/inside, which they all declined, cold I guess. But they were kind enough to let me continue swimming and not get out to help care for the boat. So after the Yacht Harbor and the outside/inside I was on my way back from the opening to the club and who should meet swimming toward me but my hero from last Sunday, Mike Tzorgis (sp? I really should learn to spell his name since he keeps popping up and doing nice things for me). He was on his way to Fort Mason. I looked around and said, "Who are you swimming with?". His reply, "You". So I turned around and we swam against the flood to Fort Mason, and then rode it back. Again at the opening I asked if he wanted to do an outside/inside to extend out time in the water, but he had to meet someone and got out. I decided to make it an honest two hours so I turned right and headed for the flag. I checked the temperature at the flag, 56, and at the Balcutha, 59. So I figure I was out there in 57-58 degree water for 2 hours 10 minutes. I had to swim a bit harder than I do on my own to stay with my friends, and poor Mike probably had to slow down, but the camaraderie makes every hour so much easier. I hope I can channel those happy feelings when I am alone in the Straits of Dover...
So I swam eight hours this week. But school/work is out for SUMMER!!! So now I can get even more serious about my training. I am so excited, happy, well, and feeling strong!
And to cap off a good week, my friend John Brooks was successful in his Gibraltar Straits swim!!! He was put off two times by big winds, but was allowed to go Saturday, and he was successful!!! I am so proud of him. I hope this means that he will finally join the South End Rowing Club and keep on swimming! Lots of love, John, job well done!!!

Ouch That Hurt

So Sunday was the Bay to Breakers swim. Ten plus miles from the Bay Bridge out under the Golden Gate Bridge into the open ocean, turn left and head south down the coast to Ocean Beach. It was AWESOME!!! The sea was "Greek Myth" quality as our race director Bill Wygant said. And the surf at the finish was epic and dangerous. Witness the large red projectile (Kayak) shooting out of the surf and aiming for me (small yellow head in the waves). I got a good solid bonk on my shoulder and to my cheek, but I could only think of how lucky I was not to get knocked out. It was an amazing swim. Two hours, thirty-seven minutes, starting with a touch of the Bay Bridge in smooth water, to some vortex like whirlpools, huge swells, as well as the famed "potato patch" under the Golden Gate Bridge. Not to mention the monster surf converging with I don't know what sort of water south of Seal Rock. It was exciting. We had a ton of supporters in the water in kayaks and zodiacs and even more people on the beach as well as a few surfers to rescue those in need, thanks Mike! It was one of the best days of my life. I had the best, funniest, and most entertaining pilot out there. Eddie you know what I mean, and thanks to Paul Saab's video so does everyone on facebook; pole dancing, and push-ups in a kayak? Seventeen intrepid swimmers touched the Bay Bridge and I think 14 stepped out onto the beach. I was the first woman out, which was a shock until I realized that only two women made it to the finish (yeah Ann!).

Tough Week

This has been a tough week. I don't know if it's because I am tired, or experiencing a normal let down after a big event, or that I am just over worked. But I don't like it. It is the end of the school year and the kids are draining me. My moonlighting soccer job had it's first big deadline which has meant less sleep and more time in front of the computer. And I did my six hour swim and am tired. But I hate feeling like this. I like the high of doing something hard and having my friends swim with me and rally around to support me. I don't like this isolated, blue feeling. It was so much fun to have Steffan visiting from Arkansas. And the club rallied in support of my six hour swim with people on the dock cheering and people swimming by my side. Lynn even brought champagne. And now it's back to the pool. I have two fun swims this weekend, but somehow they pale in comparison. I think I need some sleep and an attitude adjustment. I only have nine weeks left until I leave. I need to redouble my efforts and get training. One six hour swim does not a channel swimmer make.
I plan to take tomorrow off from work, sleep in, be nice to my dog, take her for a walk, go to a movie, and do some much needed chores including getting stuff for my feeds for Sunday's Bay to Breakers swim. I just need to get my life back in order. A little control will feel good. A little sleep will feel even better.