GCBS 2010: Let's do it again!

pictures thanks to Amy Klodzinski

That is one very very long bridge.

In the middle.... of the Chesapeake!

Sometimes a picture says it all...almost surreal isn't it?

Well it ended up being near perfect conditions...we couldn't have been any luckier. I am surprised to say but I want to DO IT AGAIN!!

And check it out... I made it on TV along with Simon!

We left at our hotel and arrived at the site at about 6:15 and hit the bathroom just like Glenn Mills recommended. We then headed over to get our caps and get marked. Just enough time to apply sunscreen and marvel at the bridge, then the pre-race meeting. We listened to just enough to learn that we should swim down the middle of the spans for the first half and then head over to the left side for the last half due to the currents. There were over 700 volunteers -- that's more than the number of swimmers! And 100% of the money raised went to the March of Dimes. Wow!

It was only minutes before Wave 1 went off. And then 15 mintues for us, Wave 2. Just enough time to suit up and drop our gear bags. It was already 80 degrees with full sun. The water looked calm with some mild waves. Wind was predicted at 7mph from the W-SW. Perfect!

I felt oddly calm. Got my feet in the water. It felt perfect. Refreshing yet just warm enough. I finally got to meet the famous Rob from RobAquatics in California as our pink cap wave waited for the go-ahead. He had a very stylish RobAquatics suit on. Impressive! (how the heck did you get this Rob?)

And it was time. Gary and his speedy 15-year old son were with me, along with John. I felt safe. I took note of #658 who stood next to me... a 6 foot-6 inch 40 year old man. Hmmm.... he looked fast, but looks are deceiving. Would be fun to see where he finished. My feet sank in the sand.

Go! I sauntered in. So unlike me. But this was a 2-hour race. No need to get my goggle kicked off or get whapped in the head. I hung back and let others go around me. Then I cut sharply to the right and aimed for the breakwater and straight for the buoys (about 500 yards away) that gated the entrance to the race course under the bridge. I passed a lot of people.

Before I knew it I hit the one mile mark. Passed green cap after green cap (wave 1). I was in my groove. Whitesnake and Michael Jackson were my friends. Mile 2 was the refreshment boat. Nah... keep swimming I thought. I planned the suit I'd wear for next year (alas Splish does not have a crab graphic, or a lobster for that matter). That passed the next mile. Mile 3 was refreshment boat #2 way on the right. I started my "ride the glide" stoke and seemed to just fly by others near me. Okay time to head left, but I thought "I'm in the clear... I'm taking this... I've got this in the bag! Wait don't get cocky, pay attention to the current!" The current snuck up on me at about 3.3 miles. Pulling me, pulling me to the right. Lots of people were swimming right next to the pylons. I aimed left and was able to maintain a good distance... that is as long as I kept aiming left. I passed more people. More pink and green caps. It felt along way until I saw the buoy for 4 miles... finally the buoys signaling the exit from under the bridge.... only 700 yards left!! Time to gun it and pick off every pink cap I could, especially the women! (I am a sprinter of course). It was longer than I thought. I saw people standing up with still 400 yards to go... keep swimming... head down!

I kept it up until the finish and manage to take down at least 4 other women. I swam until I touched the sand twice (thanks Glenn) and then stood up took 2 steps and ran out of the water right onto the finish chute!! I did it!

It was a great feeling. Long but actually I really enjoyed myself. Probably means I didn't work hard enough.... but there is always next year. I have already promised Kathy to do it. I missed her so much on this swim and have no doubt she'll crush it next year.

Thanks to my fellow Maine teammates: Gary, Amy, Evan, John, Simon, Mike, John and Kathy. Absolutely wouldn't have been as fun without all of you.

Final stats:

2nd AG /20

28th /179 women

150th OA

26:28 pace/mile

and yes I beat #658!

Great Chesapeake Bay Swim: Hemingway's or bust

Can I stay in between the bridges with strong currents?

We leave at 4pm today for Maryland. Sunday is the race.

Hemingway's Marina is the finish point.

I have successfully been putting it out of my mind until now.

It's going to be long. It's going to hurt. It's going to be like nothing I have ever done before.

How's that for a prelude to turning 40?

I've done 3 miles in the ocean. It's exhausting.

But 4.4 miles along with 600 others and no room for error, yikes.

I sure hope the conditions are good.

After this I'm resting for a bit. Swimming for ME will be just swimming

for fun for a while. No "training". Just summer fun.

With Kathy's help I promise to bring back some good pictures.

Due to an injury she'll be cheering us on and snapping photos.

(and gathering info for next year when she'll win her age group!).

Live results at www.lin-mark.com

Here goes nothing!

B70 Vision: I'm a fan

These goggles are great. The best I have worn for open water yet and also incredibly comfortable for pool swimming. I highly recommend these if you can get your hands on them. Swim 2000 just put out a promo code so try it : Sweet16 (save 16%).

In other news I have been swimming a lot of long distance lately -- relatively spaced out so as not to hurt my shoulder. So far I have been feeling good! I've gone 4 miles twice and 3 miles once so I feel prepared for the distance. The conditions of Chesapeake will be the wild card.

I had a lot of fun on Memorial Day weekend at he first and only Last Chance Meet in Westbrook -- aka the last chance to wear a USMS legal speed suit. Just for kicks I swam the 200 fly and 400 IM and am proud to say finished both without a DQ or obvious embarrassment. Phew. 2:37 for the 200 fly and 5:33 for the 400 IM. As Bill Jones, a 75-year old Maine Masters 200 fly expert told me, "Just keep thinking 'long and loose' and you'll make it". Great advice. He was right!

Maybe it will work for the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim next Sunday?

"Here I go again..." Anybody know who sang that line?

First summer swim on Crystal Lake

The lake is exceptionally warm this year. Who says global warming isn't real? First we get half as much snow as Washington and New York, and now Crystal Lake is over 60 degrees before Memorial Day? Until I have ocean front property, I guess global warming is working for me.

Gary, John and I did 3 miles and it felt good. Also along for the ride were Jaime and Liz who went about 1.5 miles. It was crisp (read cold) at first but then felt good. The last 1/2 mile I did start to get cold again and get that numb lip almost slurry speech thing going on, but we were done so it didn't matter. I recommend the two bathing cap and one hoodie approach until it gets a bit warmer.

Looking forward to some more lake swims before the big race June 13th. Next training swim with my friend 'al fresco' ---> Friday 5/28 @6am. Cheers!

Distance training

Basically to me this just means space out for an hour and keep swimming. I've taken the intensity down a gear and am just trying to get my body used to swimming without stopping (and save my shoulder). So far this week 6300 and tomorrow this is the workout. Not sure I'll get it all done but some is better than none.

warm 500 pull alt breath every 3

10 x 200

# 1 swim free :15 sec rest between 200's

# 2 kick fly on back

# 3 back swim

# 4 descend 50's free

# 5 descend 25's free

# 6 Negative split 100/100

#7 all out

# 8 ez pull

# 9 allout

# 10 ascend 25's

1500 mile swim each 500 10 sec faster

10 x 100 super set @ 1:25

sd 500

total 5500 yds

Going the Distance

Enjoyed my first distance workouts this week. It is a huge shift for me from the intense rapid fire sprint training I have been doing all year. In fact I almost never have made this shift. Swimming the 1000 last week was eye-opening for me. I really enjoyed it. So much time to think and stretch out and just "be" in the race as opposed to have it "happen".

Yesterday I swam 5500 yards... The longest I have ever swum in a workout I think. It was rather nice although I do not think I could have done it without some good company.

Thought about zooming in on the tiles. Lots of time to really think about being in the water and just get into the rhythm of swimming. Feel the cadence of my breaths. Enjoy the bubbles underwater on turns. Stretch out and streamline.

My shoulder held up okay which I am very happy about. I took my speed down a whole gear so to speak and I think this not only allowed my shoulder to make it but also made the whole workout more enjoyable.

Goal for the GBSwim in June ... go the distance... long and strong.

Zones 2010: Short version

I came I went I swam. After sitting in 90 minutes of traffic to go 10 miles that is. Got to love the city life. Got to the meet with 15 minutes to go before the first heat. Had to talk our way in. It worked! Needless to say I had lots of adrenaline revved up for the 1000.

12:31.33 in the 1000

39 MAINE MASTERS SW 12:30.00   12:31.33                    

31.97      1:07.05 (35.08)         

1:43.13 (36.08)     2:20.44 (37.31)         

2:58.29 (37.85)     3:36.38 (38.09)         

4:14.91 (38.53)     4:53.09 (38.18)         

5:31.68 (38.59)     6:10.61 (38.93)         

6:49.40 (38.79)     7:28.23 (38.83)         

8:07.02 (38.79)     8:46.30 (39.28)         

9:25.19 (38.89)    10:03.66 (38.47)        

10:41.99 (38.33)    11:19.91 (37.92)        

11:56.52 (36.61)    12:31.33 (34.81)

56.6 in the 100 (bad turns and slow 2nd 50)

DQ in the 200 back. (If you miss a wall you miss it, there's no going back I learned).

I had the kids the whole time so that was interested.

After the 1000 on Friday night I let them get in the warm down pool which was in a separate room from the 2 main competition pools. No one was in the shallow end (4 feet or something). They were having a blast. Life was good. I was in the hot tub immediately adjacent "warming down". Two men commented how nice it was to see kids learning about competition and splashing around in the pool at the same time. Don't hear comments like this from men too often. And yet... the aquatic center manager kicked the kids out as some members of the general public thought it was unfair that they couldn't swim too. What?? I had paid for this. They were with me. He wouldn't even let them sit on the bench on the side of the pool. Umm... do you have a babysitting service or something. Like they are mine and are with me....

Anywho the meet was good. Got to meet Rob Butcher. Very cool.

Here's the nice pic we got. (Thanks Son!)

Son, Rich, Me and Rob Butcher

The Warm-Up Pool is Open: Future MESC recruits?