Plan B

Went out to the marina this morning but there were @ 15 mph winds and it just was a bit much.  So I drove back into SLC and swam at NWRC and did my own thing:

1000 free strong
1000 pull large paddles
1000 free
1000 pull agility paddles
1000 various drills
100 free for time (1:00)
200 easy

5,300 yards total in 1:15

Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda

This morning I was torn between a morning open water swim in the GSL or a pool swim.  I went with a pool swim. Had a good workout, but I should of gone with the GSL swim cause it was very clear sky this morning and looked beautiful out there.

I got to the pool a little later than normal and James and Paul were already in and doing their workout.  I went over and put this up on the board for my own workout:

500 swim
250 kick
600 - 3 x 200 IM :15ri
900 - 6 x 150's pull on 2:00
1200 - 12 x 100's free desc 1-4 on 1:30 (1:20, 1:16, 1:13, 1:08)
800 - 4 x 200's kick with fins
2500 - 5 x 500's pull desc paddles on 7:00
1500 - 4 x (125 drill/swim/sprint/swim/drill :15 ri, 100 IM, 75 build, 50 sprint, 25 easy)
250 warm down

8,500 yards total in 2:20

The ethics of bootlegging a race

I was surprised that there really isn't that much information out there in regards to bootlegging a race.  This isn't unique to swimming.  It happens in a 5K, and other non swimming events.  People are cheap, and often can't afford to pay for registration, and may or may not realize the ethics of not paying.

I created the term "Bootlegging" in openwaterpedia, as well as posted a question in the marathonswimmers.org forum to bounce this topic off the open water community.

But I'll give my own two cents here.

A couple years back a swimmer showed up at the starting line of the GSL 1 mile event without a cap and swam the event alongside all the other swimmers through to the finish.  He didn't get a shirt, medal, cap, but he did get the benefit of safety kayakers, the excitement of swimming with, and competing against other swimmers, and I'm not sure, but he most likely took the shuttle back to the start of this point to point race.

Not sure if there was anything we could have done (except deny shuttle service) to this guy.  We had to pay the Utah State parks for a permit to use the land at the finish line, and at the marina.  Our expenses were split among those who paid their registration fees, so in a sense this guy was stealing from us and making the race directors lose money in their costs/revenue balances.

It came across as really cheap and made me mad.

On the other hand, is it bootlegging if a family member or friend is running a marathon and you run along side them for a portion of it as encouragement?  Some marathons explicitly mention this practice and that those who are registered that run alongside someone not registered during the course will be disqualified.  However I see many parents cross the finish line holding hands with their little kids.  If one runs the entire course then that may be more blatant, than say a few hundred yards or even several miles.  This can be a gray area.  But to run/swim an entire course for the purpose of participating for their own individual benefit without paying registration fees seems pretty black and white.  That's bootlegging.

And anyone who does it should be ashamed.  It's cheap and in a sense it's stealing.  What are your thoughts?

What if someone came to you before the race and said they couldn't afford to pay the registration?  Would you consider comping all, or a portion of the registration to accommodate them?  If so, would you still consider giving them a shirt/medal/listing in the results?

Rain check

I was planning to swim GSL this morning, but noticed that it was still rainy and cloudy this morning so I went to the NWRC like I normally do.  It was just me this morning and Andy.  This is the workout he had me do, which went great.  My shoulders were recovered and I had full energy of Sunday rest and relaxation.

400 free warmup
200 - 4 x 50's kick alternate flutter/dolphin
2000 - 4 x (300 pull, 4 x 50's odd sprint, even hypoxic drill) on 1:00
400 - 4 x 100's kick with fins on :50
600 - 8 x 75's odd strong, easy, sprint by 25, even fly, 6 beat kick, sprint by 25  all :15 ri
200 - 4 x 50's sprint/drill
100 easy

Did the above workout all over again, and put a 200 IM on the end.

Total: 8000 yards in 2:15

Never let off the gas

Last night I didn't sleep much.   Not cause I was nervous, but cause Cathi called me yesterday afternoon and said Max is probably not going to make it past the weekend.  He's been in the Doggie Hospital for 5 nights and his white blood cell count was 65,000 cells per microliter.  Normal for his size is around 17,000.  They were going to continue to monitor him and give him a super high nutritious fluid to increase his weight as well as some antibiotics.  Anyway I would wake up in the tent with Jonas, and cry to myself a little, and then fall

Josh, Wes, Brandon, Kelsey and Me at Claim Jumper

back asleep and a few hours later wake up and cry again.  I've never been so attached to an animal like this.

When the sun came up I got our suntent setup and took a water temp: 64°F?  The thermometer I bought was a cheap one from Smiths.  Piece of crap.  It definitely didn't feel like 64.  Met up with Josh, Kelsey, Wes, Brandon and myself with Jonas at Claim Jumper for dinner last night and it was fun visiting with everyone.

The water this morning was flat and clear.  I wanted to get around 40 minutes on each lap of 2,500 M.  With a total time around 2:45.  I found myself drafting off some fast people about 80% of the time.  Funny that one of them was Steve Pickard who I swim with at Steiner.  He's typically WAY faster than me and goes first in the lane, so I kept my pace count high and stayed on the feet of the faster

swimmers.  Bubbles were all I saw.  When I noticed the bubbles dwindle I'd look forward and see that they were pulling away and I'd sprint back up until I was right on their feet.  It was that strategy that made me do as well as I did.  I never once felt like I let off the gas.  Felt like a sprint the whole time.  I skipped taking a feed on the first lap.  I wanted a little bit of an edge on the leaders of the pack I was in. But by the time I was half a mile into the next lap, they were already passing me.  I started to cramp up pretty bad on that second lap, but I just kicked gently through it and it never returned completely.

On the second lap I took the gatorade and drank it while jogging around the turn around point, then placed it back on the table.  Taking advantage of the movement while taking a drink.  On the final lap I kept dreaming of the massage I was going to get after the race.  I knew it would be good.  My shoulders were feeling it, but not so much that I slowed down or were in pain, but I knew that I was ripping them up real good.  One the last lap the field had spread out so much that I didn't have anyone to draft off.  I kept the strokes long with a good emphasis on a good catch and pull all they way through.

I kept my line straight to the turn buoys which gave me an advantage over some of the faster swimmers who were faster, but were all over the place and I was able to catch them at the last buoy turn, but after that they took off and I tried to draft, but was just a little too slow.  When I crossed the finish line, my watch read 2:36:46.  Nearly 10 minutes faster than my goal time.  They posted the results every 15 minutes, and it showed that I was in first place for my age group.  I went back about 10 minutes later and they had scribbled all over that page and put a new page up.  Ended up taking second behind Kevin Scott.  I mentioned to Josh that I was watching him on GTD cause he's up there on distance.  Then a lady who was right next to me said, "Hey! That's my husband."  I had her point him out to me and I went over to shake his hand and congratulate him.  He swam a 2:24.  Dang that's fast.  He's a tall guy which always helps in events like this.

Overall I'm thrilled with my performance.  I made a deal with God, I said, "I'm not going to ask for help with my swim, but I am going to ask for help with Max.  I'll make a deal, if I can swim under 2:40 would you please provide a small doggie miracle and save his life?"  I know that's kinda dumb.  Cathi said I should have said, If I quit cussing, that would have been more appropriate.
But I knew that if I kept my effort at 100% I could do it, and I did.  When I got home Cathi had Max out of the hospital and had a full roast in the oven for him.  I enjoyed carving that entire thing into small bite sizes for him and enjoyed hand feeding him the entire thing.  He's doing very well, and isn't limping around anymore and he's gonna make it!  What a blessing.

Total: 10,000 M in 2:36:46  Here are the full results.

Pre10K swim

This morning I joined Wes' masters session at SLC Sports Complex.  Did 2000 M before the workout started and then did:

400 strong for time
400 - 2 x 200's base - 5
400 - 4 x 100's base - 10 (on 1:20)
100 easy
400 pull easy
300 - 3 x 100s fast no equipment on 1:25
200 pull strong
100 fast (1:15)

200 warmdown

4,500 Meters total in 1:30

Leave for Lake Mead this afternoon.  Taking Jonas with me.  I'll be setting up a SLOW booth at the packet pickup for the 10K Nationals in Henderson.  Hoping that we can promote the GSL race coming up enough to pick up a few more registrations.  

Last night, Max, my Saint Bernard was whimpering in pain.  He's been such a great dog.  I'm really worried about him.  Cathi took him to the vet this morning and they're giving him antibiotics to fight an infection he has.  Now that he is getting the care he needs he has a decent chance to make it, but it sure makes you realize how much love an animal can give to a family.  

Needle in a haystack

So Dave Shearer emailed me back after describing to him the two columns of bubbles coming up from the bottom of the GSL.  He said they very likely were evidence of an underwater spring.  He was interested in getting the GPS coordinates.  I could kick myself because I cleared my GPS track yesterday, which I typically do when I start a swim in order to get a reset distance for the day.

So I got off work a little early this afternoon and went out there.  The sun was shining and the wind was blowing slightly just enough to give a 2-3 inch swell.  Not flat, but it was good enough to go looking.  I took the same path as last Saturday and the water was clear enough to see the bottom which was good.  But I was unable to find the spring.  I started to back track, this time doing breast stroke and looking for any bubbles at the water's surface.  Still nothing.  Spent an hour and a half out there looking, and when I got back my GPS said I covered only 1.6 miles.   It's like looking for a needle in a haystack.

From now on, I'll be swimming this route, but no longer going to do heads up breaststroke.  If its meant to be found again, I'll find it while doing a training swim.

Total: 1.6 miles in 1.5 hours

Hour of Power

This morning I joined James for Andy's "Hour of Power" workout:

400 warmup
600 - 8 x 75's odd free build, even IM on 1:15/1:20
400 pull hold <1:10 base="" p="">400 - 4 x 100's odd free, even IM on 1:20/1:40
400 - 2 x 200's pull 1:10 base on 2:30
200 - 4 x 50's fast hold :31 base on :50
400 - 8 x 50's fins (odd no board, even board)
600 - 4 x 125's odd free, even IM

Did the above workout again

Total 6,800 yards in 1:47
Today's weather is supposed to be in the 80's and sunny.  Can't pass up an opportunity for an open water swim this afternoon after work.  Hoping to get in three miles.
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This afternoon I did a horned strait at the marina.  The water was flat as glass and the water was actually warm!  Not complaining though, I loved every minute!
I also found a huge truck tire in the lake at this point.  I'm going to start a page of GPS waypoints of interesting things I find underwater.

Got an email with exciting information from Dave Shearer, the harbormaster of the GSL Marina, but I can't reveal quite yet so stay tuned!  
Total swim: 3.02 miles in 1:25

Oh, and Kate Greene's article made it in a national news magazine: High Country News.  She sure is descriptive in her writing.  I love it.

View of my own person paradise!

GSL Cleanup day

This morning I slept in till 7:30 and got up and got the kids in the van to do a service project out at the GSL Marina.  We met Jim, Stacey, Etsuko and all her kids at the marina where we spent an hour and a half picking up trash, and then another hour and a half weeding the gardens outside the the dock entrances.  Cathi showed up at 10:30 with the other kids and helped do more weeding.  It was fun talking and working together.

At noon we all got cleaned up, greased up and then swam.  My co-worker, Angela came to kayak.  The water was perfect.  It was a clear blue sky with no wind.  The water was calm as could be.  There was some carpet algae building up in the marina, but once I swam outside the marina it was totally clear and clean.  I could see the bottom 80% of the time.  It was cool seeing all the black coral "Tufa Rock" and then where there wasn't any of this coral, a light sandy bottom with ripples.  All that was needed were tropical fish.  Instead millions upon millions of tiny white brine shrimp swimming with me.

I swam north of the marina to the second red buoy and then noticed that the final red buoy was surrounded by multiple sailboats.  Instead of complicating the swim with navigating around boats I decided to take the course to black rock from that point.  About 10 minutes into that course, as I was swimming along and enjoying the diversity of the black tufa rock, I noticed two small holes in one part of the black rock.

These two small holes had bubbles coming out at a surprisingly fast fate.  It was a constant flow of air coming out.  The rock was about 6 feet down.  The was no discernable different in water temperature at that point, just air bubbling out of these two holes.  I stopped swimming and told Angela I was going to investigate.  I took a deep breath and then exhaled as much air as possible so that I could surface dive down that far.  I had to move my arms and legs to keep myself from being forced back up to the surface.  I took a close look at the hole.  It was white around the entrance to the hole.  I tried to look inside and the hole seemed to get narrow as it went further down into the rock.  The bubbles were constant.  I've seen this before in other lakes but they were much less dramatic and stopped after a few seconds.  I was there observing this for over a minute and there was no change.  It was very intriguing.  I was annoyed that I left my GoPro in the van.  I would have loved to have taken a picture of that.

We continued on to black rock and I swam until I could not longer keep my hands from hitting the soft sandy beach under the water which was about 100 yards from the shoreline.  Then swam back.  Total distance on the GPS registered 2.54 miles.  Time was 1:27

Got a little too much sun today.  First time I've got a little bit of a burn going.  Water temp also came up as being 69 degrees on my watch.  Didn't wear a cap today which was good cause I would have ended up with a goofy tan line right across my forehead.

Lone swim

This morning it was just me at Masters.  Andy gave me the workout and then took off.  Which I don't blame him.  I appreciate getting the prescribed workout though.

300 swim
200 - 8 x 25's stroke/free
200 - 4 x 50's kick
500 swim
300 - 6 x 50's hypoxic breathing drills on 1:00
300 swim
300 - 6 x 50's fast on 1:00
200 swim
750 - 6 x 125's kick with fins
400 - 2 x 200's IM
100 easy

Did the above set one more time through, except pulled on the swim 500/300/200 swim portion.

7,100 yards total in 2:15

Again, couldn't get this song out of my head.  Starting to get loopy