Meeting David and Richard Barnes

This morning I swam the following at SDRC.  I was slow getting in because I was just feeling so lethargic today.  I must admit I'm feeling a little burned out with chlorine.  I'm very eager to do exclusive OW swims.

12000 - 6 x 2000's free  1&4th no equip, 2&5th large paddles, 3&6th finger paddles/no buoy
300 kick with fins

Today's swim was just long and easy and letting my mind relax.  Was a good swim and it seemed to go by really fast, so that's great.
12,300 yards total in 3:12

My swimsense stopped at 9999 once I got to 10,000 yards!  I'll have to report that one.  Should be a problem for most users, but I go over 10K quite often!

I picked up Cathi at the WX frontrunner station and drove to Cottonwood Heights to meet Richard and David Barnes.  The only two people two swim the English Channel from Utah.  We talked for a bit about things like:

• Channel pilots, feedings, Varne Ridge, grease, their mental strategies for ignoring the cold, and lots of stuff.  There was practically no surprises, which was very reassuring that I'm on the right track.  I would be troubled if they told me things I had not heard before. It was fantastic to hear it from two swimmers in person and get to know them a little.  

David Barnes (Completed 2006), Me, and Richard Barnes (Completed 2005)

I saw their videos of their swims and it made me VERY EAGER.  They both went in the same tide that I'm doing (early August).  I was able to get video of Richard's swim.  When they did their swims Brent Hunsaker from Channel 4 went over and covered their swim.  Richard said that he's planning to do the Deer Creek race this year.  I think these videos made them get hungry again for the open water.  I'd love to do some training swims with either of them!  

The biggest thing right now for me that I need to work on, is probably really gearing up on the extensive swims in cold water.  These polar bear swims are great for mental toughness, but not much for being able to really acclimatize to extensive time in moderately cold water.  

I told Cathi on the way home that I had been that excited to talk to a couple of guys in a long time.  I was very happy to meet these guys, and hope that this fall we'll be able to go out for lunch and reminisce about Dover and that they'll be a 3rd Utahn in the EC club.