My 2011 Swim Review

2011 has been quite an eventful year.  Very fitting given I have big plans for 2012.  Here's an extensive list of this year's highlights!

Swimming accomplishments

1. Great Salt Lake English Channel Qualifying swim - 21.7 miles in 10:59
2. Bear Lake Length swim - 19.8 miles in 11:13
3. Deer Creek Open Water Marathon - 2nd place - 10 miles in 4:56
4. Virtual Open Water Marathon race around Long Island - 1st place finish - 250 miles in 2 months and 1 day
5. Literally gave 110% in my 1000 mile goal for the year, finishing the year with just over 1100 miles (13th place out of over 2,800 swimmers in USMS' 2011 GTD)

Open Water Education

1. Attended the First Annual Open Water Safety Conference in San Francisco
2. Subscribed to H2Open magazine, the worlds first Open Water Magazine.  Definitely worth it!
3. Recertified in CPR/First Aid/Lifeguard Training

Furthering the sport

1. Assisted Josh Green in directing the Great Salt Lake Open Water Marathon
2. Donated several kayaks in raffles to promote open water swimming participation
3. Helped conduct several open water clinics
4. Created the Josh Green Virtual Open Water Race (which hopefully blossoms throughout the years)
5. Organized and successfully held SDRC Swim Meet, and also funded and built SouthDavisMasters.com

Great Salt Lake

1. Became a member of FRIENDS, made this organization my charity of choice, and also donated large amounts of money/goods/services to this organization.  
2. Attended several meetings regarding Great Salt Lake and issues threatening its future.
3. Sent a letter to Army Corp of Engineers to make my voice heard in regards to reckless expansion of GSLM ponds.
4. Organized a cleanup of Bountiful Lake and participated in a cleanup at Black Rock.
5. Conducted lots of research and written articles on GSLOW history, including meeting Phyllis Spencer and family.

Winter Swimming

1. Was introduced to winter swimming by the UtahOpenWater pioneer, Josh Green, on 24 February this year, and swam EVERY week from that point on in open water, cold or not.
2. Created the Wasatch Front Polar Bear Club.  Which is an informal club (we don't take dues, or have any recognized "members".  Just a group of crazy cold water friends.
3. Donated a significant chunk of change to Jack Bright to fund his very cool documentary on Winter Swimming which was successfully completed and released this year.  

New Friends and acquaintances

Last, but not least, I have made MANY new acquaintances and new friends this year:  

• Goody Tyler
• Will Reeves
• Matt Gerrish
• Scott Kunz
• Michelle Yan
• Kate Pettipiece
• Rachel Wagner
• Erin Jensen
• Gary Pace
• And ALL the swimmers from Antelope Island to Blackrock

Last swim of the year

Six participants this week:
Gords, Jim, Goody, Dave, Tyson, Josh

This morning I went to pick up Michelle, but she was either gone, or not hearing me knock on the door or ring the doorbell.  I met Josh, Jim, Goody, Tyson, Dave at the marina.  Goody gave me a very cool new cap that said "Sub 0° Swimmer".  A little more manly than the candy can hat I've been wearing.  This morning it was really windy and there was some pretty decent chop outside the marina.  It's a good thing we swim inside the marina in the winter. I wouldn't want to swim into those cold waves.

Tyson and Dave are the two new guys for this week and I hope they had a good time.  I did my normal 250 yard swim out to the corner turn at the other end of the marina and back.  I had everything laid out perfectly so I was fully dressed in probably less than 90 seconds.  I have big boots that don't need tying, and I just slip into everything.  No zippers or buttons to deal with.

At the end it feels so good knowing in about 2 minutes
everything will be back to normal.  Well almost.

I got a response last night from Jack Bright concerning issues with cold hands.  He said that his swimmers often prep the hands with hand creme and then rub it in as well after the swim.  He also said, to pay special attention to your body and if it makes sense to cut back, do it!

This time the water on my thermometer came to 35.8°F.  Warmer than last Saturday by quite a bit.  We've a warm week.  My cold is also improving. I've never been a big fan of soup, but I think it is making a difference in my recovery.

This week when I got out my hands recovered very quickly due to the increased water temperature, plus I was really efficient getting back into warm clothes.  The wind chill was brutal!  Tyson asked me "What would you do if something happened out there, would someone be able to go out and get you?"  Josh probably would.  But I would never put myself in a situation where I would need help.  I've had plenty of experience swimming through cramps, and there's no way I can get hypothermia in 3 minutes in water that cold.  Experience with waters in the temp you start to learn what you can and can't do.  You stretch yourself and expand your limits, but not to a point where it's really dangerous.  Sure there's risk, but you keep it at a level where the odds of something really bad happening is extremely slim.

Rachele and Scott Kunz ran with Jacob and Cathi at the
New Year's Revolution Run at the Olympic Oval

Had a great time, and enjoyed the fact that I got to do an extreme event on New Years Eve which only took three minutes, and I get to go support Cathi and Jacob at the Olympic Oval.

Jacob ran 19 miles this morning, and Cathi a full Marathon.  Jacob took first for the 17 and under division.  Cathi got in another marathon for the year, totalling 16 marathons for 2011.  Wow!

Now to take a little nap.



250 yard swim in 36­°F Water in 3:31

Bullseye

After hitting my initial target of 1000 miles for the year, I wanted to just hit 1100 by year end to symbolize that I gave 110% this year.  This morning was a huge struggle getting out of bed.  I hit the snooze button a few times. Cathi was trying to talk me into just sleeping in and taking a day off, but that would mean I'd have to kill it tomorrow, and I want to just take it easy after the polar bear swim and enjoy New Year's Eve as a rest day.

So I got up and was about 10 minutes late getting in the water, but still was able to put in a kick butt day:

12000 - 6 x 2000's free (even no equip, odd pull)
900 kick with fins
100 cooldown


13,000 yards total in 3:40


So my year end total is 1101 miles which is a total of 1,938,262 yards.  I think it's reasonable to go for 2 million yards next year which is 1136 miles.  That will definitely be a stretch.  It's been a hardcore year and it seems more and more difficult to top my own history, but I'm gonna keep trying.  Tomorrow's year end post will be a pretty good summary of the year with highlights.

USMS - the Willy Wonka of adult swimming

My initial disgust has phased out, so I'm removing the contents of this venting post.

As for today's swim:  It sucked.

I was in the pool at 5:00am, but about 800 yards into my swim, my left elbow started to bug me which was a first.  I was feeling a little stiff still and these thoughts about today's subject were weighing down my mind.  Hopefully tomorrow I can start with a renewed purpose and really get back to it!

1000 free total in 15:10

Should've known better

I stayed up too late last night trying to finish watching "Inception".  It's the first time I've been able to get past 10 minutes without falling asleep.  I wasn't terribly captivated, I just wanted to finish it to see what all the hype was about.  What a dumb movie, and I can't stand Leonardo DiCaprio. 

Because I stayed up later, it was difficult to roll out of bed this morning, but I did it.  Was 5 minutes late getting in the water.  Not too bad. 

Here's what I did:

2000 free

2000 pull

1000 kick with fins

2000 free

2000 pull

1600 - 8 x 200's alternate back/breast and free

10,600 yards total in 2:58

Beta release for Swimsense

Last night I took the Beta release of the firmware upgrade for the Finis Swimsense.  That was a good move cause now I can configure the main screen to show any data that it captures.  So now the only thing I have showing on the screen while I swim is the running yards.  It's nice and big and easy to check just after pushing off the wall.  Such a cool little gadget!

Today's swim:

400 easy
1800 - 3 x 600's free on 9:00
2000 - 4 x 500's free on 7:30
2000 - 5 x 400's free on 6:00
1800 - 6 x 300's free on 4:30
1400 - 7 x 200's IM/free :30 ri
800 - 8 x 100's free on 1:45
400 easy

10,600 yards total in 3:00

Santa has lowered the naughty/nice standard

This year for Christmas Santa got be a new Finis Swimsense watch.  I asked for it after reading 10KMarathon Swim's review, not sure if Santa would really come through for me or not.  Well I ended up opening it yesterday morning.  This thing is awesome!  I especially love how it helps me by confirming my total yards completed.  This way if I lose track, I don't end up just doing penance, but just confirm on the watch.  Only thing is, the display is difficult to read and so it causes me to pause for a second underwater to check the total, but I only check it about once every 2000 yards or so.  It's right on.

The only time it messed up was when I was doing IM drills (one arm fly) and obviously it couldn't get a reading when I was doing my right arm.  So I ended up "tricking" it in order to get it to count.  I would do a one arm drill and then rotate to the other side every other stroke.  Today's workout was:

16000 - 4 x (2000 free, 2000 pull)
2000 free
2000 - 10 x 200's (odd IM drill, even free)

20,000 yards total in 5:13  (average 100 yd pace throughout the entire workout: 1:27)
Average stroke count per 25: 8


Here's a link to my data.

I assume the watch would be any good in open water, as I figure it relies on the configured pool distance and the sensing of a turn to really figure out how far you've gone.  I read some reviews yesterday and was concerned about the battery life.  But after spending over 5 hours in the water, it still had a half charge according to the battery icon on the display.

Christmas Eve Swim

Merry Christmas everyone!  This morning I picked up Michelle Yan and we headed out to GSL Marina where we met up with Jim Hubbard, Josh, and Jim's friend Mike and his son Logan.

I measured the water at 32.0° exactly, Jim had his measure 33 and Josh's read 34.  So I'll go with the average temp of 33°F (0.5°C).  It was definitely colder than it was in the afternoon two days ago.  Getting in was a little tougher but once I got immersed, I couldn't tell much of a difference.  This time I modified my normal lap.  Instead of swimming to the marina opening, I swam to the other side of the marina at the corner of the turn.  A total distance according to MapMyFitness.com as 0.15 mile (a little over 250 yards).  Completed in 3:21

Panoramic view with me swimming towards the marina opening.
photo courtesy Jim Hubbard

Josh, Jim and Michelle, Mike and Logan got in and enjoyed the experience of the cold water. 
This was Michelle's and Mike's first time doing a winter swim with us.  I'm sure an experience never to forget!  Michelle mentioned that when she got out she looked all red like she was wearing a Santa Suit.  Ho! Ho! Ho!

Mike and son Logan, Gords, Josh, Jim and Michelle
All participate in the Christmas Eve Winter Swim at GSL
Water Temp - 33°F
photo courtesy Jim Hubbard

Michelle brought some warm soup and some breakfast burritos which hit the spot.  I wasn't able to partake until I could actually feel my hands.  I was shaking so much in the car, I was worried I'd spill it all over me.  The neoprene cap sure is a life saver.  Literally.  I was reading LoneSwimmer's blog post yesterday.  All of the info was stuff I heard before, except for the term AFTER DROP.  That sounds scary. 

Mmmmerry  Cccccchristmas! photo courtesy Jim Hubbard

To be honest, I don't notice the hyperventillating effect upon entering the water.  I'm able to slow down my stroke and breathe alternately.  I think I've gotten used to it.  However one thing that I don't think I can control is the numbness in my fingertips that remain numb for nearly a full day AFTER I get out.  That part sucks the most. If it was legal to wear neoprene gloves, I'd do this everyday.

One quote that a czech winter swimmer said in Jack Bright's documentary that particularly struck me this week was:   

"It's simple.  The human being tends to be lazy.  But with winter swimming, you have to face this weakness and overcome yourself and your own laziness."

True indeed.  That's EXACTLY why I do this.  It's overkill to train for the EC in this.  I do it to face weakness and overcome laziness, and enjoy the company of good friends.

Merry Christmas!

Starting my own adventure beard

I'd love to grow myself a
"Lorenzo Snow" beard.
But Cathi would throw a fit!

My friend Rob Dumouchel is well known for his swimming with his "Adventure Beard".  I have been annoyed lately with the small amount of chaffing (even in the pool) when not shaving the day of long swims, and have to deal with a very small raw area on my right shoulder.  Plus, I like the look of beards, and to be honest have been coveting my friend Goody with his cool looking beard.  So I went out a few weeks back and bought a purple 5o'clock shadow.  But I feel like a complete dork when wearing it in public, so I have broken down and started growing my own adventure beard.

Perhaps it'll get the ball rolling a little faster on getting me released from Scoutmaster.

This morning's swim was awesome:
100 easy
5000 - 10 x 500's free on 7:30
4000 - 10 x 400's

First 5 free on 6:00, second 5 - 200 free/IM (:30 ri)

3000 - 10 x 300's free first 5 no equipment, second 5 pull

400 - 200 free/200 IM
100 IM fast
50 grandpa


12,650 yards total in 3:20

Coldest swim yet - 350 yards in 35.0°

GSL Marina in December after sunset.  Pretty!
photo courtesy Jim Hubbard

Love how I'm setting new PR's every week.  This week the temp dropped 1.2°F down to 35.0°F which is 1.67°C.  I got my folks to come along with a couple nephews and a niece.

Met Josh, and Jim at the Marina.  Got a cool space tarp from Josh for Christmas.  Good for reheating.

Getting in for the swim is always easy.  This time after the swim I got dressed and slowly made my way to the car.  I got the shakes and finger crushing until we got to the airport.  Tough one today.  Did the full 350 yards and did it in 4:46 according to my stopwatch.

350 yards total in 4:46

Here's video:



Thanks to Jim for some pretty cool pics:

Getting ready
photo courtesy Jim Hubbard

Call search and rescue if I'm not back in 10 minutes
photo courtesy Jim Hubbard

Life's a bear.  Dive right in.
photo courtesy Jim Hubbard

Salt?  That's the least of my worries.
photo courtesy Jim Hubbard