Time Warp

Kris about to blow out her Birthday Candles after workout.

It's amazing how time seems to breeze right by both in the long term and short term sense.  This morning I coached a "40" themed swim workout, celebrating South Davis Masters head coach Kris Edward's 40th birthday.  It was a tough workout, but they all seemed to enjoy it.

Afterwards, had a short coaches meeting then I met Sarah out at Bountiful Lake for a swim.  She already swam thousands of yards at the pool.  I swam 7 Josh Green laps, and she said when we started she was going for 4.  Once we got started, we got separated which isn't a big deal, it's a short 1/2 mile course around the islands and it was a calm morning.  The time just flew by for that swim.

Can't believe it's now June, the same month of my big MIMS swim, and only have two weeks before the race.  I'm getting excited!  Time has flown by.  Good thing I've trained hard and am ready for this thing.  I'll be starting to taper the end of next week.

Later this evening I took Cathi to join the team at the theater for a showing of "Malificent".  What a great movie.  I liked it.

Crazy day next Saturday being the GSLOW race.  I'll have a busy day!

Total: 3.75 miles

Sick

Oliver turns 7, and promises to
take swimming seriously once I get
back from MIMS

I noticed a few days ago I was starting to show symptoms of a cold, and sure enough, I've got one.  I'm trying to get healed up ASAP, taken all the zinc oxide and washing my hands, etc.

I took the last few days off swimming because I needed to get to work early in order to get off work early to perform some pretty important fatherly duties:

• Oliver's birthday at Layton Surf N' Swim with all his buddies.
• Austin's High School Graduation for Clearfield High.

This morning I swam 1800 yards prior to Kris' masters workout:

Warm-up: 100 Free

Austin Graduates from HS

3 x 50’s IM Order Drill

100 Kick

2 x 50’s Free Drill 

100 Free Pull

1 x 50 Build to 90%

Warm-up Set: 4 x 100’s @1:30-1:45

#1 Free-Fly-Free-Fly by 25

#2 Free-Back-Free-Back

#3 Free-Breast-Free-Breast

#4 Free-Choice-Free-Choice (400)

Main Set:         Freestyle Pyramids

Pyramid #1         Pyramid #2         Pyramid #3 

1 x 25 Kick @.30-.40 1 x 50 Kick @.60 1 x 100 Pull @1:45-2:00

1 x 50 Free @.45         1 x 100 Free @1:20         1 x 200 Pull @2:45

1 x 75 Free @1:00         1 x 150 Free @2:00         1 x 300 Pull @4:00

1 x 100 Free @1:20         1 x 200 Free @2:45         1 x 400 Pull @5:30-6:00

1 x 75 Free @1:00         1 x 150 Free @2:00         1 x 300 Pull @4:00

1 x 50 Free @.45         1 x 100 Free @1:20         1 x 200 Pull @2:45

1 x 25 Kick @.30 1 x 50 Kick @.60 1 x 100 Pull

1 Min. Rest 1 Min. Rest 1 Min. Rest

Cool Down: 200 EZ, 200 kick

Total Yards: 6,000 yards total

25K Birthday swim

Last night I set my alarm for 0320.  I woke up twice in the night cause I was really looking forward to this swim.  I woke up at 0300 and said OK, 20 minutes left and went back to sleep.  I heard the alarm, but looked over and it was 0500!  It was Cathi's alarm going off and not mine.  I looked over and I had set the alarm, but didn't turn it on!  I was so mad.  I told Chad I was going to be there at 5, and now I wouldn't even get there till like 6.  I hurried and woke up Jonas (who had agreed to come and time me for a 10K postal), and we rushed out the door.

When I got there Chad was waiting for me in his truck.  Oops.  Kinda felt dumb, but hurried in and got changed.  I noticed that they opened the outdoor pool at 0600 instead of 0630 like normal.  Yes!

Sarah, Josh and Goody also showed up to swim.  We chatted for a while and they enjoyed the morning watching the sun come up.

Got in and did a 1,200 warmup, and then had Jonas time me for a 10K.

Aftewards I did:

1000 kick, 5 x 200's IM/free, 1500 pull, 300 backstroke

For the last 10,000 I did:

2 x (1000 kick, 5 x 200's IM/free, 1000 pull large paddles, 1000 no equipment, 1000 small paddles)

25,000 Meters in 8:10

Clinic #2 at Bountiful Lake

This morning it was overcast and had very light rain.  Josh, Sarah, Jill, Jim, and Liz.

Wow, not the best turnout.  Looks like these free clinics aren't in demand.  We discussed a few things and then went in and did a Josh Green Loop, with a slightly enlarged northwest attachment.  Water temp was 61 degrees.

Total Distance: 0.9 miles in 30 minutes. 

Cross Training Woes

Yesterday and the day before I did a lifting session that completely destroyed me.  My hamstrings, lats, and lower back are just yelling at me, and I love it.  Requires a little bit longer warmup in order to hang with the big boys. So I got to the pool at 0530 and did and easy 1200 yards before masters.  My early warmup consisted of a lot of kicking and some sculling.  True warmup stuff.

Then Kirsten coached and shared this awesome workout.  I shared a lane with Jason and we killed it today:

300 easy warmup
200 - 4 x 50's drill/swim by 25 on :50

2500 - 5 x 500's

1. 500 straight - goal was to hold a 1:20 pace. Actually held a 1:16 and got 6:20.  Nice!
2. 5 x 100's free on 1:20 (held a 1:10-1:11 pace)
3. 500 pull - Only one with equipment. goal was to hold a 1:15 pace or better.  Held 1:10 and got 5:50.
4. 5 x 100's free on 1:25 (held a 1:15 pace)
5. 500 free beat the first set, and try to get 1:15 pace.  Was able to hold that 1:15 pace and got 6:15.  Very cool. 

300 - 4 x 75's on 1:15 desc 1-4

200 cooldown

Then moved to the north side and did 600 more yards of cooldown type stuff.

5,300 yards total in 1:40

Amazed I could to so well considering how sore I am.  Gonna take a few days off lifting and let my muscles rebuild, but I'll be swimming for sure.

Lack of Brine Shrimp

This time last year the bottom of the Great Salt Lake was visible.  At this time however, it's still not visible.  Visibility is limited to about 3 feet.  I suspect this is due to the lack of brine shrimp.  I recall there being roughly dozens of brine shrimp per square foot of GSL water.  This morning I stopped during my swim to take an estimate, and right now it's about about 6 brine shrimp per square foot.  I don't know why that is the case, but it's disturbing.  The lack of brine shrimp is why I'm blaming the lack of visibility.  The brine shrimp when they're thriving and feasting on the microbes in the water, then it clears things up.

I just talked to Ron (a big time GSL sailer and a coworker of mine), and he mentioned that the marina just cleared out the marina entrance by bringing in a big tug, "Lucin" which is typically up at Promontory Marina and it used a huge prop to blow lots of the sand out from the marina entrance to make it a little deeper.  Maybe that explains the poor visibility.  He mentioned that it would probably be a couple more weeks and then visibility would improve.

Crossing my fingers that's true.  I'm hoping that it clears up before the big race on June 7th.  Sure is nice for the swimmers to appreciate the beauty of the bottom of the lake.

This morning I met Sarah at the marina at 6:15 and she did a buoy line route while I did a horned Gridley Straight.  The water was almost glass.  There was a slight breeze, but not enough to create any type of waves, just ripples with an occasional larger one.  Beaufort scale 1.

Lots of seagulls as usual at seagull point about 600 yards Northeast of Black rock.  Fun swim.

I had a dream last night about MIMS.  I dreamt that I got there and saw that the river was literally covered in floating slabs of wood.  I dreamt that I was swimming and running into this stuff, but didn't seem to mind.  Seems like my subconscious is getting me prepared for a pounding, yet letting me know that it's not a big deal and that I can do it anyway.
Thank you inner Gords.

Total: 3 miles in 1:27

Be brave enough to be afraid, not emboldened to be stupid

A few days ago a 19 year old boy drowned in Blackridge reservoir.  He was swimming with a friend and stopped, and went under.  It hasn't been reported yet what caused him to stop, but its likely he got a cramp.  KSL reported the story several times as they got more information. They reported that the water was in the 30s.  Hello?  Where did they get that number?  No way was it in the 30's.  I've been monitoring the temperature of both the GSL and Bountiful Lake, and there's no possible way Blackridge is more than half the temperature of both of those.  In the low 60's more likely.  Just because someone reports that it's very cold, or ventures a guess, doesn't mean it's accurate, and literally "freezing".  C'mon KSL, do a little more diligence in reporting facts and not guesses.  And the statement, from this article:

"Safety experts said generally speaking, even on a warm day the water below the surface can be freezing. That can lead to the body going into shock, with arms and legs becoming numb and breathing becoming difficult. They said it can happen very quickly, no matter how experienced the swimmer is."  

Wow.  Where do they get this crap?   OK, you want to discourage people from getting in over their head, I get that.  But this drowning I suspect was not due to freezing water, and arms and legs going numb.  He wasn't in the water that long, and it wasn't that cold.



One thing that can be said that had it been a cramp and he was completely debilitated, had he swam in the Great Salt Lake, he wouldn't have drowned.  When you swim in open water you take on risk.  Cramps, boats, exhaustion and in the earlier months, hypothermia.  I assume they weren't in the water long, and even if it were in the 50s it couldn't have been hypothermia in this case.  People need to respect the water.  If you aren't an open water swimmer, consider taking your training in baby steps.  Don't bite off more than you can chew.

If you're a Salt Lake City local, consider swimming in the GSL for that added safety of guaranteed flotation, and lack of boats (you still need to watch out for boats especially within the marina).  Swim with a friend.  Be aware of your limitations!   And listen to your instincts!

Here's an example.  Yesterday I went out early to the GSL for a swim.  I didn't have a friend with me.  The wind was blowing and the waves were coming into Silver sands beach pretty strong.  Nothing that I couldn't handle.  However, I just had this feeling.  I've had it before.  I didn't feel good about going out there.  I was hoping for a double Gridley Straight, but decided instead to postpone and do a Bountiful Lake swim in the evening after work.

In that case, I'll never know what would have happened, most likely I would have been fine, but you don't want to ignore those instincts and find out the hard way.

This morning I swam at Steiner and swam 2700 yards before they opened the LCM pool, then did:

3000 - 3 x (200 free, 300 pull, 300 free, 200 pull)
1000 - 500 tempo trainer at :88, 500 tempo trainer at :85
2000 - 2 x (200 free, 300 pull, 300 free, 200 pull)

6000 LCM + 2700 yards = 9,250 yards total in 2:50

Results of LV10K at Lake Mead

Getting ready to go!

Results: http://www.lv10k.com/2014-results.html

Last night I slept so good, considering it was kinda hot and we were in a 5x6 tent, and I didn't have a pillow. I used my duffle bag as a pillow.  The sun came up at 0530 and I felt refreshed.  Got up and got ready.  Got down to the water and did a short warmup out the first turn and back (about 460 meters total).

Met Cynthia Kraft as I was coming out of the water.  Then I saw John Chung, and Jim McConica whom I had not yet met, but knew via facebook.  He's a legend and it was an honor meeting him.  Joined up with Sue, Todd and Sarah and we had some pep talk chat and had a brief safety meeting and then waded into the water.  Also introduced them to Dominique who also was swimming the 10K.

$2! Can you believe that!?
What a crying shame.

Last week I was discussing fuels with James Hardy and he suggested I try this fuel that he was extremely convinced was the best thing on the market.  It's called Vitargo.  I experimented with it on Wednesday and it tasted fine.  My coworker Alex also convinced me to buy some Creatine.  One scoop of Vitargo, and one scoop (which is tiny) of creatine.  Then 16 ounces of water.  Shake like mad and this concoction will provide all the energy you could ever need.

The water this morning read 67 on both my watch and on the duck thermometer I bought last night on clearance at Albertsons.  Kara told me her thermometer broke and needed an official reading.  Funny that my $2 thermometer (backed up by my watch) was the official race thermometer.

Elvis in stilts is a pretty cool spokes-
person.  But Elvis in stilts wearing a
speedo would be epic!

They counted us down and by the time we got to the first turnaround I was in my groove and passed all the 10K swimmers that I was gonna pass the rest of the race.  It was me and this guy from Ontario (who I met after the race - his name was Gary).  I drafted off him for a good portion of the first lap, but he got caught up a little at the feed station, but I was able to grab my drink, walk around the table at the same time of gulping like mad.  I then went on to my second lap.  My body was holding up just fine.  I noticed a significant breeze coming from the south,

Finish of  the first lap, three more to go

so the swim to the north was awesome, but going that 1K long length to the south end was tough.  It was choppy and I must have swallowed about a quart of lake water accidentally.  I noticed that Gary had caught up to me halfway through that second lap, so I picked it up.  Especially on that long choppy portion.  I think I have an advantage on that.  I mind chop a little less than the average person.  Don't get me wrong I prefer glass, but if there is some chop, bring it on boy!

At the end of the second lap I still felt strong.  I ended up with a 5K time of 1:20. I knew I would probably have my third lap be the toughest, so I was determined to really put James Hardy's Vitargo to the test and push it hard on that third lap and if I bonk, then I know it's crap.  I swam really hard.. When I finished that third lap, my time was 2:04.  The chop was affecting me, not my strength.  I felt awesome.

Todd, Sue, Sarah, me and Kathy

On the final lap, I gulped the rest of that drink down and sprinted the entire last lap.  I saw one 10K swimmer up ahead of me about 50 yards so I gave it all I had.  When I finished he was only 10 feet from him, then I took a closer look and it was John Chung!  I was pleased to have finished only a few seconds behind him.  He's dang fast.  My final time was 2:48:12.  I was hoping for under 2:40, but I seriously gave it all I had and was extremely pleased with my performance completely due to my effort.  The time you really can't compare from one year to another, or your place compared to someone else.  I gave 100% and left it all out there, and finished strong.

Sarah finishes and is thrilled to have
her first official marathon open water
swim in the books!

I'm very pleased with that new fuel, and will use it for MIMS instead of my old Perpetuem standby which was a real pain to mix, and tasted like crap.

When Sarah got out she was all smiles and upbeat.  She wasn't completely spent and said she thoroughly enjoyed that swim.  That made me glad that she did so well.  She's officially a marathon swimmer and completely prepared for Antelope to Black Rock.  She's gonna rock it!

Preview of tomorrow's swim in Lake Mead

Jonas and I enjoyed the Lake after a long drive

Jonas and I arrived at noon at Boulder Beach and I did one loop (2.5K) and did it relatively easy.  Completed it in 45 minutes.  At that pace I would get a 3 hour finish.  Tomorrow I'm gonna have to pick it up.  The water temp was 72.8 degrees.

Me and Jonas near packet pickup
on Fremont Street

Then we met up with Sarah and her husband Steve, and Sue and Todd and their son Ryan, and Kathy and husband Dale.  I had the most expensive and drawn out tiny dinner I've ever had in my life.  If it weren't for the good company it would have been a failure of an evening.

Hot tubbing with Chad, Sarah and Lisa

Hot tubbing in the sense that it was warm water (69 degrees at the GSL).  Funny that I noticed a post on facebook earlier in the day where a triathlete was whining about how cold their weekend's water venue was projecting the water to be (69°F), and that they were looking for a neoprene cap!

Pretty soon the water will clear up and we'll be able
to enjoy watching the bottom of the lake while swimming!

The sun was out and there was no breeze.  We swam out to black rock, and sat in the shallows and talked for about 20 minutes!  It was fun!  Never chatted like that during a training swim.  Then we swam back to the marina.  Sarah and Lisa ran out of time, but Chad and I did one more lap.

On the way back to the marina on the second lap, all I could think about were the two sandwiches that I had prepared for after my swim.  I was famished!  I knew that in order to get 4 full miles logged I would have to take a wide arch back to the marina since the water level is so far down, it's a little short of a full mile for a Gridley Straight.  But I didn't care, I wanted food!  So I booked it straight for the marina opening.

Logged 3.75 miles and didn't have ANY chaffing despite my scruffy face just regrowing thanks to Cathi's false alarm on taking family pictures!  My back is giving me crap.  I think I have a pinched nerve.  If it keeps up I'll go see a Dr. next week, cause the chiropractor visits aren't doing much.

LV10K in 2 days!  Arriving on Friday for a preview of Lake Mead before the race.