360...a perfectly round number

So I had friends say "why not 365 for the days in a year"...because that is not constant! (leap years?)

Degrees in a circle feels solid.

I showed up to Nova workout this morning and said I only have 14,250 yards to go and Mike said...okay over there. 14,000 yards. READY, GO! He was just kidding but we got a good pyramid set in with 4500 and I did a 50 warm down. I left to get FOOD and then hit the 24 hour fitness at Ocean Ranch.

I split the lane circle swimming with a good swimmer and an older aqua-robics lady. It worked out suprisingly well and I chatted with the swimmer a bit in the middle. The aqua-robics lady, her mom...was scheduled to have heart surgery later this week. We chatted about how agressive and mean non-swimmers who take up swimming can be. It was a pleasant interlude. The last few thousand yards were tough and the sun felt harsh. My skin really hurts.

I was happy to finish it out though and did a "gratitude 100 IM" to the gods at the end.

I had a message when I was done from Jay Sagen at Coastline Community College. I will be in an art show in March and he needed me to get my work over there. Good thing it was a short day! An image of my work will be on the mailer too! Cool!

Marching on!

I'm not like this in real life

The February Fitness Challenge is almost over. This evening started out super-crowded and suddenly I noticed I was the only one in the pool...for a very long time. The Friday guard was not sad to see me go that is for sure!
I have suffered aches, pains, cuts, rashes, burns, and general oddness just to break my 50-54W age group record. My last year's mark was 240.1. The record for my new age group was 262 miles...I am at 351.9 miles now. 8.1 more miles and I will call it finished. 360 miles sounds good. A mile for every degree in a circle.
I saw Jim Fitzpatrick (the alltime record holder for this event) at the beginning of this swim in the far lanes at the LBHS pool (never seen him in chlorine before) and then remembered him saying at the outset of his Catalina to OC swim: "I'm not like this in real life". I thought that was the height of absurdity then, but I think I get a sense of this now, because I am not like this in real life.
But I have the keys to my new place now so time to move soon!

People I get to swim with

How cool that I got to share a lane with Pat Sparkuhl the other day. He is a local mixed media artist who I am fond of:
http://www.patsparkuhl.com/
I also saw Marlo Bartels (wow he is tall). He is a local tile artist and his works are easily recognizable all over Laguna Beach:
http://www.marlobartels.com/
I also ran into David-who-paints-backdrops-at-the-Pageant-Of-The-Masters. His stroke has improved alot over the last year!
Community pools are interesting. There is such a huge mix of swimming styles and abilities. I think I have gotten spoiled swimming with Masters Swimmers who (mostly) have a clean style and have lane etiquette thing down. today I shared a lane with the "Human Tsunami"; his jerky, spasmodic stroke created a gigantic chop and caused me to alter my breathing to the other side and I tried to consider it faux-open-water training. Later on in the day, I got stuck in a aftershave slick. You know those guys that have some thick smelling 70's fragrance slathered all over (Brut, anyone?), and usually have some big bling chain to top it off. In the water, up your nose that smell is just nasty. I also had one of those "Lane Joggers" next to me. The ones in the floaty belts, positioned upright, flailing their legs about as if they might go somewhere soon.
I ended the day as the last lap swimmer between 2 lanes of waterpolo kids. This meant occasional balls in my lane and sometimes a dozen or more tangles of ten-year-olds swimming beneath me like animate seaweed.
I am at 336.39 miles (592,050 yards) with 2 days left to go in the February Fitness Challenge. This has been tough and my skin hurts.
I need to go get some food now!

Mind versus Body

Last night I had guests drop in. My good friends, Randie (a soapmaker and owner of an all-natural bath and body care products line: http://www.randhillnaturals.com/ ) and Neil (a talented and creative photographer: http://www.rankinsphotography.net/ )


They will be moving from Carpinteria to Crescent City next week. I will miss them very much. They have been wonderful hosts when I had swimming events in the Santa Barbara area. I decided to start the swimming day a little late to have breakfast with my them. I ended up doing 24,500 today...Marcy's wicked set (18,200) plus 4x1500, and 300 wd. It all boiled down to the mind and body arguing over the last 1500.

B: No way, can I pull out another 1500, I'm spent! Toast! Burnt!
M: Hmmm, what if we throw in fins?
B: Fins and paddles?
M: You hate those sets! Why now?
B: I'm tired...oh and make every other 100 kick with board.
M: So you'll do the 1500 then?
B: And I want more beer!
M: Well...you do need the calories.
But then you'll have to do a 300 toyless warmdown to stretch out. For the beer!
B: Ugh...


Today I surpassed my age group (W50-54) record of 262 miles held since 1996! I am at 269.15 miles (or 473,700 yards).

Just another day...

THIS was more of a typical Southern California sun-shiney day! Far too sunny. Far too bright. Far too intense. I have started wearing a long sleeve rash guard to protect myself from the rays.
I ran into Stephanie K. of http://www.zswimwear.com/ at Laguna Beach Community Pool today (sorry Steph...that felt like it hurt!).
Ugh...I am trying out a supplement my Dad recommended called Xtend. I bought "Refreshing Lemonade"...it tastes harsh, like you might imagine a citrus floor cleaning product and I am drinking it. Yuck. Sigh...supposed to be good for you? I don't know.
We got chased out of the pool for a girl's CIF waterpolo thing early...sigh! I was 1,977 yards shy of breaking my last year's personal record for the February Fitness Challenge. I got back into the pool early at 6pm and hit my last year's record around 6:40 pm. I am now at 427,000 yards or 242.6 miles. I think my goal is still 300 miles, but we will see.
I have some house guests arriving tomorrow evening, so may have to shift priorities for a day or two. They understand my obsession though!

What day is this?

I'm loosing track of days and without the workday regimen it is all blending together. Today it was cold and rainy. The water felt cold. the rain on my back felt cold. I could smell fires from fireplaces and imagined this would be a really nice day to curl up with a book in front of a fire next to someone...but none of that. I get to swim. Today is the day I topped 200 miles.
I swam 27,350 yards and hit 382,200 yards or 203.98 miles. I think my goal is 300 miles, but better just to say the goal is "to finish" (Jim McConica said that was his goal on his 2008 Anacapa swim; I liked that).
I ran into Catalina channel aspirant Beth Weber at LBHS this evening and the thought of swimming the channel somehow gave me renewed energy (though I think I need to ice my shoulders now).
I was thinking of renaming the days of the week for us atemporal types...Whatday, Whoseday, Whenday, Worseday, Whyday, Betterday, Huh(?)day.
Twelve more days in this month...I guess I am not so atemporal after all. Twelve more days of this swimming mania and twelve more days until I move!

Valentines Randomness

Today I only swam 15,000 yards, but I was able to pick up a small paying freelance gig that will cover gas and food for a few weeks! I am tired and my skin hurts and I need the break anyways. I have ventured up to Long Beach for this opportunity and thought that I would have been able to hit the lap swim at Belmont Plaza Pool...But alas, Belmont was not. The ominous "Meet Parking This Way" sign gave a hint of lack of accessibility. Rats!
I ended up hitting the evening swim at LBHS. Tressa, one of the managing guards let me swim a little longer. They all know me now. It is kind of fun to have a cheerleading section with my February swim. It was neat that one of the guards, Peter...acknowledged that my stroke was improved over last year!
I gave a spare cap to a woman that had forgotten hers today. I gave my "Swim For Life Foundation" silicon cap to Alicia. I have been stuck capless before so it felt good to help someone else out!
I also saw my future neighbor Patsee, swimming. She has joined Nova Masters but is recovering from rotator cuff surgery...you wouldn't know it but she is 60 going on 6! Super energy and I am so happy to get to have her as a neighbor and future ocean swimming partner!
I am at 308,650 yards or 175.something miles. My goal is 300, I think...barring injury I may make it?

Monday, Monday...

A quick note about my toughest day (February 9th) so far this month! I went to Novas for my first swim of the day and got in 3,650 yards. I left for LBHS and only got an hour in before we had to leave the pool for thunder. I decided to go to an indoor 24-hour fitness (near Spectrum) and met up with another aqua-robics class. I had to wait 20 minutes to get in. I only lasted 2 hours in that pool. I couldn't stop sneezing and my skin felt as if it was on fire! It also burned off all my arm hair. I only got in 12,800 yards but decided that was enough for the day!

The Sign Says...

The LBHS pool is across the street from a church. Last week when I went to swim the six "Pool Patrons Only" spots were taken up with gigantic SUVs that didn't say "swimmer" to me. This morning I went over to the pool at 9:30am (the pool opens at 10am on Sundays). Partially to get a spot and partially to see who was taking up the swimmer's spots. I was leaning toward a passive-aggressive approach like citations from youparklikeanasshole.com but then I decided to do direct confrontation. Nothing hits a church person like the naughty finger! (that is your index finger waving side to side).

The first car that drove in was obviously church-goers...I looked at them with huge eyes and pointed to the Pool Patron sign and they left the lot. I explained to the passengers in next three vehicles, that the pool was open at 10am, etc, etc...they left and found other parking. More church-goers with large families arrived and pretty much ignored me. I heard one person say "I just don't care". The last confrontation was with a couple that pulled up in their cream colored Escalade. Just a man and a woman (with no kids...obviously not doing their church-relatied duties). I explained to them that they were, in essence "stealing" from others...the woman (dressed in a bizarre designer frock with a weird collar and shoes with 6" contortionist heels) meekly said "thank you" as they trotted off to church and while staying in the Pool Patron spot.
I should have asked them to say a prayer for the swimmers that they were stealing parking spots from...

So as of today I am at 192,900 yards and 109.6 miles (100 miles was my goal last year)

Friday Night - PAAARRRTTTYYYY!!!

Hey Friday Night! Time to party! Let loose! have some fun!

WOO HOO!

Well no...I am at the Laguna Beach Community Pool swimming my third workout of the day. In fact, I am the only swimmer and feel a tiny bit self-conscious.

I don't look up but I can almost feel the glare of the somewhat curmudgeonly guard waiting for me to call it quits. It is raining...no it is pouring. The drops on my back are so fast, huge and cold I wonder if it will turn to hail?



I am in a perfect zone though. I could swim this rate forever...Pulling up and down some pyramids...500, 400, 300, 200, 100, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 500, 400, 300...then an unexpected WHACK!!! on my feet...
"Gotta get out now!" The guard says "I heard rolling thunder twice and I'd hate to see you fried". I hop out of the pool and dash to the showers. I have never-ever heard of anyone in a pool getting electrocuted from lightening. I think tonight it may have been just a lifeguard who really wanted to go home!

Workarounds

I have been told, over and over and over again that when you start out too hard, you're bound to get hurt. I guess that holds true in in more areas than just swimming...
So a couple of days ago I strained my triceps muscle. I thought it was just lactic acid soreness and tried to power through it but that made it worse. I had to reduce my yardage the other day. I changed out some of my workout yesterday for kicking and one-arm pulling.
Julia (a friend on Novaquatics who is a physical therapist) said it did not feel serious. I just need to give it a rest (rats!) I will hold to my schedule of kicking. I will make it to my goal (whatever that is) it may just take a little longer than I had planned!

Transitions and (small) Disappointments

Yesterday was the last day at my old job. I probably should have felt more emotional for such a passage, but 2/3s of the employees have been let go prior to me (and I was chair of the Employee of the Month Committee!). But I was too zoned out from having swam 24,000 yards before that.
A friend had me over for dinner (that sounds funny...eh hem) and then I went to bed early.

This morning I thought I was going to be putting in a BIG day, but my body told me otherwise! I did a double workout with Irvine Novaquatics. My left triceps hurt terribly. I am almost giddy that my shoulders feel strong and intact but the muscle thing was killing me. I did 7200 between the two workouts and went home and iced my arm.
I went to 24 Hour Fitness for the next workout after that but the arm pain wouldn't go away. I did another 9100 and decided to call it quits for the day. I am icing and heating the arm now...I expect it to be fine tomorrow (positive energy!)
:)

Obstacles

This morning, I did a double workout with Irvine Novas and got in a 6,600 yards between the two workouts. I had to go into work after that to clear a few more things out of my cubicle/my home-away-from-home and tried not to get too teary-eyed.

After that I was trying to figure out where to get the next workout in...Novas, LBHS or 24-Hour Fitness. I opted for the 24-Hour, because I thought I would get the longer time-chunk to swim. Unfortunately I was met by a pool of bobbing apple-doll people, taking up all 2.5 lanes of the outdoor 25-yard pool.

"Join us!" they said. No thank you., not unless I could reasonably convert the vertical thrust to a horizontal yardage? I had to wait a half an hour for the ladies to exit the pool and the lane lines to be reset.

When I finally did get to swim (1 wicked 18,200 set plus an easy 200) I had an odd series of lanemates: big Splashy guys (BSGs), Lane runners and bobbers, 2-length sprinters (then off to the jacuzzi). It was mostly entertaining, but a little distracting. I think next time I will just hit the Nova pool...

Superbowl Sunday

I had my base workout planned from Channel Swimmer's group - I have a feeling I will be using this alot!
Marcy's wicked Workout x 2!
1 x 600 (9:00) 600
2 x 550 (8:15) 1100/1700
3 x 500 (7:30) 1500/3200
4 x 450 (6:45) 1800/5000
5 x 400 (6:00) 2000/7000
6 x 350 (5:15) 2100/9100
7 x 300 (4:30) 2100/11200
8 x 250 (3:45) 2000/13200
9 x 200 (3:00) 1800/15000
10 x 150 (2:20) 1500/16500
11 x 100 (1:35) 1100/17600
12 x 50 (:50) OVER... YIPPEE 600/18200

I got up early and swam at 24 Hour Fitness (Ocean Ranch with an Outdoor Pool). I was the only one there so I used my MP3 player (Smashing Pumpkins, Hole, Radiohead, a friend's music, etc). It was cool watching the sky change and as the sun warmed the sage on the hillside there was an incredible fragrance! I swam from 5:45 to 8:45 and did 11,200 yards (end of round 7).
Dashed home to grab some Tylenol and made it to Laguna Beach Community Pool at 10:15. I was disappointed to find the spots labeled "Pool Patron Only" filled by cars from the adjacent (unnamed sect) church so had to find parking and hike to the pool. I swam from 10:30-3:00pm and did 16,100!
I drove to Trader Joe's to get some food and went home. I thought I was going to nap, but that didn't happen. I drove back to 24 Hour Fitness and finished 9,700 yards in 3 hours. I finished the second round of Marcy's set and then 300, 200, 100 to round it off to 37,000 or 21 miles.
10.5 hours and 37,000 yards!
I am icing my shoulders now and trying to eat. I wonder who won Superbowl?

I hope I don't hate myself in the morning!