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Training News
July 2008 |
July 8, 2008:
Watch Your Toes
Continuous traveling over the past month has made me homesick. The Atlantic was warm but full of stinging jellyfish and Lake Erie was jam-packed with twigs, logs, trees, and drunken idiot boaters. Needless to say, the warm SoCal sunshine welcomed me back this morning.
I met up with training partner Jim Fitzpatrick at our usual Corona Del Mar spot for a quick 2 hour adventure. Eager to get going, I suited up as fast as possible and began wading through the water. Jim, just a bit behind me yelled out "Dave! Remember to shuffle your feet!"
How could have I forgot? My favorite training spot that I have spent countless hours at was also notorious for Sting Rays. Since the cove is protected from the waves, these passive aggressive dudes embed themselves about 2 inches under the sand. When unsuspecting tourists, or overexcited swimmers get in to quickly, they usually end up with a 6 inch barb from the tail of a Sting Ray in their foot.
The water was clear and I closely stared at my feet for the last 10 yards. The vibrations through the sand startled roughly a dozen Rays and they scampered away. Some of the most dangerous animals in the ocean are right under my nose...
The water was clean, cool and smooth and soon I was joined by some familiar faces: huge kelp forests, schools of brightly colored fish, and the infamous pelicans.
Cali Bound and Down.
-Dave
July 16, 2008:
Race Weekend
After never competing in an open water swimming event, I was somehow thrown into 3 events this weekend. Saturday consisted of a 1 and 3 mile race in Seal Beach. The 6am alarm is never welcomed however I was stoked to know I would be competing against hundreds of others.
Race 1- the 3 miler: The morning started off beautifully--- the ocean was flat and a balmy 66 degrees. Lynne Cox, an open water swimming legend, watched on as a pack of anxiety driven, half naked, vasoline greased bodies jumped up and down on the sand waiting for the starting gun.
The shot was fired and I found myself sprinting through the surf, dodging bodies left and right. People were tripping and falling everywhere---I had to hurdle step about a half dozen individuals before making it into the clear. I found my pace and then I found my Stand Up Paddler----> Scotty. He guided me around each bouy throughout the entire race. By this time the chop and picked up making the bouys hard to see--- so most other swimmers were Wayyyy off course. I ended up catching a decent wave and body surfed directly into the sand, crossing the line in 1 hour and 2 minutes.
Race 2- the 1 miler: I need to precurse this with a quick story about Chris Roberts, my training partner. About 5 weeks ago Chris was mountain biking in Denver when he flew head over heels while bombing down a mountain. Long story short, Chris need minor hand surgery to repair a torn tendon is his thumb. Through the crash, surgery, and recovery, it's been 5 weeks since he saw water. Chris' hand surgeoun took off his cast this past friday and then explained to Chris he needed to stay out of the water for another week to prevent infection. Chris, being the stubborn person that he is, decided to jump in with me for the 1 miler. A nice course that allowed Chris and I to re-connect after several weeks of solo swimming.
Race 3- the Santa Barbara 6 miler: This race has history of sending people to the hospital. Forrest Nelson, a friend of mine, and an amazing open water swimmer had once told a story regarding his extreme hypothermia ambulance ride to the hospital. Basically if you're not careful...this race can eat you alive. Greasing up at the race start, a fellow NOVA swimmer Jen Schumacher and I began discussing our plan of attack for the swim. I took my starting position and entered the Low 60 degree water with a bit of caution. I was soon joined by 2 familar faces--- Brian and Scott. A bit hungover from the night before, they both rallied to put a smile on there face and paddle me to the finish line. The water was clean with 20 foot + visability. The kelp beds were alive with schools of fish that glimmered amber colors from the sun...gorgeous.
With a backdrop of Santa Barbara wildfires the course headed south from Goleta Beach to Arroyo Beach. We were joined by dolphins and seals, curious enough to come within an arms reach. The wind picked up as well as the swell and increased the difficulty a bit torward the end of the swim but posed just a minor threat as Jen, he sister Kate, and I finished in 2 hours and 10 minutes. At the finish line we were greeted with hugs, hawaiin necklaces, bagels, and kegs of beer. Tired but satisfied, we sat on the beach, chatted about the race and had some refreshments...Brian and Scott did not have any beers.
With an anxious 1 month to go,
Dave
July 26, 2008:
Endurance Swim Weekend
These 5:30 am wake up calls have got to go. I thought weekend mornings were for sleeping in, power pancakes, and cartoons- wrong. Stuffing granola and soy milk down my throat as Defro and Scotty strapped the kayak and paddle board to the roof of the car I found myself excited and focused for today's 12 miler, the furthest I've ever swam. We arrived at Corona Del Mar main beach and were greeted by Jen and Chris with smiling faces. Both were joining up for the first 9 miles this morning; I was overjoyed...our crew is growing. We shuffled through the sand and into the surf being careful not to step on the anti-social sting rays. We enjoyed the windless morning and the warm sun, no chop-- The Pacific Lake was giving me a break. After our first hour another incredible swimmer, Jim Fitzpatrick, attached to the pack for the next 7 miles.
The water was unusually clear with 30 foot visibility- a clear blue water that allowed us to observe an abundance of sea life including schools of fish, enormous kelp forests, several dolphins, a gorgeous reef, and last but not least a rather obese harbor seal. Defro later explained to me that it was larger than most dolphins we've encountered, holding the circumference of a small family sedan. Making our way south and brushing the outskirts of Laguna Beach we made a u-turn just past Crystal Cove State Park and headed back with the current. Shaving close to 30 minutes off our first leg of the swim- I scoped the beach which was jam-packed with vacationers, lifeguards, locals trying to stay cool; I could almost taste the sunscreen. With little to no stoppage time, Defro and I continued back for another 3 mile swim. Nearing the end, I could see the lifeguard boat power over to Defro and his kayak and by the time I picked my head up for another breath...he was gone. He had been expelled from the swim area and made his way through the harbor to meet up with Scott. With a bit under 6 hours under my belt (or speedo I guess) we called it a day.
"If it was easy then everybody would be doin' it"
-Old Man Dan (My Dad)
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