28Sep12- WFPBC

Around this time last year, Gordon and I were standing alone after a swim in the GSL chatting.  A thought had crossed my mind but he came right out and said it.  "How would you feel about coming down here once a week for the whole winter for a swim"?  I was already in!  Last year was a great success and on that note...........
The new winter season for the Wasatch Front Polar Bear Club is almost here!  I'll admit I'm pretty excited about it.  I plan on doing a lot of cold water swimming this year and 1Oct is when the season begins.  We will all meet every Thursday at the Saltair marina throughout the whole winter until the end of March.  COME JOIN US!!!  I plan on going out on most Tuesdays and Saturdays from the Antelope marina.
Since we are trying to get more people out to join us (and a CASH prize didn't work!), we are going to offer special made silicone swim caps.  There will be requirements to get one.  These caps will not be given out for just showing up.  They must be earned.  This is to hopefully get people to come out more than once and for us to make new friends with swimming.  There really is a special bond with people who do these swims together.

 Only ONE requirement met is needed to get a cap!  The requriements will be:

4 ways to get a cap: 

1. 5 jumps into the water when it's under 50. Must go fully under. No time limit.  You can just run in, dunk, and run out. Must be on 5 seperate dates.

2. 10 min swimming up to neck under 50 degrees. I'm not going to require a full head submersion for swimming ones. If you do heads up breast stroke for the whole swim, it will count.

3. 5 min swimming under 40 degrees

4. 2 min swimming under 35 degrees

**************Allowed to wear for qualifying*********************

Any goggles

Any cap including thermal - we all did it last year!

brief or thigh covering speedo

thermal gloves

thermal booties or small fins like Jim wears

*****************NOT allowed*************************

torso wetsuit

more than 2 caps at a time

long fins

Those that want to get into to IISA (like I'm training for), those are a seperate set of rules. 

The 5 "founding members" are Gordon Gridley, Josh and Jake Green, Jim Hubbard, and Goody Tyler IV.  We will be the one who validate all swims and will reward the cold water swimmer accordingly.

No "honorary caps" will be given for any A-list swimmer that comes and joins us.  They must earn theirs too like everyone else.

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT SAFETY IS STILL OF THE HIGHEST IMPORTANCE. 

Everyone is encouraged to join us and I sincerely hope we get 100 people a week showing up!  BUT if anyone is swimming beyond their ability or starts showing any signs of the cold getting to them, they will be pulled immediately and the swim will not count.  Your life is NOT worth a swim cap!

Be responsible too please!  Bring lots of warm clothes, towels, and some blankets with you if you are new to this.  There is a MAJOR adjustment period and the best way to get better at cold water swimming and tolerance of it is coming out regularly. 

We will have a kayak with us if needed and life saving devices.  All new swimmers will get a safety briefing on where to swim, how to swim, when to get out and proper warm up procedures.  (Yes, warming up the wrong way can kill you!!!)

A complete safety list is being made and all the founding WFPBC members will have a copy with them at every swim.  This is to ensure that proper safety measures are followed for every swim.

Let the season of red skin and "anatomy change" BEGIN!!!!

24Sep12 - Announcement

I'm done with training for awhile.  The OWHOF conference this weekend was great.  I got to meet a TON of people I admire and got to refocus myself on some swimming ideas.  I was getting a bit behind on my end of year goal of 500 miles.  If  I were to meet that goal, I'd have to swim daily over 4000 yards.  Just like last year, mentally I need a break.  I still love swimming but it's becoming a chore now instead of something I love and look forward to doing.  I still plan on swimming but getting up daily to "get my yards in" just so I can say for 2 seconds that I hit 500 miles isn't worth it to me.  I'll go over 400 which is still good.  I'm going to prep myself for cold water swimming soon.
My main thought is that if I keep going the way I am with yards per day to meet my end of year goal, by the time I get the goal, it will be a new year and I'm going to start training seriously again for more marathon swims.  I would be burned out for sure and it would take a serious toll on my training or care of swimming for next summer.
I'll still get up to swim once and awhile so I don't completely lose it but I just need a break to let my body 100% recover from all the work this year...(I still feel some aches that I know I've gotten from so much swimming the past few months) and to let my mind relax from thinking about swimming so much.  I've talked with other ultra marathon swimmers and they say they all do the same thing.  Some even take several months off with ZERO swimming to relax their mind and let their body fully reset.  I'm just going to take a few lights months is all.
I still consider this year a better year than last year.  I've gone farther than ever before for miles accumulated for the year, had some AMAZING swims with some of the best friends in swimmig I could ever hope for, and had my heard DESTROYED by swimming too.  Good year overall.
I'll still post when I've done swim workouts.  I'm not cashing it all in by any means, I'm just going to pull the reins back some is all.

20Sep12

Got in around 0430 and just swam.  I just focused on going non stop until Karen showed up at 0500.  I got in over 30 laps when she arrived.  It was nice to just swim with not worrying about intervals or anything else.  Helped her swim some more while I swam more too.
I don't know exactly what I did but it was mainly slow 50's then some butterfly mixed in.

2500 total

19Sep12

In the pool at 0430.

500 WU
250 K
250 Pull

 I then did butterfly by the 25 or 50 nice and easy.  Karen showed up a bit after 0500 so I was helping her and doing some of my own swimming.  I did get some hypoxic training in which was nice.  Hurt like hell but I did it.  I also did a 100 fly trying to go SLOW.  I ended up with 1:35.  2 thoughts occurred to me when I saw this time:
1) I was seriously trying to go slow and even did a dead man float for 1/2 second after each pull and I barely did a 1 stroke kick and not once did a 2 kick per stroke like you are supposed to but still got a decent time, so even when trying to go slow, I still end up with a good pace.
2) Maybe I should have been a butterfly guy this whole time!  The way I'm built, if I had actually trained to be a flyer, I maybe could have been a serious competitor in fly events.  (Not just locally)
 The 100 fly didn't make me tired.  I'm going to start stepping up my total fly I do each workout and the total distance I'll go without stopping each week.  I was planning on starting this in January but I don't mind doing fly and it mixes up the HORRIBLE boredom of pool swimming.

I stopped with 50 clicks on my finger timer so 2500 total today.

18Sep12

Getting up today wasn't that bad.  I was not "eager" to get to the pool but it didn't seem to be as much of a chore as yesterday.  I'm hoping this trend continues.
I decided to keep it easy for memory.
Ladders by 50 up to 400 repeat then back down.
This left me at 3600
I did 200 fly broken up by 25's with :10 RI - Held the stroke well but it was a bit tough.  I'm REALLY hoping that I can look back at this in a few months and laugh that I "struggled" to do 200 fly.
I then did 100 IM then 100 CD

4000 total

Decent workout today.  One MAJOR problem today was that the pool seemed hotter than normal.  The air was hot also.  I opened a bay door a tad to let some cool air in  Near the end of the workout, another swimmer got out and closed it.  I only had 200 left but the heat was still getting to me.  I got out and opened it again.  This made her mad.  Sorry lady but I'm slowing down considerably due to the heat and I'm getting a TINY bit light headed.  I had a drink with me but it wasn't helping anymore.  The Ogden Athletic Club pool is just too hot for me.  It's becoming a bigger problem and I'm flirting with the idea of finding another pool where the temp isn't below "hardboil and egg" temp.
It's just unhealthy.
We all have our fantasies about what we would do if we were rich or had a million bucks.  Honestly, my #1 thing I'd do is make a 25M or 50M pool that's only 2 or 3 lanes and keep it at a cool temp.  Lap swimmers ONLY would be allowed in  The temp would be at MOST 65 and lowest around 58.  If it's too cold for you, then swim elsewhere.  I'd charge a minimal fee to use the pool but as long as you were swimming, you could be in as long as you want.  ANY complaint about the temp and I would give you your money back then ban you for life.  I'm really hoping I can do this one day.  Being able to swim in a 50 M pool that is 65 degrees as long as I want would be fantastic!  Hell, I'd even allow some of my close swimming buddies to swim there for free because I know they would never whine about the temp!  They'd LOVE it!!!  My kind of peeps.
It just annoys me at times when I'm lying down by the open door letting 50 degree air blow on me when I'm wet just so I can cool off from the pool and people are complaining they are cold.

17Sep12

Despite only getting to bed at midnight last night because of a sick kid, I still go up at 0400 and was at the pool at 0430.  I'm sure the Z-Monster will come get me around 1500 today. 
Did 500 WU
250K
250 Swim
Then did some 50 fly nice and easy with plenty of rest between 50's.  Just seeing what my time is.  When I swam slow with minimal effort, I got :46.  This actually surprised me.  I then decided to try a 50 as slow as possible and got :53.  I was trying to get it to a minute but was still :07 under.  Oh well.  It was a fun experiment.
Around 0500, Karen showed up.  Since the Army had us move away from each other so many years ago, we average about one lesson every 3-4 years.  Her last lesson was 2 years ago.  We used to swim together a couple of times a week when we were stationed together but life happens.  It's fun regardless swimming with her.  She kept going on and on about how terrible she was going to be.  Amazingly enough she was pretty good.  I just swam easy 50's mostly underwater watching her stroke then giving her some drill work.  Since my muscle effort was at a minimum, I decided to do some hypoxic training so I could get something out of it.  I limited how often I would breath with every 25/50.  This was great and my lungs were kinda pissed at me towards the end.  GOOD!
Karen takes instruction pretty well and genuinely tries to do what I tell her to do.  The altitude was getting to her and her breathing was pretty labored near the end.  She hung in there and swam pretty evenly throughout.  Nice job Karen!
Finished with 2000 total.  I'm officially behind my pace for my 500 miles before the end of the year goal.  I'm going to have to swim more often and for more yards each time.

2000 yards 

15Sep12 - GSL

Picked Kim up today at 0600 with my long time friend Karen.  Karen is in town for a week and visiting and she wanted to paddle for one of my swims.  I won't say how long we've been friends since I don't want her to punch me but lets just say it's been awhile!

Starting off

 Got to the GSL on Antelope Island around 0645 and we got ready.  It was a BEAUTIFUL day and the sun was just creeping over the mountains as we were getting in.  The water was a bit chilly but by the time I took 5 strokes, I was fine.

Hour 1

Seriously, is there anything more beautiful to be looking at while swimming?

We got out of the marina cove and into the GSL.  We decided to head NW for an hour and 1/2 then just turn around and come back.  We had about a 1/2 knot push behind us which was nice.  After the first few minutes of swimming, Kim was slowing down quite a bit sporadically.  She said that the some of the short cold currents we were going through were really bothering her.  She pushed on and after the first hour, we decided to head east against the current so our swim back to the marina wouldn't be as bad.  It was pretty choppy and I could definitely feel that I had to swim harder to move.

Doin' some fly!

 I was having a BLAST.  I did some butterfly for awhile, backstroke, side stroke, and I even chocked on water because I was laughing at how much fun I was having.  We were getting tossed all over the place and I was loving it.  I was alone in that boat.  Kim was not having fun and started to struggle.  She was taking in water and water kept going up her nose.  GSL water in your nose is BAD...  After an hour we headed back to the marina.  Kim said she was done and wanted to head in.  She felt bad that we were cutting our swim short but I could care less when safety is concerned.  After a few minutes, Kim really started to feel bad and pulled up thinking she was going to throw up.  I swam up next to her and told her to "go for it" because it would make her feel better.  She kept trying to swim but she got worse and worse.  Finally Karen suggested that Kim hold on to the back of the kayak and she would "tow" her in.  Kim accepted and I was solo swimming while Karen paddled with the most "unique rudder" I've ever seen!

Isn't that nice!  Karen was struggling so Kim helped push her along. hehe

 This did allow me to pick it up some but soon it was apparent that I needed to slow down to stay with Karen and Kim because pulling someone while going into a current tends to slow you down.  The water got progressively calmer as we got closer.  When we got inside the cove, Kim let go and took off in a full sprint to the boat ramp.  She was freezing and Karen ditched us because she had needed to relieve herself for the past 2 hours!  We all finished up and my total distance was 5.2 miles.  It was a bit shorter than I had planned but safety is most important so I honestly did not care.

Hour 2 of her "getting in"!

Back floating Karen

Once Karen was ready, she wanted to HONESTLY say she has swam in the GSL.  She had a suit on and got in....it took FOREVER....but she eventually got in.  She did a back float then a short doggie paddle swim about 10 feet.  It counts!  I then talked her into putting a mouth full of GSL water and immediately spitting it out.  She reacted like most people do.  "THAT'S DISGUSTING!  How do you swim in this for so long"?
Ahhh, the GSL.  She ain't much to look at and she smells a bit, but she's my baby!

Total today was 5.2 OW

DONE!

11Sep12

Met Kim at 0500 again today.
Almost same workout as yesterday but didn't end on a silly number this time.

500 WU
500 K
500 Pull N/S
200 swim
200 IM
200 swim
200 mixed by 50 fly, 50 back, 50 fly, 50 free
200 free CD

2500 total

Anne met up with us at 0530 but she did her own thing.  All 3 of us did chat for a bit.  I have a scheme in my head of a swim I want to do for next year but it's going to take some planning and some SERIOUS training on my end.  Anne and Kim know of it because it would involve them but both are nice enough to keep quiet about it for now.  If it looks like it's going to happen, I'll announce it on my "Swimmers New Years Resolutions" post on 1Jan13.

I need to keep going to the pool and doing at least 2k daily.  Last month I was 20 miles ahead of pace for my end of year goal.  Now I'm right at it or a TINY bit behind before adding my yards each day.  I was hoping to be done by the end of Nov so I could take all of Dec completely off but I'll have to figure some distances out if that's going to happen.

10Sep12

Met Kim at the pool at 0500.  Just going to do some medium workouts each day so I keep my arms moving but don't push it too much to make me tired for Saturday.

500 WU - tried to start a bit faster than normal to represent what it will be like on Sat
500 K
500 Pull - negative split.  Did a good pace for 2nd 250
100 swim
100 IM - normal
100 swim
100 IM - fast
100 - LITTLE hypoxic training doing 3-5-3 breathing for last 100
100 CD

2100 total....HATE ending on such a stupid number.  lol

7Sep12 - GSL

I returned to my favorite lake today.  It's been awhile since I've been in the Great Salt Lake and I forgot how much I missed it.  She's just such a unique and beautiful body of water.  I also forgot how tough it is to swim in there!  I immediately found 2 hot spots where I didn't put enough grease on.  I had to change my breathing pattern back to minimal exposure in water again.  The brine shrimp were pretty good size and they were EVERYWHERE.  The flies weren't so bad but I had to breathe out of my armpit if I didn't want to eat a few on accident....which I did.  yuck!
Did a Gridley Straight then back.  It was such a beautiful day.  I could have gone for more but the last 1/4 mile, all I could think about was food!  That's normally my queue that I'm about to crash if I don't get some in me soon.  Finished well and did whole thing in under an hour.  No one to chat with so I just got right to it.
I'd recommend waiting a bit longer before going there.  Let the shrimp clear out some.  It was cloudy and filled with shrimp the whole swim.  It was great being in the lake again but conditions have definitely been better.

2 miles OW

Another thought kept popping into my head.  Soon......sooooooooooon it will be getting cold and the WFPBC will be back!!!  I'm going to take my training of cold water to the next level this year.  I did it last year for fun and bonding with my swim friends but this year I have definite goals.

6Sep12 - UGH!

Alarm went off at 0400 and I took my sweet time getting ready then to the pool.  Words can NOT express how unmotivated I was to swim today.  It was a constant battle to just get myself going.  I haven't felt this unwilling to swim in a LONG time.  If it wasn't for Bear Lake relay on the 15th, I would have gone back to bed.
Got in at 0445 and just made up my workout as I went along

1000 WU
500 K
100 swim
100 IM
100 swim
100 IM
100 swim
4 x 50 IM order with :10 RI
300 K
500 swim CD

3000 yards total

I really REALLY hope that as I keep getting up early to swim, it will be easier and I'll actually look forward to it like I did earlier this year.  If today's trend continues, it's going to be a hell of a challenge to meet my end of year goal.

3Sep12

Got up at 0500 and picked up Kim at 0530.  Met Anne in the Pineview parking lot just short of 0600.
Sun still wasn't up enough to see safely so we waited a bit.  We were also expecting Chad but he never showed.  Around 0620 we headed in.  Air was chilly but the water was warmer so it was nice getting in.
Did the dam route first.  I was STIFF going out and shoulders were pretty upset with me.  After one dam route we did a buoy route then another dam route.  I could definitely feel the effects of my fasting yesterday.  My arms were just heavy the whole time.  I did feel good going out to the dam the 2nd time and was swimming well but my stomach cramped bad near the stop line and I had to "take care of it"....I hope this isn't becoming a habit!
Got done and my arms were pretty shot.  Kim was wiped out too.  Really glad I did it but man I'm tired now.

4.6 miles OW