27Mar13

Was at the pool around 0500.  I had a rough sleep last night.  I kept waking up every few hours to drink a large glass of water.  Was still thirsty when I woke up and tired.  Got in and did some easy 50's then some easy 100's.  Annie came in soon after and wanted me to make up a workout for her.  Did another 100 and came up with something for her to do.  We did some 50's of kicking together and chatted some.
One thing I was having her do was some IM's so I figured I would try a 100 IM just to see what happens.  I went nice and easy and did fine.  I was really tired at the end but swam it better than expected.  Swam a bit more mainly doing 100's.  Time ran out and I was too tired to try for more anyhow.

1200 yards today.

Forgot to mention Monday that there has been a woman that swims at the pool really early that I see often.  Her name is Jackie (I hope that's spelled right) and she's training for a 1/2 Ironman in a few months.  I'm trying to convince her to come swim with us in the GSL and even try the 1 mile event.  She's very friendly and seems like an easy person to get along with.  Annie and I hope she joins us so she can enjoy the greatness that is open water swimming.  (yes, I'm biased!)

26Mar13 - Modeling day!

Met Gords, Josh, and Sue at the GSL today at 1630.  I also met a lady from the U of U press who wanted to take some pictures of me.  (Her name is slipping my mind for some reason.)  We all went down to the boat ramp and she started snapping away at pictures.  She wanted me to stand at the waters edge while everyone else got in.  As my friends were swimming away, she had me do several "poses" and took what felt like 1000 pictures of me.  I don't consider myself to be photogenic or even remotely attractive so standing there getting my picture taken over and over was a bit "unusual" for my comfort zone.  I did what she asked then was given the green light to go in.  As I was getting in, Sue was getting out.  I did a silly pose for Sue and she got a pic of it.

Soak it in ladies!

Met up with Josh and he decided to do another lap to hang out with me.  Gords was on lap three and the three of us met up at the end of the marina to chat a second and take another pic.

Josh, me, and Gords

When I got back, the photographer wanted to take some pics of me in the water.  Once again, I had to pose but this time while floating.  "Move your arms here, tilt your head this way, come closer, back up, smile more, stop mooning me", stuff like that over and over.
I got out and we chatted a bit as Gords took off.  I was chilly and had an appointment to keep so I headed to the marina shower.  Josh was there when I arrived and we chatted a bit about how nice it was to be back in the cold water together again.
Josh hurriedly left after I kept asking him to help wash me.  :)  When I got out, Gentry from the U of U press was there.  He was supposed to be there when we did our swim but was running late.  It was just by coincidence we met up...in the bathroom of all places!
We chatted some more and he wanted to take even more pictures of me....HOORAY!  He's taking my story as far as it will go apparently.  He wants to do a professional interview and some more video of me.  He was talking about submitting my story when it's been professionally edited to ESPN and other major papers and magazines.  He said that my story is something people are really interested in and I don't realize how much people are interested in my story.  I guess not.  I've never considered myself a big deal about anything.  We'll just see I guess.  I just am happy to help the U of U with anything to bring attention the the great help they've been given me.

400 yards OW

Here are the final pics from the shoot.

25Mar13

Met Kim at the pool at 0500.  My goal today was to do several 100's with 30 seconds rest.  I got 5 in then did a 500 kicking set by the 50's.  I was now at 1000 which has been my longest swim all year.  I had time and felt okay so I did another 300 REAL slow followed by a 150 then another 50.

1500 total today.  

I can feel myself getting a little better on going "longer" distances with sets but I still can't add any speed or touch sets to my workout yet.  Today I did the 300 and felt okay as long as I was going at an easier pace.  Any time I tried to pick it up some, my heart would immediately skyrocket up.  Still not quite there yet but I'm really happy that I got 1500 in.  Maybe I'll focus on just doing really slow but longer sets and completely forget about doing any kind of speed work for awhile.

21Mar13

Met Gords at the GSL marina at 1630.  Dr's appointment today didn't bring any solid answers and my mind has been going 100 MPH non stop since I left his office.  Some major decisions were supposed to be made but instead I have to wait another week for an answer.
I wanted something to give me a break and swimming always seems to do the trick.  Today was no exception.
We chatted a bit then got in.  Gords wanted to do 3 laps and my goal was just to do one.  I was happy with my tiny swim Tuesday but my body felt fine so I figured I would at least swim to halfway and see how I felt then hopefully do a full lap.
Gords took off and I soon waded in.  I adjusted quicker than I expected and did some real slow heads up breast and mixed in some dog paddle.  I was moving at snail speed but my body was moving a lot to be going so slow.  Didn't care!
At halfway I looked back and didn't want to go in yet.  My hands were a bit chilly but the rest of me felt fine.  I went to the end and Gords was at his 1 and 1/2 lap mark.  He stopped for a second and I just was starting out at the open lake.  "Isn't she beautiful"?  The GSL really is a magnificent body of water and I love swimming in it whenever I can.  I was just so happy to be out there again.  I would move my arms and legs real fast and then back down when I felt my heart rate getting too high.  I repeated this all the way back.
Slowly made my way back to the boat ramp.  When I got out, I felt fine.  I was a bit chilly from the wind but I wasn't cold from the water.
Glad I went today and glad I did one lap.  This is real progress for me.
Thanks Gords for letting me "talk you into" coming out.  It's great to share cold water with friends.

400 yards OW today at 53 degrees

20Mar13

Met Kim at 0600 today.  I have a Dr.'s appointment later so I got to "sleep in" a tiny bit.
10x50
4x50 kick
3x100
Another 1000 today

After my 2nd 100 I put Kim's fingers up to my throat so she could feel my pulse.  Her face changed immediately and she said, "Man, your heart is really pounding"!
I did talk to my Dr. today about it.  Turns out that I'm anemic right now so that is why my heart has such trouble when I try to exercise.  He said it will return to normal in time and exercising is good but to take it easy.

19Mar13

Went to the GSL today after work.  I met up with Gords, Sue, and Chad.  I got there early and spend several minutes just staring out at the water.  I almost teared up.  I was back at the lake I love.  I spent so much time thinking about the Great Salt Lake when I was going through chemo and all the swims I've done there and the countless more to come.  Being back today just made me realize how much I had missed her.
I took a temp reading and it was 53.  This time last year when the water broke 50, several of us went for a few miles because it was "warm" for us.  Well we have all slacked this winter and so all our cold endurance was gone.  53 was freezing to us!  How sad!!!  I got in first with Sue and we both made more noise than we should have.  Gords just looked nervous.
He got in and just took off like he normally does.  Chad, Sue, and I just stood there laughing at each other and ourselves for how soft we had become to the cold.
Sue took off after Gordon came in and started his 2nd lap.  I waited a bit and I finally took off.  I didn't have my goggles with me so I just did heads up breast to the end of the dock then back.  I didn't want to do anything risky.  Getting in then getting out there was enough.  No need to be stupid right now.  Chad finally got in after I came back and was floating on my back mocking him.

Me and Chad relaxing after our "swim"

I spent about 15 minutes total in the water.  11 of it whining and 4 of it actually IN the water!
I had more fun than can be described.  I was telling my wife how much fun it is to just be out there with my swim friends sharing the love we have for swimming with each other.  I truly missed it.

18Mar13

Was in the pool at 0520.  It was a bit rough getting out of bed this morning but I had made a mental commitment to do two things today.
1) swim
2) swim more than 500 yards
I got in and did 10 x 50 on the 1:15.  These weren't too bad but I did start to feel them a bit after lap 8.
I then did 2 x 50 kick  These wore me out a bit
2 x 100 easy
1 x 200 real easy

Grand total today was 1000 yards.  My finger counter hasn't seen the number 20 since 2012!  I was happy with how I did and felt I did a decent workout without going to the point that I felt like my heart was going to explode.
That was something I was talking to Patricia about yesterday and I'll need to chat with my Dr's about this week.
When I try to exercise, I feel my heart straining to the point where it hurts and I can feel it trying to beat out of my chest.  Is this because my heart took such a beating from chemo that it's weakened or is it because I'm so out of shape that my heart is just not used to putting forth effort like it used to and needs to be whipped back into shape.  I want to push myself past the "My heart feels like it's going to explode" phase but I'm worried that it was genuinely weakened from 20 rounds of poison being pumped directly into it so I better let it heal a bit more before working it too much.
I'll find out this week and go from there.

1000 yards today!

13Mar13

Was at the pool at 0520.  Met Annie there and she was already in the pool.  I've spent the last couple of days working on a weekly workout schedule for her to help her get ready for the GSL 8 miler.  She's excited to be doing her first true marathon swim and I'm excited to be helping her achieve this goal.  I'll also be her paddler which honestly makes me a bit sad to not be able to swim the event this year but I won't have recovered from more cancer surgery by that time.  I should be well enough to sit and paddle though....hopefully!
I'm still a little bit bitter about something that happened awhile ago.  I won't use names but there is another person that swims at the OAC on a somewhat regular basis.  Several months ago he made some negative remarks about the WFPBC and people that try to earn a cap.  If it's not your thing then fine.  Just don't sit there and trash it and our club or the people that like doing cold water swims or like being part of our group. I doubt it would ever happen but I would have some serious objections of this individual ever tried to join our SLOW club.  I just don't think we need any back biting jerks in our group.
ANYHOW....
Energy is slowly coming back.  The last round of chemo and recovery was extremely brutal and it took a LOT out of me.  It was a huge celebration to just be able to walk after a week from how I felt.  I didn't feel like pushing it today.
I did 6 x 50 with lots of rest.
1 x 100 which I finished pretty well but could feel my arms starting to die toward the end.
2 more 50's nice and easy.
500 yards total.

Still feels really good to be in the water and swimming.  I'm looking forward to building up some more endurance and lung capacity before my surgery and I'm out of the water for 2 months.

6Mar13

Met Anne at the pool today at 0515.  She was already in the water and I was only there to do a short swim.  She is registered for the GSL 8 mile race this year and excited that this is her first true marathon race so I am going to help her train.  I also will not be ready to swim by the race date so I'm going to be her paddler too.
We chatted a bit about training, feeds, trusting me, etc.  I then started to swim.  I was already tired when I got to the pool and low on energy.  This made it worse.  I could only do a 50 at a time with lots of rest in between.  This last round of chemo REALLY took it out of me and I'm still feeling myself recover.
5 x 50 the 2nd one was kicking and the last one was breast.

250 yards
Done!