One stroke at a time

December 30th
Location: The indoor Lap Pool

The final week of 2010, this year has taken me on a wild ride, from pool training, to swim meets, into lakes, reservoirs and the ocean, racing in the USMS 10km nationals in Indiana in water that was in the 80s like swimming in a hot tub to my last ocean swim in November when the water was 47.5 degrees. I have swum with loons, beavers, fish, slimy things that I dare not speculate what they were, amongst surfers, fishermen, people in canoes and kayaks who stared at me like I was the creature from the blue lagoon, there have been frogs, tadpoles, butterflies, seagulls, all of natures best enjoying the water with me, I have swum in water that was crystal clear and in water that was so murky I could not see my own hand under my face. I have swum in the pouring rain, in hail where the hail has pelted my shoulders and back like little rocks being hurled at me from the skies, there have been amazing sunrises, I have started swimming in the dark and the sun has come up, a bright red ski as it rises from behind the silhouette of the hills and there have been times when dark stormy clouds have swirled in and I have anxiously picked up the pace with the thought of possible thunderstorms.
 It has been a great year, one that is only 23 miles away from coming to a close, what is left to punch out before the end of the year:
 Christmas Day December 25th 5000 meters
 Boxing Day December 26th 2000 meters plus Yoga class
 Monday December 27th 6000 meters and weights today
Tuesday December 28th 8300 meters
Wednesday December 7050 meters
Check, all complete, only the following to go, it is Thursday December 30th...If I swim 7,911 meters today I have done it and finished a day early, I lay out some liquid fuel and my swim gear on the pool deck and get started.

Fortunately I have lots of people to swim with today, thanks to Paula, Cara, Luke, Jessica and Jenn the workout moves quickly and is fun.
The workout goes like this
Jessica and Luke swim 200's with me for:
15 x 200's on the 3:15 in the deep end, I tread water with my hands in the air between 200's
4 x 250's Pull
500 EZ
Luke and Jessica get out and Jenn joins me for:
4 x 50's Fly
2 x 200's Pull
4 x 50's Back
2 x 200's Pull
4 x 50's Brst
2 x 200's Pull
4 x 50's Free
2 x 200's Pull
Jenn gets out and Cara gets in:
4 x 250's Pull
100 meters to go, I have been dreaming about this last 100 meters, swimming it easy and slow, with Cara in the lane to my right and Paula in the lane to my left, I could just float like lettuce and enjoy.....I CAN'T!
The final push is going to be an all out effort, I figure I have just under 1000 miles under my belt to tire myself out, lets go for it on this last 100 with a sprint. Cara swims it with me, as she leaves the wall she shouts " I get a 15 second head start, try and catch me", now you know me I love a bit of a race......I am instantly in attack mode, 15 seconds takes forever while I wait and them I am off, chasing her like a hound chases a fox in a hunt, minus the barking of course, 25 meters trailing, 50 meters gaining, 75 meters in my sights and success I power into the wall Cara arriving some time after laughing at my silliness, I am so predictable and she played me like a violin to get a fast 100 meter sprint out of me to finish the swim, a 1:14, very good!
 1000 miles done with one day to spare, for grins another swim on December 31st.
 My total distance for 2010 ends up being 1003.32 miles or 1,614, 683 meters.
 Next up....a 2011 training game plan and more English Channel research.