8 mile race.........uh-oh I mean 1 mile race

On thursday I got an email from Gords telling me that the 8 mile race was cancled because of the high winds forcasted for Saturday. I went to the marina for a short swim that afternoon and Gords was there with another 8 mile swimmer that he had picked up from the airport. we chatted a bit and I found out that he was working on getting the 8 mile race moved up 1 day to Friday. I still would not be able to swim because of that thing called work. After further talking it was decided that they would split the race into 2 days with the knowledge that if the winds got to bad that we would be pulled from the water for those of us that could not make it on Friday. I was happy as I could be. My race was back on. I was at the store Friday night getting my hydration and snacks for my swim and Gords called me and asked "are you ready to go tomorrow" why yes I was. he went over everything with me again about the winds and told be that it would be just me and 1 other swimmer. I hung up the phone and started thinking about the winds and just 1 other swimmer. I now was bummed and jellous for 2 reasons. I was jellous because I did not get to swim with the swimmers that got to swim on Friday morning, and Bummed because what I was about to do. I called Gords back and explained to him that there was no sence in taking just 2 of us over to the island. that I knew he was worried about the wind that I would just swim the 1 mile event. I told him to talk to the other swimmer and basically make him do the same. So now I was just going to swim the 1 mile event. there is always 2013 and I have the Deer Creek 10 mile event to look forward to now. Saturday morning came and Chandra woke me up to get going to the marina and get checked in. I was the first one there other than Gords and Josh. I chatted with Josh and joked around that there was no place on my arm to draw my race number on because of my tattoos. Josh said to just put it on my forehead. We had the pre race safety meeting and was off into the water to the starting bouy. Josh did the count down and sounded the buzzer and I was off. I probabally started off to fast but I got into my groove pretty quick. The waves were strong for part of the race but I had been training in the GSL so I was used to it. I was swimming my normal route to Black Rock and I had a kayak keep trying to push me closer to shore. The problem with this is the water becomes really shallow and I have to shorten my stroke and slow down. I just kept swimming my normal route I picked up my head to sight and ran right into the kayak. I asked him to leave me alone and he did. when I finished I was the 6th person out of the water. with a time of 28 or 29 minutes. my time was thrown off because I was in the 8 mile group. No big deal I still took off 10 minutes from my time last year. I was the first in the guys in the age range of 35 to 40 there was one gal I think 41 that beat me other than that they were younger "kids" that beat this old fat guy. It was a blast and once again Josh and Gords put on one heck of a race. cant wait for it next year 8.12 miles you will not elude me in 2013!

                                                 My Awesome wife after the race my #1 fan

                                                    Getting ready to grease up and swim

Start of the race