Bear lake Crossing

We got up at 5:30 and were getting everything ready to go to the lake and pulled out at 6:00 after a crappy night’s sleep. We got to the marina got the boats unloaded and all checked in. I let my buddy Goody borrow my paddler for this race because his wife had other commitments. I told Goody that taking a guys paddler was like taking a guys wife. It was all in good fun I was happy to help goody out with getting him a paddler. We all loaded up on the bus to go to Cisco beach for the start of the race. On the way there our little group chatted and was joking around. We got to the beach and got thinks ready to go. I chatted more with Matt and Goody. We crawled into the water and the first thing I noticed was how clear and blue the water was. It was amazing. I also heard other people complaining that the water was cold, I just smiled when I noticed that the people that were complaining had wet suits on. After what seemed like forever we lined up and started the race. I started off at what I thought was a good pace and got into a good groove. There was a ski boat that was patrolling the race kept coming by to check on every one. I told Ryan to keep a straight line towards the buoy’s the boat came back after a bit and said to head straight north that the markers had broke loose and we were way off course. I told Ryan to just follow the people ahead of me and that we would go from there. Soon after the halfway point I realized that I had passed all of the people that we were following. Ryan told me that he could see the marina and that he would just go straight towards the rocks. About two miles from the finish the chop started getting really bad. I stopped to take a feed and told Ryan that the chop was killing me. He said that a boat came really close to us and turned, thus hitting me with the wake. As I got closer to the marina I noticed a park ranger boat escorting us past all of the dorks that were coming from the marina. It was an extra security blanket to help keep the swimmers safe. During all of this Ryan was keeping about a 15 foot distance from me until I got closer to the marina then he was about 5 feet from me to help keep me noticed in the water with all of the boats. Also at one time the ranger boat cut directly in front of me to keep a boat away. I finally cleared the rocks and our escort was gone. It was smooth sailing from here to the finish line. About 30 yards from the finish I swam thru some sticks that were just below the surface of the water. The scratched up my chest a little and before I knew it I was done. I walked out of the water to my waiting beautiful wife and her cheers. I had just crossed the width of Bear Lake in 3 hours and 40 minutes. I walked up to the pavilion where we had checked in and there was no bananas water or anything. I shrugged it off as to it being the first race for this group. I also thought that leading up to the race there was questions of what was going on. The buoys that were supposed to be marking the course every mile were not there. It was a good race and I hope next year they have learned from what went wrong and do a better job. All in all it was a great weekend.

                                          I did not know I was a Raspberry Salesman

                                          Me and Goody with our paddlers before the race

                                          Swimming during the race

                                          Me and Goody after the race

                                          walking out of the water at the finish

                                           Me at the finish line

Heres the link to my Hydro Tracker for the crossing

http://www.finisinc.com/streamline/share/workout/view/50314f4042c22

As for the remainder of the open water season I am going to swim the Slam the Dam in Las Vegas and Josh is putting together a length crossing relay at Bear Lake that I am super excited for. I also plan to swim the 8 mile Antelope to Black Rock swim that I missed due to the weather.  I also plan to do a Channel Magnitude swim from Black Rock to White Rock bay this year.

short 10 mile video

Deer Creek 10 mile swim

This swim was an epic swim to say the least. I got to Deer Creek at about 6:30 and got my race packet. I went over to the restroom to get changed and to start to get ready. Lang showed up and we got the boat ready to go. I gave him some instructions on what I wanted for my feedings and that I wanted to keep them to about a minute or less and about every 45 minutes. I had a chance to talk to Goody for a bit as well as Greg and a few other swimmers that I know. We made our way into the water and had to wait for another paddler to show up then the timers were sorting out a problem. So we had more time to talk to the 10 mile swimmers. Everything and everybody was ready and the horn sounded to start. I started off at a slow pace trying to get into a good rhythm and before I knew it I was at the 5k turn around marker I was feeling really good at this point and my first feeding went off fast. As I swam past the 10k turn around marker I looked up to sight and saw a boat come speeding by really close to us and the wake capsized the gal that was in a canoe. Lang got to shore to help her get going again and I just kept swimming along. I made it to the marker that said Keep Going on it and took another feeding, by this time my left shoulder had started to get really sore I just kept saying over and over in my head Keep Calm Swim Strong I made the turn at the 10 mile turn around point and at that time I had done something I have never done before. I had swum farther in open water than I have ever swum before. The 2 miles back to the 10k turnaround marker were the hardest 2 miles I have ever swam the chop was getting bad and the current was coming straight on to me. I made it to the marker and just kept pushing myself. Before I knew it I was back to the 5k turn around marker and other than my shoulder hurting I was feeling great. At the last turn marker I took my last feeding this one took a little longer because I tried to stretch out my back and shoulder, I had about a mile to go and I was going to finish this thing in under 6 hours (that was my goal) I passed Goody as he was coming into the marker and he told Lang I’m coming for you Ricky Bobby. Lang told me what he had said and then I poured it on I left everything I had in the water, as I rounded the last corner I saw my wife and Kids cheering me on. I started to smile from ear to ear and I hit the finish marker. I had done it I swam 10 miles in less than 6 hours my time was 5 hours 18 minutes. I took my sweet time getting out of the water I got out and got my finisher medal and waited for Goody to finish. I had a great swim I got to swim with a world record holder for a crossing of Bear Lake as well as two of the only 3 to cross the English Channel from Utah, my friend Goody Tyler that amazed the open water community with his Catalina channel swim and I got to see all but 2 of my open water buddy’s and just marked off another one of my goals. This week it’s the Width Crossing of Bear Lake.

                                          Getting ready for the Start

                                             Me, Kate and Goody

                                         10 mile swimmers at the start

                                          Finishing

                                            Me and my paddler Lang

                                            Me and my buddy Goody

Lower water Levels

 

Went for a swim again at Grantsville. When I got there I looked at the lake and it was as calm as a sheet of glass. I had Ryan with me to paddle to keep the boats off of me. We carried the boat down to the lake and got in and took off. I stayed closer to shore this time because of the lack of fishermen and made a wide path trying to get as much distance as possible. Half way into the swim my shoulders were tight and my lower back was hurting a bit but by the time I finished my first lap I was feeling pretty good. I chatted with Ryan for a bit and took off for another lap. ¾ thru the front part of the lake I ran into a fishing line, Ryan had been yelling at me to go further out in the lake to miss them. I could not hear anything he was saying I was concentrating on singing Josh’s song 100 bottles of beer on the wall. After Ryan apologized to the couple fishing from the shore and explaining what I was doing he caught up to me to see me freak out, I had a swimming partner come up and get a close up of this idiot swimming on the top of the water. Scare the crap out of me. I finished my second lap and wanted to do more but it was starting to get dark so we called it. Ryan asked how far we had gone so I told him about 3 miles is what I had figured. To my dismay after checking my hydro tracker it was only about 2 miles. Grantsville uses the water from the lake for irrigation so all I can assume is that the water level has dropped and will continue to do so until the irrigation is turned off. I still have not decided what event I will swim this Saturday at any rate I feel I am better prepared for this weekend no matter what event I decide to do. here is the link to the Hydro Tracker

http://www.finisinc.com/streamline/share/workout/view/50213be1a025b

swimming pain

I have been swimming at the lake in Grantsville because it is close to home. with my hectic work schedule I can get evening swims in before it gets to late. Sundays swim was a nice easy swim there was only one boat on the lake and just a hadfull of people fishing from the shore. I hopped in and took a temp reading it was 68.9 degrees and I was off. I swam counter clockwise around the lake so I could keep my eyes on the shore to get more yardage out of a lap. With fewer people fishing from the shore I could stay closer. As I was swimming Colton was paddling for me and he kept hitting me with the kayack and with the paddle. I never stopped to see why but when I finished one lap I stopped to get a drink and he said "Dad did you not feel me hitting you?" he wanted to see if I wanted a drink and that was the only way he could think of to get me to stop. Run your poor dad over with the kayack and hit him with the paddle! I grabbed a quick drink and started for another lap. I got half way down the front of the lake and noticed that my lower back was bothering me really bad. I turned towards the middle of the lake and then headded back towards the beach where my family was waithing for me. the only thing I can think of why my back was bothering me so bad was because I was sighting 10 times more than I usually do to keep myself colser to shore. I also brings me to the Deer Creek 10 mile event this weekend. I may change to the 10K distance because I have not been swimming as much as I need to. the last thing I want is to be pulled because I cant finish. We will see what this week brings for me in the water and I can make an educated discision for the race.