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.

Swim Camp Video

Utah Open Water Mini Swim Camp

Last Friday was the first Utah Open Water Mini Swim Camp. It was one of the best time I have had swimming in a long time. I wanted to get to the camp site by 3:00 p.m. but once again life got in the way. By the time I got all of the camping gear loaded into the truck and the kids loaded it was 6:30 before we hit the camp ground. I got the tent set up and kids settled down by the time Chandra showed up. We had dinner and watched UP for our first time. After the movie was over there were a few of us that loaded up and went for a night swim. This was my first night swim and to say it was totally awesome! I was teased a little because I but glow stick bracelets on my goggles and they said I looked like Mickey Mouse with the huge ears swimming along. We finished our night swim and headed back to camp to get some rest for our swim the next morning. I did not sleep well at all, I think it was because I wanted to swim so dang bad. I was up at 5:30 and just laid in the tent until I could hear more people awake and then I got out of bed the hang out. I met some new swimmers this weekend, I am sure we will be friends for a long time. It was great to see some new faces. We all went back to the lake for more swimming about 10:00 and it was great to have my family with me. I swam the mile “Race” and cut 3 minutes off of my time since the GSL swim. I was really happy about that because I have not been swimming much since the GSL swim. After the “Race” I swam a few more laps to get some mileage in and then it was play time. Me and Josh went over to this huge rock pocking out of the water and were going to jump into the water until we heard some people say that the water was not deep enough. Josh assured them that all was good and off he went. It took me about 2 seconds to follow behind him. I could keep rambling on forever about the swim camp but I won’t. All I have to say is I can’t wait until next year. Thank you Josh for putting this on and Gords and Goody, I missed you guys. I will post pictures when I get a Few more minutes along with the video of me and Josh jumping from the Rock!    

Grantsville Swim

I have been wanting to swim at the lake in Grantsville for quite some time and Sunday I made it happen. I took my family to the lake Sunday afternoon put the kyak in the water and got everything ready. Chandra was on the shore line watching the kids play in the water and skipping rocks. Colton got in the kayak and I got in the water. It took me a few minutes to get used to the water temp. it was about 66 degrees. I was off I wanted to swim around the lakestaying close to shore but far enough away from all the fishermen lined up around the lake, and to try to stay away from the small boats on the lake fishing. When I got to the first turn I was really sore and stiff in my shoulders I took a drink from Colton and took off again. as I was sighting I saw a boat getting closer to me so I pinned myself inbetween him and Colton in the kayak. I stopped for a minute and I could here the guy in toe boat complaining about me swimming and messing up the fishing. I got to the 3rd turn and took another drink and told Colton where to aim for as I was swimming I caught myself staring at the bottom and at all the fish that would swim up to see what was going on and then scatter. It was quit funny. I got back to where Chandra was at on the shore line and got a sandwich she had made and scarfed it down. I told her that I wanted to do another lap and just when I was getting ready to get back in it started to down pour. we rushed back to our cars and just went home. the lap was just about a mile according to my hydro tracker. Yet a fun swim and I will be there alot leading up to Deer Creek.


http://www.finisinc.com/streamline/share/workout/view/500c633e73030

Back to the Water

I got back in the water after not swimming since the GSL race. I have been out of town working and there is nowhere to swim in Battle Moutian Nevada. I met Lang at the GSL marina at about 9:15 am and I had been reading all of the posts and blogs about the bugs at the GSL but I did not think it was going to be as bad as it ended up. we took off out of the marina and headded towards Black Rock and I was feeling really good for not swimming for a while. as I was going the water was getting from clear to really murky, when I would lift my head up to sight I could see the layer of Brine Eggs in the top 1/4 inch of water. no big deal until it kept getting thicker and thicker as I got closer to Black Rock. I stopped about 75 yards before I got to the beach because I was in awe of how thick the eggs got. they were clumping up all around me. I got a drink and started to swim back to the marina. I had to keep stopping to clear the eggs from my goggles and to hack up a few flies I was taking on as I would breathe. I looked up and Lang was headding back to the marina as fast as he could go. I think the bugs were eatting him alive. I swam out into the lake farther to get away from all the eggs and when I got closer to the marina it again started to clear up. I figured I swam about 3/4 of a mile in a gravy like substance and probabally ate my weight in protien. I chalked it up to another unique swim in the GSL. total of about a 2 mile swim but not nearly as far as I wanted to go. If Im going to swim the 10 mile event at Deer Creek next month I really need to get my butt into gear with my training. I also want to mention a person that I have met this year named Goody Tyler he swam the Catilina Channel last Monday and he did somthing that I dont know that I could ever do. HE made me realize how awesome of a journey he went on swimming for 15 hours in the channel. Goody you are like a robot and I am glad I know a great swimmer like you. Also Gordon Gridley will be swimming the English Channel next month. I would like to wish him all the luck in the world in completing his dream swim! and Just likes Goody's swim I wish I could be there for your support.