July is here, and that means next month my tide window arrives, August 8th-16th, 2012, 2.5 years of preparation, what seemed like an eternity of time to wait 2.5 years ago now seems like a blink of an eye, and I could not be more excited…..next month I am leave my hometown of Stowe, Vermont and head over to England to wait.
There has been much preparation of the last few years including:
– over 2,500 miles of swimming
– night swimming
– cold water swimming
– swimming when it’s sunny
– swimming when it’s snowing
– swimming with buddies
– swimming alone
– mega amounts of eating, an estimated 2,000,000 calories each year
– swimming in sea swells, waves, rivers, dams, lakes and ponds
– swimming with dolphins, sea lions, seals, sting rays, whales, lampreys, jellyfish and more fish than I can list
….and swimming in various Open Water events:
– USMS 10km Nationals 2010, Indiana
– Greater Kingdom Lake Swim 10 miler 2010, Newport, VT
– Rhode Island 10km 2010, Flat River Reservior, RI
– Golden Gate, San Francisco, 2011, California
– USMS 25km Nationals 2011, Indiana
– Lake Champlain 16 miler, 2 way crossing 2011, Vermont
– Boston Light Swim, 8 Miler 2011, Boston, MA
– Lake Willowby, 4.75 Miler 2011, Vermont
– In Search of Memphre, Lake Memphremagog 25.2 Miler 2011, Newport, VT
– Bantry, Cork County, Ireland 5km, 2012
Each event has taught me valuable lessons, often lessons learned the hard way, ” learn by doing lessons” the ones that pack a severe punch, the hardest lessons, the ones that deliver the heaviest blow are the ones you don’t forget, especially when in duress, I call that ” practiced instinct”
So here we are July, the training is not over, there are 4 weeks remaining, the next 3 consist of mileage, quality mileage, this week that consists of
Monday – Recovery swim 1 hour
Tuesday- Good Effort, 3 Hours, 6 minutes
Wednesday- Put her in R for Racing- Top Pace 2 Hours, 38 minutes
Thursday- Massage/ Rest
Friday- Rest
Saturday…..Lake Memphremagog, 10 Miler, Newport, Vermont
I am ready, the forecast looks great, Jeff, my husband is kayaking for me, we start at 8am, then a super exciting twist, at 2:15pm my daughter Heidi is racing her first Open Water Race a 1 miler, I am excited to watch her swim and my 5 other team mates racing tomorrow, I just know it is going to be a good day.
How will my race go tomorrow? I’ll keep you posted
Closing Thought:
There is no easy way
