Double Pool Practice and Part III of The Chicot Challenge

Since today was one of my last days off, I decided to make the most of it. I started the day with a trip to Twin Rivers where I swam an easy 2,100 meters. Then I drove to Carroll County and for the first time all summer, I ran some hills. I just haven't been fit enough until now and I'm barely fit enough at this point. I shuffled 5.36 miles before I walked the remaining 1.7 miles. I could have run more,  but I am and will most likely remain gun shy for a long time to come. For almost four years now, I have battled constant injuries. I was simply afraid to run farther.

Late in the afternoon, I drove to Skene and spent some time with my grandchildren. It was then off to Delta State University for Masters Swim Practice with our new coach. Cagri, I think, is going to be very good for us. I can't remember everything we did. It was a bunch of sprinting and drills. I do know that I swam 4,700 SCY which equals 4,295 meters. For the day, I finished with 6,395 meters. My goal at the beginning of the week was to establish a new record total for the most meters I've ever swum.  I am well on my way to meeting that goal.

The Chicot Challenge Part III
Lake Chicot has a causeway across it about four miles from the state park. There is a small bridge there and for some reason swimming under bridges has always given me the creeps. To make matters worse, when we drew near the causeway, I swear, I could smell fish. Smelling fish gave me a queasy feeling besides the nervousness I already had about the bridge.

Randy went up ahead to check on the water conditions at the causeway. Already I had told him I was worried about getting hooked there. He paddled up ahead and talked to some fishermen on the bank. They assured him that the water was clear and he came back and tried to assuage my fears.  

When we got to the mouth of the little chute going under the causeway, I asked Robin to stay close. A large fish then swirled underwater sending an unexpected blast of water back into my hand. I screamed like a little girl. It was an unmanly thing to do, I know, but Robin pulled her kayak very close and kept it near without ever hitting me. She also talked to me the whole way through. She kept saying, “You’re doing fine Zane, just keep moving. You’re doing fine.” Once on the other side, I felt like a major part of the swim had been conquered.

After I began swimming outdoors, the water warmed up a degree or two every few days, and I began to build up some distance. By April, I was in full stride. Although I never knew what my schedule was going to be due to my mother’s frequent hospital stays, when I had a day off, I always crammed it as full of training as my body could bear. I started going to the big pond on PD (PD Plantation, a part of Tackett Fish Farm). I would take a barbell, running shoes, and nutrition and spend the better part of a day swimming, running, and lifting. Then when Twin Rivers pumped up their pool at the end of April, my distance went to over 20,000 meters per week, hitting 30,000 plus for several weeks in a row. On May 14^th, I did an 8.5 mile training swim in the pond and felt good afterwards. I knew then that I had the endurance for a seriously long swim.

On the other side of the causeway, a cloud came up and it began to rain. I thought that swimming in the rain was kind of neat. There was no lightening and I was thankful for that, but I hoped my crew didn’t mind getting wet. When the rain ended twenty minutes later, a head wind came up and the lake became a little choppy. This slowed the pace a bit and made swimming more difficult.

We could see the water tower in Lake Village once we crossed the causeway. At first, I found the sight of the water tower to be a source of encouragement. But after a while, it seemed like that tower never came any closer. My hands had started hurting around mile 4.5. Now, with the hand pain, the headwind chop, and the ever distant water tower, I was growing eager to make Lake Village, to get to the turnaround point. Out and back courses, be they running or swimming, to me at least, present a certain mental challenge if they are long and difficult. Encountering pain or fatigue before the turnaround when one is still getting farther from the finish can be a huge mental hurdle.

Not only did I run and swim but, as mentioned earlier, weight lifting was a big part of my cross-training. At least twice a week, I did major sessions in my backyard gym. Bench presses and one-arm-rows form the foundation of my upper body work. But I also did pull-ups, chin-ups, seated rows, and a sports-specific move I call the swim pull. I had a special attachment made for my lat pull down machine that allows me to almost perfectly mimic the catch and pull of the freestyle stroke. When the yard mowing season started, I would do a circuit on the weights, get out the mower and cut a round of grass, then do more weights, more yard mowing, more weight, well, you get the picture. The weight sessions were usually followed by runs and then walks. After exercise nutrition included an energy gel, to produce an insulin reaction, and a good whey protein shake to promote recovery from muscle damage.

Eventually we did make it to town. Downtown Lake Village has a boat ramp, two piers, and a swimming area. Although I had planned on English Channel rules, my crew wanted a break and I was in no mood to argue. Thus we stopped at the steps leading into the water. Randy got there first and took pictures of me and Robin coming in.  Then we got out on the sidewalk. The Garmin read 7.42 miles and we were only half way. I was mentally prepared for a thirteen-mile swim; however, the idea of almost fifteen-miles was a daunting thought. It was Randy who had told me the swim would be thirteen-miles.  When I expressed my concern about the distance, he assured me that we could shave some distance on the return trip by cutting straight across one of the big bends instead of following the full curve of the lake. I had my doubts.

Only about three weeks or so before the swim, I decided to use the event as a fundraiser for diabetes. It just seemed like a waste of a lot of time and energy to make it only about my own personal fitness and goals. I chose diabetes because my life experience has shown me what a heinous disease Type 2 diabetes is. For most of this year, my life has been turned upside down by my mother’s illness. My sister and I have spent countless nights in a couple of hospitals and at Mom and Dad’s taking care of Mother. I didn’t know from day to day if I would even get to train. I didn’t even attempt to touch my bicycle until a couple of weeks after the swim. A few times the hassle of trying to squeeze in workouts became so overwhelming that I seriously contemplated dumping even my swimming.

Not only has diabetes destroyed Mom’s health, but I have buried several of my church members who died too young because of this illness. The projection for the growth of this gateway disease is that by the year 2025 a full third of Americans will be diabetics. If that happens, America as we know will cease to exist. China does not have enough money to loan us to pay that tab. Somehow, people must learn about the seriousness of diabetes and what they can do to prevent it.

Consequently, I contacted the Greenwood Commonwealth for some hoped for publicity. I also sent out an e-mail to the Money Road Cycling Club as well as personally talking with my colleagues and students at work. The first check I received was from Richard Beatty. I was not surprised.