Outlaw Swim

This is as long as I have ever been without a blog update. To all two of my readers, I offer my sincere apologies. My last post related my Monday morning run. That Tuesday I swam 4,000 yards at DSU and ran an additional 8.13 miles. Wednesday I drove across the Tallahatchie bridge and parked on Wade Road and ran 3.24 miles all on turn rows. These are nice and soft and easy on the legs. Thursday I ran an additional 6.17 miles and at DSU swan 4,700 yards. Friday I went back the DSU and swam

2,000
250 back kick/swim with fins
2,050
250 back kick/swim with fins
2,000
Total: 6,550 yards.

Saturday, we, my mom, dad, and I, left for Natchez State Park to meet my sister, brother and his family for our annual spring break-family-get-together. Because of limited vacation time, my wife stayed home, and due to my mom's poor health, I drove her SUV with her on a mattress in the back. I worried a lot about the impact this trip might have on her, but whe was determined to go and made the trip without apparent undue stress. It was cold and late when we got there so I didn't run or swim.

The scene of my crime.

Sunday, however, I was determined to get in a swim. I don't know how it is in other states, but in Mississippi you cannot swim in a state park lake. They have little areas roped off for "swimming," but real swimming, going into the open water, is not allowed. Ever. Screw them.

I had to be sneaky because two years ago I got dragged out of a lake, marched, almost naked, like a little boy being led to the princpal's office before an onlooking crowd of fishermen to the park ranger's truck, and driven to my cabin. So this time I stayed in the backwater area of the lake far away from the manager's residence and far, farther away from the park rangers' station. Having forgotten to bring my thermometer, I can only estimate the water temp, but my guess is it was 58 to 60. Still, even with my wetsuit, I only managed 1.26 miles before my hands sort of stopped working. Sigh. One thing I really got a kick out of was swimming up on my brother, dad, and two nephews who were fishing from a boat. I was yards from them before they saw me. I told them where to fish because one area I swam through was really warm. They never took my advice or caught any fish.

For the week, I
swam 15,965.84 meters
ran 23.06 miles and
walked a mere 1.5 miles.

For the year, I am at
122,257.84 miles swimming and
218.63 miles running.

Compared to last year, I am
+25,874.34 meters swimming and
+143.19 running. Yee haa!