I told you that John was back. But I didn't tell you how much he was back. I almost hesitate to let out how long we were in the pool Thursday. Because if you know that number and my total meters for the day, you are going to think Zane is really slow. But I had to stall at the wall a lot just to make it through the practice. I'll explain.
I knew John was going to want to stay in the water until straight up 1:00 o'clock. That's when the kids are let in. Like a herd of squealing piglets, they rush us as they race for the water and make real swimming impossible. Don't get me wrong; I love kids. As long as they are mine or my grandchildren. Otherwise, I prefer cats. Since we usually get into the pool around 10:30, I was preparing mentally and physically for a two and a half hour swim. In that much time, I can swim a lot.
Turns out the rain that kept the ladies water aerobics out Wednesday kept them out Thursday also. Not only that, but the precipitation didn't stop, increased even, and we swam longer in the rain than I ever have in my whole life. I loved it. Rain swims are rare and magical. The English language doesn't have words to explain it. It does have a word for its failure to communicate: ineffable. But besides giving us a glorious swim, the rain kept the kids out also. The pool was ours. All day.
About 1:00 o'clock I began to suspicion that the kids might not be coming. It was raining hard. John got out to use the restroom, and I was at the wall between sets when he got back in.
"You think those kids are coming?" I asked.
"No," he answered. "There's not even a lifeguard in the building."
Yeeha, I yelled in my mind.
Then John said, "I want to go until 5:30."
I almost crapped my jammers.
I swam and pouted a bit. Then God spoke to me. Lately, I have been praying a lot that God would give me people to help with my swimming. I am so grateful that the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi lets me swim for them. So of late I have been dropping hints to others. Need a swimmer? Call me. Let me use my gift to help you. Seriously. Want to do a fundraiser? Call me. I will swim for you and your cause. All day or as long as you want. Call me.
While I pouted about John taking my whole day, God said, "You want to help others? Help John."
"OK, Lord," I answered and determined I would stay until John was ready to go.
You may wonder, what's the big deal. Didn't you just swim 22.38 miles? Yes, but it's been two months, and I am not in 22-mile shape right now. And I definitely didn't get my mind right to swim for seven hours. You have to get your mind right to do really long swims. Trust me, you do. But this is helping someone and it will give my endurance a big boost to boot, a boost that may come in handy if someone needs a swimmer, if someone actually calls me.
At this point, let me backtrack and describe the sets I swam. This also was part of my angst because I was pacing myself for two and a half hours not seven. I don't care how fit you are, if you design the sets right, you can exhaust yourself in short order. My sets were designed to leave me on empty at 1:00 o'clock.
I started with 16 X 500 @ 11:00 minutes. What that means is I left the wall every 11:00 minutes. Swim hard and you get more rest. Tire and slow down and you have to leave sooner. I was getting about 1:40 rest on most of them. On the last few I had slowed to about 1:20. The reps went like this:
1 - warm up
2 - warm up
3 - 1st 100 hard
4 - 2nd 100 hard
5 - 3rd 100 hard
6 - 4th 100 hard
7 - 5th 100 hard
8 - 1st 100 and last 50 hard
9 - 1st 100, last 50 of the 3rd 100, and last 50 hard
10 - 1st 50 of 1st, 3rd, and 5th 100 hard
11 - easy
12 - medium paddles
13 - small paddles
14 - small paddles
15 - medium pace
16 - medium pace
This put me at 8,000 meters with a lot of fatigue. At this point, I knew I had to shift to survival mode. I then swam
2 X 400
2 X 300
2 X 250
2 X 150
30 X 100 @ 3:00. The 3:00 minutes gave me enough rest so I could keep going without my arms falling off.
Total: 13,600 meters (8.45 miles).
John finally got enough and we exited the pool at 5:05 after only six and a half hours instead of seven.
This was by far the longest swim since Chicot. I know I will get a fitness boost from that mileage. I hope I need it. Call me.
Friday, July 29, 2016
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Swimming is Picking Up
Boy Howdy did I rack up at the pool yesterday! The stars were aligned just right, and I had the biggest day of my swimming career.
One thing that helped out was the early rain. That kept the women's water aerobics out of the pool so that when John and I got in, we had it to ourselves. I don't know if the ladies pick up any coins or not, but I never find any in the areas they use after they leave. I found a quarter on the first lap I swam in my usual lane, and since no one else was in the pool or milling around on deck, I decided to swim every lane.
I do a lot of every-lane swimming early in the spring when the pool is first pumped up. But later it gets busy and when people get in after you, it's best to have a lane anchored down to protect your turf, uh water. So lately I have not felt free to roam over the pool looking for money. Wednesday, however, I did. On my first extra lane swim, I found a penny. That put me at 26 cents. Not bad. I swam the rest of the pool and picked up a dime. Now I was at 36 cents.
I didn't expect to find anymore money, but later, while I was doing a set of 150s and had stopped on the south wall, I spotted what looked like a quarter in a lane I had already swum. Since my rest interval was almost up, I decided to get the quarter the next time I stopped on that wall. Scooting over to that lane, I began my next 150 and BINGO! I saw another quarter. I had to finish that 150, which put me ending on the north wall, and then swim another one before I could pick up all that money. With two more quarters, I was at 86 cents, a record haul. But things didn't end there.
After I finished my 150s, John climbed out to go to the bathroom. When he did, I beat down to the deep end where he swims and went back and forth over it looking for money. I spotted a dime on the bottom. Now I know one reason I swim pretty well. I am a bit buoyant. It was very difficult for me to get twelve feet down to retrieve the coin and my ears popped when I did. But I got it and swam back to my lane and put that dime with the other coins I found. Ninety-six cents, an all-time record. That is almost another dollar for the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. I save all my coins each year and hand them over to the DFM representative who shows up at Chicot Challenge. Maybe I can break this record a few times before next June.
One thing that helped out was the early rain. That kept the women's water aerobics out of the pool so that when John and I got in, we had it to ourselves. I don't know if the ladies pick up any coins or not, but I never find any in the areas they use after they leave. I found a quarter on the first lap I swam in my usual lane, and since no one else was in the pool or milling around on deck, I decided to swim every lane.
I do a lot of every-lane swimming early in the spring when the pool is first pumped up. But later it gets busy and when people get in after you, it's best to have a lane anchored down to protect your turf, uh water. So lately I have not felt free to roam over the pool looking for money. Wednesday, however, I did. On my first extra lane swim, I found a penny. That put me at 26 cents. Not bad. I swam the rest of the pool and picked up a dime. Now I was at 36 cents.
I didn't expect to find anymore money, but later, while I was doing a set of 150s and had stopped on the south wall, I spotted what looked like a quarter in a lane I had already swum. Since my rest interval was almost up, I decided to get the quarter the next time I stopped on that wall. Scooting over to that lane, I began my next 150 and BINGO! I saw another quarter. I had to finish that 150, which put me ending on the north wall, and then swim another one before I could pick up all that money. With two more quarters, I was at 86 cents, a record haul. But things didn't end there.
 |
| My haul from Twin Rivers. Sometimes it pays to swim |
After I finished my 150s, John climbed out to go to the bathroom. When he did, I beat down to the deep end where he swims and went back and forth over it looking for money. I spotted a dime on the bottom. Now I know one reason I swim pretty well. I am a bit buoyant. It was very difficult for me to get twelve feet down to retrieve the coin and my ears popped when I did. But I got it and swam back to my lane and put that dime with the other coins I found. Ninety-six cents, an all-time record. That is almost another dollar for the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. I save all my coins each year and hand them over to the DFM representative who shows up at Chicot Challenge. Maybe I can break this record a few times before next June.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Need a Swimmer?
John has been out most of this summer. His wife has been sick and of late he has had some back issues that have kept him confined to the ungreat indoors. One result of this is I did most of my Chicot training alone. Towards the end of the Chicot buildup, this began to wear on me a bit. Another result of John's absence has been that my swim mileage fell drastically after Chicot Challenge V. It always does, by design, but this year has been different. The rebuild after the recovery has been absent. Until this week.
Finally, John is back, and he wants to stay in the pool for hours and hours. I don't blame him, but my endurance has taken a trip south. Monday, I met him at the pool and swam 4,500. Tuesday, I swam 5,700 with some quality sets. That had me pretty much bonked out and is the biggest swim since my charity effort. Wednesday, I got into the pool with the idea of busting out a big one, but I quickly discovered I did not have a big one in me. I managed a slow 4,200 meters. I was tired, I was sluggish, I was lazy.
These three days alone has put me over any week since the Challenge. Maybe tomorrow I can bounce back a bit. John wants to go for 2:45 or more. After 10:00, we have the pool to ourselves until 1:00. John wants to fill every minute. Oh my.
I'm not complaining because I really do need someone to push me right now. John is doing that. Finally. Although I am not training for anything specific, I have some large dreams on the horizon and the bigger the training base the higher the peak one can build. I'll write about my dreams in another post. For now, I want to simply say this: if you need a swimmer for a triathlon team, a friendly wager, or a fundraiser, give me a holler. Have goggles, will travel.
Finally, John is back, and he wants to stay in the pool for hours and hours. I don't blame him, but my endurance has taken a trip south. Monday, I met him at the pool and swam 4,500. Tuesday, I swam 5,700 with some quality sets. That had me pretty much bonked out and is the biggest swim since my charity effort. Wednesday, I got into the pool with the idea of busting out a big one, but I quickly discovered I did not have a big one in me. I managed a slow 4,200 meters. I was tired, I was sluggish, I was lazy.
These three days alone has put me over any week since the Challenge. Maybe tomorrow I can bounce back a bit. John wants to go for 2:45 or more. After 10:00, we have the pool to ourselves until 1:00. John wants to fill every minute. Oh my.
I'm not complaining because I really do need someone to push me right now. John is doing that. Finally. Although I am not training for anything specific, I have some large dreams on the horizon and the bigger the training base the higher the peak one can build. I'll write about my dreams in another post. For now, I want to simply say this: if you need a swimmer for a triathlon team, a friendly wager, or a fundraiser, give me a holler. Have goggles, will travel.
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
37th Annual Heart O' Dixie Triathlon
The room was cool and the box fan along with the ceiling fan added a nice noise that helped me relax. I slept well. My wife, however, rarely gets a good night's rest when we stay home. Friday, July 22nd was no exception.
We arose Saturday morning, ate a light breakfast, and left Aunt Mary's before 5:00 a.m. Lake Tiak O'Khata is only about ten miles from Noxapater, where we spent the night, so we were at the lake before 6:00 o'clock. The place buzzed with its usual excitement as triathletes picked up timing chips, placed transition bags in trailers, and racked bikes in the swim-bike transition area. I did all of the above as well as pumping up my tires before posing for a few pictures snapped by Penny at the swim start area. Then I waded into the water for a warm up dip.
As usual the water was warm, too warm, but what else is new. I swam easily out to the first buoy and back, then got in line and waited for the start. I thought about my experiences here. Once more, I was internally lamenting my lack of training. Not training in general so much, I did plenty of that, but triathlon specific work. More exactly, I knew I did not pay the price on my bicycle which meant I would pay the price out on the road.
My swim went well, but I was a little slower that last year. I did not start my 100s @ 2:00 early enough in training nor did I do the set often enough to have the stamina I needed to shave that extra 25 seconds off the swim. That set is the gold standard for the kind of swimming needed in an Olympic distance tri. I was passed by one swimmer for the first time in years. I did, however, pass about thirty or forty people in the swim. I was the champ in my age group in the water. On land, however, was a different story.
As usual, the bicycle race was a rolling roast for me as one cyclist after another whizzed past at what seemed the speed of light. And once more, I made a mental list of the things I need to do to improve next year, pretty similar to the one I made last year and the year before and the year before that. It's really not socket rience: I need to ride more. A lot more.
Also like last year and the year before and the year before that was the weather. The cycle portion was accompanied by an overcast sky and air too cool to be true. I was thinking PR for sure. But as soon as I stumbled out of transition 2 like a drunk on Saturday night, it was as if Gabriel himself blew his horn and the angels of God all rolled back the clouds and the sun came scorching through with the force of Hades. Again. Have mercy it got hot and it got that way in a hurry. As good as God is, He will not give us a break on the run portion of the HOD. It seems like heaven has decreed the way Poisidon spoke to Odysseus: "You must suffer!"
With an additional 281 miles of running over the same time in 2015 and a ton of heat training, my suffering wasn't too bad. Actually, I ran better, as I should have, than I did last year. My transitions were also faster. But all of that together wasn't enough to make up the eight plus minutes I lost on the bicycle. I finished in 3:07:33, two minutes and eighteen seconds slower than a year ago.
All things considered, it wasn't a bad race. As I noted earlier, I did not suffer as much as I normally do, and we got to spend some time with Aunt Mary and Uncle Paul. In addition to that, Saturday after the race, we stopped back at Aunt Mary's and we got to see a seldom seen cousin of mine, Ted Roebuck. That was nice. It was all nice. Now to start on that list this time, the one I wrote to do a faster Heart O' Dixie. Or maybe I will just take a nap.
 |
| I love the background of this race having done the first HOD on August 2, 1980. |
We arose Saturday morning, ate a light breakfast, and left Aunt Mary's before 5:00 a.m. Lake Tiak O'Khata is only about ten miles from Noxapater, where we spent the night, so we were at the lake before 6:00 o'clock. The place buzzed with its usual excitement as triathletes picked up timing chips, placed transition bags in trailers, and racked bikes in the swim-bike transition area. I did all of the above as well as pumping up my tires before posing for a few pictures snapped by Penny at the swim start area. Then I waded into the water for a warm up dip.
As usual the water was warm, too warm, but what else is new. I swam easily out to the first buoy and back, then got in line and waited for the start. I thought about my experiences here. Once more, I was internally lamenting my lack of training. Not training in general so much, I did plenty of that, but triathlon specific work. More exactly, I knew I did not pay the price on my bicycle which meant I would pay the price out on the road.
My swim went well, but I was a little slower that last year. I did not start my 100s @ 2:00 early enough in training nor did I do the set often enough to have the stamina I needed to shave that extra 25 seconds off the swim. That set is the gold standard for the kind of swimming needed in an Olympic distance tri. I was passed by one swimmer for the first time in years. I did, however, pass about thirty or forty people in the swim. I was the champ in my age group in the water. On land, however, was a different story.
As usual, the bicycle race was a rolling roast for me as one cyclist after another whizzed past at what seemed the speed of light. And once more, I made a mental list of the things I need to do to improve next year, pretty similar to the one I made last year and the year before and the year before that. It's really not socket rience: I need to ride more. A lot more.
Also like last year and the year before and the year before that was the weather. The cycle portion was accompanied by an overcast sky and air too cool to be true. I was thinking PR for sure. But as soon as I stumbled out of transition 2 like a drunk on Saturday night, it was as if Gabriel himself blew his horn and the angels of God all rolled back the clouds and the sun came scorching through with the force of Hades. Again. Have mercy it got hot and it got that way in a hurry. As good as God is, He will not give us a break on the run portion of the HOD. It seems like heaven has decreed the way Poisidon spoke to Odysseus: "You must suffer!"
With an additional 281 miles of running over the same time in 2015 and a ton of heat training, my suffering wasn't too bad. Actually, I ran better, as I should have, than I did last year. My transitions were also faster. But all of that together wasn't enough to make up the eight plus minutes I lost on the bicycle. I finished in 3:07:33, two minutes and eighteen seconds slower than a year ago.
All things considered, it wasn't a bad race. As I noted earlier, I did not suffer as much as I normally do, and we got to spend some time with Aunt Mary and Uncle Paul. In addition to that, Saturday after the race, we stopped back at Aunt Mary's and we got to see a seldom seen cousin of mine, Ted Roebuck. That was nice. It was all nice. Now to start on that list this time, the one I wrote to do a faster Heart O' Dixie. Or maybe I will just take a nap.
Monday, July 25, 2016
7/18 - 7/24
It was a decent week for training considering I did a full taper for the Heart O' Dixie Triathlon. Monday, I went to the pool and swam 3,500 as
2,100
10 X 100 @ 2:00
400 small paddles.
Later I ran 5.6 miles.
Tuesday, I was back at Twin Rivers for
2,200
1,100 countdown with small paddles in 22:14
total: 3,400.
Later I ran 4.08 miles, lifted some weights, and spent 15:00 minutes on the bike trainer.
Wednesday, I lifted weights and ran 3.32 miles. I did not, however, make it to the pool.
Thursday, I swam 2,300 straight. The first 1,000 was a warm up and then I did every third 100 hard. Nice set. I ran 2.55 miles and tried to rest.
Friday, I did nothing physical in preparation for Saturday's race. Then Saturday I completed my 18th Heart O' Dixie Triathlon in 3:07:33, about two minutes slower than last year. I lost it all, and more, on the bicycle. I will do a write up on the HOD later. For the week, I
ran 22.25 miles,
swam 10,500 meters,
lifted weights twice,
biked 27.4 miles and 15:00 minutes on the trainer, and
walked 4.91 miles.
Next up: Bikes, Blues, and Bayous.
2,100
10 X 100 @ 2:00
400 small paddles.
Later I ran 5.6 miles.
Tuesday, I was back at Twin Rivers for
2,200
1,100 countdown with small paddles in 22:14
total: 3,400.
Later I ran 4.08 miles, lifted some weights, and spent 15:00 minutes on the bike trainer.
Wednesday, I lifted weights and ran 3.32 miles. I did not, however, make it to the pool.
Thursday, I swam 2,300 straight. The first 1,000 was a warm up and then I did every third 100 hard. Nice set. I ran 2.55 miles and tried to rest.
Friday, I did nothing physical in preparation for Saturday's race. Then Saturday I completed my 18th Heart O' Dixie Triathlon in 3:07:33, about two minutes slower than last year. I lost it all, and more, on the bicycle. I will do a write up on the HOD later. For the week, I
ran 22.25 miles,
swam 10,500 meters,
lifted weights twice,
biked 27.4 miles and 15:00 minutes on the trainer, and
walked 4.91 miles.
Next up: Bikes, Blues, and Bayous.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Bear
With a name like Bear, you expect a large dog, a menacing dog, or both. He is neither. Although I never I asked Hayden Hall (the man I got him from) why he was named that, my wife says it's because he's a teddy bear. A baby more like it.
He's more than a baby, though, and to use human analogies, he's MacGyver, Houdini, and Huckleberry Finn all rolled up into one sweet dog who is almost too much to handle. Seriously, this dog is smarter than we are, can escape any enclosure, and is full of good-hearted mischief.
We took him because he needed a home and because a rescue dog we had desperately needed a friend. When our rescue dog, Gracie, suddenly and tragically died, Bear became lethargic, despondent, depressed. I knew I had to spend more time with him, but what to do? As a marathon swimmer, I have little time or energy for a needy dog. Besides swimming, two indoor tomcats keep my love tank pretty much emptied. My motto is, "No cat should go unloved." It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. I do it and I do it well.
When school ended and I spent more time mowing and trimming grass and more time in the backyard gym, Bear became happier. But it was never enough. He always wanted more. More attention, more talking too, more petting.
So I started taking him with Jeff (our aged weenie dog) and me to the recycle bins where we would dump our stuff and then walk the trail on the Yazoo River. Bear loved it. In short order I discovered that I could let him off the lease and he would stay close except when he saw another human being. Then he runs a B-line at top speed to the unsuspecting person, comes to a screeching halt in front of the startled individual, and sits in front of him or her looking up with pleading eyes. He always gets what he wants: attention.
Bear quickly learned that my truck was made for riding and after single trip-- ONE TRIP-- anytime I climbed behind the wheel of my Nissan, he thought he was supposed to be in there with me. It then became impossible for me to go out the back gate, where I park my truck, without him busting through and insisting on going with me. So I started taking him with me whenever I could. But you can't always take a dog every time you go somewhere. And I learned that an hour or two even was not enough. He wants to hang out all day.
Then Bear started his Houdini phase. He learned to open the gate on the chain-link fence. After that he leaned to remove the padlock (unlocked but placed in to stop him from flipping the leaver up with his nose). After mastering the gate and the padlock, he learned to defeat the bungee cord we added to stop him from going out the back. And what did Bear do when you found him outside the gate? Make a B-line to my truck and sit down in front of the door. How can you say no?
I was planning on going to the pool last Friday and making a big swim when Bear busted out the back gate and sat at my truck door. He looked at me with those pleading eyes and I said out loud, "OK, you win." I opened the door for him to jump into the cab, then drove around to the front so I could go back inside and swap my swimming gear for running gear.
We went to Carroll County, to the cabin and did a 9.02 miles run with a little walking. It was hot. Really hot. But we had some shade on Steen Hill Road and recent rains had left the ruts full of water.
Bear will not drink muddy water. I remember my wife telling me a while back to check his water daily because he won't drink if his water bucket is dirty. Picky dog. He is the first one I ever knew who would not drink water on a hot, hot day even though he was almost run down because the water was not fresh. But that is Bear.
Not only will Bear not drink muddy water, but he doesn't like back-tracking. Although he had never been to Carroll County, the cabin, or Steen Hill, every time I did a turn around to add distance to the run, Bear balked, sat down, and gave me that Bear look. When I took side roads into the woods and came back onto Steen Hill and headed the wrong way, he did the same thing. He knew I was going the wrong way. When we finally made our way to the entrance to Hodge Ski Lodge, as we sometimes call it, he went ahead of me and turned on his own. He knew which way to go. This dog is smart.
What to do with Bear? The best I can. I know I can never pet him enough, talk to him enough, or hang out with him enough. But I will do my best to make him happy. It's a tough job, but . . . .
He's more than a baby, though, and to use human analogies, he's MacGyver, Houdini, and Huckleberry Finn all rolled up into one sweet dog who is almost too much to handle. Seriously, this dog is smarter than we are, can escape any enclosure, and is full of good-hearted mischief.
We took him because he needed a home and because a rescue dog we had desperately needed a friend. When our rescue dog, Gracie, suddenly and tragically died, Bear became lethargic, despondent, depressed. I knew I had to spend more time with him, but what to do? As a marathon swimmer, I have little time or energy for a needy dog. Besides swimming, two indoor tomcats keep my love tank pretty much emptied. My motto is, "No cat should go unloved." It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. I do it and I do it well.
 |
| Bear |
When school ended and I spent more time mowing and trimming grass and more time in the backyard gym, Bear became happier. But it was never enough. He always wanted more. More attention, more talking too, more petting.
So I started taking him with Jeff (our aged weenie dog) and me to the recycle bins where we would dump our stuff and then walk the trail on the Yazoo River. Bear loved it. In short order I discovered that I could let him off the lease and he would stay close except when he saw another human being. Then he runs a B-line at top speed to the unsuspecting person, comes to a screeching halt in front of the startled individual, and sits in front of him or her looking up with pleading eyes. He always gets what he wants: attention.
Bear quickly learned that my truck was made for riding and after single trip-- ONE TRIP-- anytime I climbed behind the wheel of my Nissan, he thought he was supposed to be in there with me. It then became impossible for me to go out the back gate, where I park my truck, without him busting through and insisting on going with me. So I started taking him with me whenever I could. But you can't always take a dog every time you go somewhere. And I learned that an hour or two even was not enough. He wants to hang out all day.
Then Bear started his Houdini phase. He learned to open the gate on the chain-link fence. After that he leaned to remove the padlock (unlocked but placed in to stop him from flipping the leaver up with his nose). After mastering the gate and the padlock, he learned to defeat the bungee cord we added to stop him from going out the back. And what did Bear do when you found him outside the gate? Make a B-line to my truck and sit down in front of the door. How can you say no?
I was planning on going to the pool last Friday and making a big swim when Bear busted out the back gate and sat at my truck door. He looked at me with those pleading eyes and I said out loud, "OK, you win." I opened the door for him to jump into the cab, then drove around to the front so I could go back inside and swap my swimming gear for running gear.
We went to Carroll County, to the cabin and did a 9.02 miles run with a little walking. It was hot. Really hot. But we had some shade on Steen Hill Road and recent rains had left the ruts full of water.
Bear will not drink muddy water. I remember my wife telling me a while back to check his water daily because he won't drink if his water bucket is dirty. Picky dog. He is the first one I ever knew who would not drink water on a hot, hot day even though he was almost run down because the water was not fresh. But that is Bear.
Not only will Bear not drink muddy water, but he doesn't like back-tracking. Although he had never been to Carroll County, the cabin, or Steen Hill, every time I did a turn around to add distance to the run, Bear balked, sat down, and gave me that Bear look. When I took side roads into the woods and came back onto Steen Hill and headed the wrong way, he did the same thing. He knew I was going the wrong way. When we finally made our way to the entrance to Hodge Ski Lodge, as we sometimes call it, he went ahead of me and turned on his own. He knew which way to go. This dog is smart.
What to do with Bear? The best I can. I know I can never pet him enough, talk to him enough, or hang out with him enough. But I will do my best to make him happy. It's a tough job, but . . . .
Monday, July 18, 2016
7/11 - 7/17
For the week before the Heart O' Dixie, I poured it on as much as I could. Monday, I went to Twin Rivers with my sister, Helen, and swam 2,000 meters before I gave up. The pool is crowded in the morning. Later, I lifted some weights, spun for 33:00 minutes on the bike trainer, and went out for a 10.08 mile run. Good day.
Tuesday I swam 2,500, lifted more weights, trainer rode for 21:00 minutes, and ran 3.03 miles. I have taken to splitting my lifting routine. In the past, I did upper and lower body. Now I split the upper body. This gives me the chance to work all the muscles more thoroughly. Formerly, certain muscles got shorted because I always put them at the end of the session and fatigue would cause those parts to get less than the others. Now I do bench press, swim pull, and upper back one day, and shoulders, biceps, and traps on a separate day. It was the biceps and traps and shoulders that were either getting skipped or being hit lightly. I am anxious to see how this new routine is going to pay off. If feels good. My hope is I will look better and perform better at next year's Chicot.
Wednesday, I swam
1,800
8 X 100 @ 2:15
400 small paddles
for 3,000 meters. I also biked 36:00 minutes and ran 3.25 miles.
Thursday, I swam
2,000
1,000 countdown with small paddles
6 X 50 @ 1:15 with medium paddles
for 3,300 meters. I then biked 30:00 minutes and ran 7.1 miles.
Friday, I was going out the back gate to head for the pool when Bear busted out and sat down at my truck door begging to go riding. So I adjusted my plans and took him to the cabin. We ran to the bottom of Steen Hill and back for 8.55 miles. That's pretty good for me to do an eight miler the day after a seven miler.
Saturday, I lifted more weights, and went for a run. Penny asked me when I headed out the door how long I would be. I told her anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours depending on how my legs felt. Despite back-to-back longish runs, they felt amazingly good, and I ran 8.56 miles with some fast intervals thrown in.
Sunday, I lifted weights and did an easy 31:00 minutes on the bike trainer. All in all, it was a solid week. I
swan 10,800 meters,
ran 40.57 miles.
lifted weights four times,
biked 2:31, and
walked 6.9 miles.
Now for the triathlon this Saturday. In my new age group, I have a chance at placing, something I rarely do in a tri.
Tuesday I swam 2,500, lifted more weights, trainer rode for 21:00 minutes, and ran 3.03 miles. I have taken to splitting my lifting routine. In the past, I did upper and lower body. Now I split the upper body. This gives me the chance to work all the muscles more thoroughly. Formerly, certain muscles got shorted because I always put them at the end of the session and fatigue would cause those parts to get less than the others. Now I do bench press, swim pull, and upper back one day, and shoulders, biceps, and traps on a separate day. It was the biceps and traps and shoulders that were either getting skipped or being hit lightly. I am anxious to see how this new routine is going to pay off. If feels good. My hope is I will look better and perform better at next year's Chicot.
Wednesday, I swam
1,800
8 X 100 @ 2:15
400 small paddles
for 3,000 meters. I also biked 36:00 minutes and ran 3.25 miles.
Thursday, I swam
2,000
1,000 countdown with small paddles
6 X 50 @ 1:15 with medium paddles
for 3,300 meters. I then biked 30:00 minutes and ran 7.1 miles.
Friday, I was going out the back gate to head for the pool when Bear busted out and sat down at my truck door begging to go riding. So I adjusted my plans and took him to the cabin. We ran to the bottom of Steen Hill and back for 8.55 miles. That's pretty good for me to do an eight miler the day after a seven miler.
Saturday, I lifted more weights, and went for a run. Penny asked me when I headed out the door how long I would be. I told her anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours depending on how my legs felt. Despite back-to-back longish runs, they felt amazingly good, and I ran 8.56 miles with some fast intervals thrown in.
Sunday, I lifted weights and did an easy 31:00 minutes on the bike trainer. All in all, it was a solid week. I
swan 10,800 meters,
ran 40.57 miles.
lifted weights four times,
biked 2:31, and
walked 6.9 miles.
Now for the triathlon this Saturday. In my new age group, I have a chance at placing, something I rarely do in a tri.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Next Thing Up
Next up is the Heart O' Dixie Triathuhlon. Sorry. That is my subtle protest. There will me a man on a sound system welcoming all the athuhletes to the 37th Heart O' Dixie Triathuhlon July 23rd at around 6:am. He, and everyone else, not only adds the extra syllable, but he accents it as well. I can't take it, and I fear attacking the MC and getting arrested by the police. Somebody help me.
I am looking forward to the triathuhlon although I don't do many of these anymore. No longer do I view myself as a triathuhlete, but as a swimmer who occasionally does a triathuhlon. I was one of the original triathuhletes back in August of 1980 which is one reason this event remains on my schedule. Despite the fact that I don't train properly for it, I enjoy completing the race and consider it as one of the great workouts of my year. By not training properly, I mostly mean that I don't cycle enough to ride fast and then be able to run well off the bike. I swim a lot and run a fair amount, but without a lot of cycling, you will never ride well and never run well off the bike.
As one of the original participants, last week I received an email and phone call from a reporter from the Nesoba Democrat. he did an article on me concerning the HOD and he also included some information on my Chicot Challenge. I hope he will give me some press next year when I do my swim. I hope.
The race begins with a staggered start for the half mile swim in beautiful Lake Tiak O'Khata in Louisville, Mississippi. I consider this race's start to be one of the great innovations to the sport. They line us up on the order of our race number and every six seconds we are sent on our journey. With a start like that, safety is greatly enhanced, and we have the ability to swim to our potential.
The bike leg of the race is a 27.5 miles jaunt down Highway 15 from the lake to Philadelphia, Mississippi. We ride straight through downtown Noxapater which you may remember if you read this blog. My Great Noxapater Journey Run that I did last November ended there. We stay there with my aunt and uncle the night before, which is another reason this race has such an appeal to me. We, my wife and I, get to visit relatives, visit and couple of towns are an area that was important to my development as a child, and Penny shops at the fair while I sweat it out on the road.
After we get off the bicycles, the real fun begins. The seven mile run (actually 6.6) is hot and hilly with little shade and no mercy for the weak. It is in fact brutal. But I love it anyway and finishing at the world famous Neshoba County Fair on the half-mile horse track in front of the grand stands is always a big thrill.
So to make a short story long, I am trying to muster the mojo to get out today and hit some cycling and running. I need a long run with some intervals and a easy spin on the bike trainer. This is the last week I have to change my fitness before the race Saturday after this one. Next week is all about the taper. A little light work and a lot of rest. I don't do a full taper but for three events per year and this is one of them.
I am looking forward to the triathuhlon although I don't do many of these anymore. No longer do I view myself as a triathuhlete, but as a swimmer who occasionally does a triathuhlon. I was one of the original triathuhletes back in August of 1980 which is one reason this event remains on my schedule. Despite the fact that I don't train properly for it, I enjoy completing the race and consider it as one of the great workouts of my year. By not training properly, I mostly mean that I don't cycle enough to ride fast and then be able to run well off the bike. I swim a lot and run a fair amount, but without a lot of cycling, you will never ride well and never run well off the bike.
As one of the original participants, last week I received an email and phone call from a reporter from the Nesoba Democrat. he did an article on me concerning the HOD and he also included some information on my Chicot Challenge. I hope he will give me some press next year when I do my swim. I hope.
The race begins with a staggered start for the half mile swim in beautiful Lake Tiak O'Khata in Louisville, Mississippi. I consider this race's start to be one of the great innovations to the sport. They line us up on the order of our race number and every six seconds we are sent on our journey. With a start like that, safety is greatly enhanced, and we have the ability to swim to our potential.
The bike leg of the race is a 27.5 miles jaunt down Highway 15 from the lake to Philadelphia, Mississippi. We ride straight through downtown Noxapater which you may remember if you read this blog. My Great Noxapater Journey Run that I did last November ended there. We stay there with my aunt and uncle the night before, which is another reason this race has such an appeal to me. We, my wife and I, get to visit relatives, visit and couple of towns are an area that was important to my development as a child, and Penny shops at the fair while I sweat it out on the road.
After we get off the bicycles, the real fun begins. The seven mile run (actually 6.6) is hot and hilly with little shade and no mercy for the weak. It is in fact brutal. But I love it anyway and finishing at the world famous Neshoba County Fair on the half-mile horse track in front of the grand stands is always a big thrill.
So to make a short story long, I am trying to muster the mojo to get out today and hit some cycling and running. I need a long run with some intervals and a easy spin on the bike trainer. This is the last week I have to change my fitness before the race Saturday after this one. Next week is all about the taper. A little light work and a lot of rest. I don't do a full taper but for three events per year and this is one of them.
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
The Week of July 4th
I began the week, Monday the 4th, with a run to Hillbilly Heaven. Since I already wrote about that, all I will say now is that I shuffled 16.13 and walked .57 miles. Then I took three naps. Nice day. Tuesday I shuffled another 4.13 miles in addition to lifting weights, walking. spinning on the bike trainer, and swimming 1,200 meters.
Wednesday, Penny and I went to Jackson after I lifted weights and did a short run of 2.08 miles. I was hoping to purchase a head harness from Play-It-Again Sports, but they didn't have one. They did have one my last two trips there, and I thought I would buy it one day. After my neck issues, I decided I need to work my neck muscles, hence the harness. But it was not to be. I did add a forty pound kettlebell to the gym and a few plates. Thursday, it was more weights, more walking, another session on the bike trainer (27 minutes) and a 4.06 miles run.
Friday brought 3,300 in the pool before Penny and I drove to Sardis to spend some time together and do some scouting for a possible swim there. I liked what I saw. I picked up a map from the Visitors' Center and talked to one of the employees there. He downplayed the whole idea of alligators and sat down with me and did some measuring on Google Maps. Like all of these flood control lakes in north Mississippi, they get shallow and swampy if you go upstream far enough. But there is plenty of deep water in Sardis to do some really long swims.
One of the things that makes the lake so appealing to me is the area around the dam. I would not feel uncomfortable swimming a mile or more north of the dam and down in the dark. I may be naive, but it looks to me like there would be few if any alligators in that part of the reservoir. Plus the lake is at least 1.7 miles wide, so there is a real potential of swimming more than five miles after dark. At Chicot, we have almost maxed out for what we can do in a single day without going into the dark, which I am hesitant to do.
Saturday, I did more weights and more running, shuffling 4.64 miles, and for the week, I
ran 31.04 and walked 3.62 miles,
lifted weights 4 X,
spun 52:00 minutes on the bike trainer, and
swam 4,500 meters.
What is wrong with this picture? You guessed it: not much swimming. There are a lot of reasons for that, but I hope to get more water time soon, real soon.
Wednesday, Penny and I went to Jackson after I lifted weights and did a short run of 2.08 miles. I was hoping to purchase a head harness from Play-It-Again Sports, but they didn't have one. They did have one my last two trips there, and I thought I would buy it one day. After my neck issues, I decided I need to work my neck muscles, hence the harness. But it was not to be. I did add a forty pound kettlebell to the gym and a few plates. Thursday, it was more weights, more walking, another session on the bike trainer (27 minutes) and a 4.06 miles run.
Friday brought 3,300 in the pool before Penny and I drove to Sardis to spend some time together and do some scouting for a possible swim there. I liked what I saw. I picked up a map from the Visitors' Center and talked to one of the employees there. He downplayed the whole idea of alligators and sat down with me and did some measuring on Google Maps. Like all of these flood control lakes in north Mississippi, they get shallow and swampy if you go upstream far enough. But there is plenty of deep water in Sardis to do some really long swims.
One of the things that makes the lake so appealing to me is the area around the dam. I would not feel uncomfortable swimming a mile or more north of the dam and down in the dark. I may be naive, but it looks to me like there would be few if any alligators in that part of the reservoir. Plus the lake is at least 1.7 miles wide, so there is a real potential of swimming more than five miles after dark. At Chicot, we have almost maxed out for what we can do in a single day without going into the dark, which I am hesitant to do.
Saturday, I did more weights and more running, shuffling 4.64 miles, and for the week, I
ran 31.04 and walked 3.62 miles,
lifted weights 4 X,
spun 52:00 minutes on the bike trainer, and
swam 4,500 meters.
What is wrong with this picture? You guessed it: not much swimming. There are a lot of reasons for that, but I hope to get more water time soon, real soon.
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Fourth of July Run
I didn't leave the house until almost 10:00 o'clock, too late to miss any heat and the day promised a lot of that. Nevertheless, after looking at my training log from last year and seeing that I ran to Hillbilly Heaven on the 4th of July, I determined to do the same this year also.
My Camelbak was loaded with 36 ounces of Gatorade in addition to a few Endurolytes and three packs of Gu that were stashed in my Fuel Belt. I left the house moving at my all day shuffling pace. The temp was already about 85, but the wind was blowing a steady eight mph or better giving me some relief from the combination of heat and a dew point of 74.
I shuffled through the neighborhood and one mile later was on the Yazoo River Bridge which for me is always a psychological threshold. I crossed the busy intersection at US 82 and Strong Ave and made on to the frontage road beside the highway that would be my path for the next three miles.
After those three plus miles, I ran through the parking lot of McDonald's and dumped onto Humphrey Highway, my path for the next ten miles, and headed south. There is not a lot of shade on that leg of the journey, so every time I got a cloud over, I thanked God for it and pulled my cap off the let the wind hit my wet head. Slowly, my legs idled down from the slow start to a slower shuffle, but I was having fun and I relished the idea of putting some endurance back into my legs. With the Chicot Challenge and its aftermath, my running has taken a hit, but the base is still there.
I did a little side running on the way out, doing short out-and-backs on adjoining streets, and by the time I reached the base of the big hill I was at 12.46 miles. As usual, the mountain-- and for a Delta boy, this thing qualifies as a mountain-- punished me as my pace for the Big Hill Mile, as I call it, was a shockingly slow 15:28. And then when I reached the top I ran out of Gatorade.
I stopped at Acy's, which was closed, but I hoped to get water from their outdoor hydrant. Turning the knob yielded no liquid. So I looked at several houses as I continued up the road, finally stopping at one house and ringing the door bell. I received an answer and made my request and was given permission to use the hydrant at the back of the house. I took the leisure not only to fill my pack but to wet my head also. Then it was back to the road.
Less than a quarter mile later I was on the gravel road, the one that led to HBH. I shuffled almost all the way, slowing to a walk after 16.13 miles. That, along with the 41-mile bike ride I did last week, should shoot my legs into another level of fitness. Once at the house, I drank a protein shake, took a shower, and then ate a lunch that included ribs, ribs, and more ribs. Naps followed. Several naps and some snacking on ribs, ribs, and more ribs. What better way to celebrate the 4th?
My Camelbak was loaded with 36 ounces of Gatorade in addition to a few Endurolytes and three packs of Gu that were stashed in my Fuel Belt. I left the house moving at my all day shuffling pace. The temp was already about 85, but the wind was blowing a steady eight mph or better giving me some relief from the combination of heat and a dew point of 74.
I shuffled through the neighborhood and one mile later was on the Yazoo River Bridge which for me is always a psychological threshold. I crossed the busy intersection at US 82 and Strong Ave and made on to the frontage road beside the highway that would be my path for the next three miles.
After those three plus miles, I ran through the parking lot of McDonald's and dumped onto Humphrey Highway, my path for the next ten miles, and headed south. There is not a lot of shade on that leg of the journey, so every time I got a cloud over, I thanked God for it and pulled my cap off the let the wind hit my wet head. Slowly, my legs idled down from the slow start to a slower shuffle, but I was having fun and I relished the idea of putting some endurance back into my legs. With the Chicot Challenge and its aftermath, my running has taken a hit, but the base is still there.
I did a little side running on the way out, doing short out-and-backs on adjoining streets, and by the time I reached the base of the big hill I was at 12.46 miles. As usual, the mountain-- and for a Delta boy, this thing qualifies as a mountain-- punished me as my pace for the Big Hill Mile, as I call it, was a shockingly slow 15:28. And then when I reached the top I ran out of Gatorade.
I stopped at Acy's, which was closed, but I hoped to get water from their outdoor hydrant. Turning the knob yielded no liquid. So I looked at several houses as I continued up the road, finally stopping at one house and ringing the door bell. I received an answer and made my request and was given permission to use the hydrant at the back of the house. I took the leisure not only to fill my pack but to wet my head also. Then it was back to the road.
Less than a quarter mile later I was on the gravel road, the one that led to HBH. I shuffled almost all the way, slowing to a walk after 16.13 miles. That, along with the 41-mile bike ride I did last week, should shoot my legs into another level of fitness. Once at the house, I drank a protein shake, took a shower, and then ate a lunch that included ribs, ribs, and more ribs. Naps followed. Several naps and some snacking on ribs, ribs, and more ribs. What better way to celebrate the 4th?
Monday, July 4, 2016
6/27 - 7/3
I finally climbed on my bicycle a few times last week and began to run a bit more. Right now, my running is primarily motivated by this winter, thinking about how much fun I can have if I can carry this fitness into the cooler weather. Overall, it was a pretty good training week, and I need to string together a few of these in a row because the Heart O' Dixie Triathlon is coming up in a few weeks.
Speaking of the HOD, a reporter for the Neshoba Democrat, Steve Swogetinsky, called to talk about the first HOD which I did in August of 1980. We chatted for thirty-five minutes and actually talked more about the Chicot Challenge than triathlon. I think the swim will be in the article along with some publicity for the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi.
Monday, I swam 2,000 meters, cycled 41.18 miles (and it was hot), ran 1.10 off the bike, and walked .41.
Tuesday, I swam 2,100 in the morning with John, lifted weights (bench press, bent row, swim pull), ran 5.48 miles, and walked 1.33 miles.
Wednesday, I swam 2,600 lifted weights (shoulders, shrugs, curls), ran 4.51 and walked 1.28 miles.
Thursday, I lifted weights, ran 7.46, and walked 1.88 miles.
Friday, I swan 1,400 meters, cycled 20.41 miles, ran 3.15 and walked .17 miles.
Saturday, Penny and I went to Seldom Seen where we saw Silvia, among many other people. We had a relaxing, enjoyable day. After we got home, I lifted weights, ran 6.55 and walked 1.12 miles.
Sunday, I napped of course and then went out for a short and easy 11.21 on the bike.
For the week, I
swam 8,100 meters,
cycled 72.8 miles
lifted weights four times,
ran 28.31 and walked 6.19 miles.
A decent week, but I need better.
Speaking of the HOD, a reporter for the Neshoba Democrat, Steve Swogetinsky, called to talk about the first HOD which I did in August of 1980. We chatted for thirty-five minutes and actually talked more about the Chicot Challenge than triathlon. I think the swim will be in the article along with some publicity for the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi.
Monday, I swam 2,000 meters, cycled 41.18 miles (and it was hot), ran 1.10 off the bike, and walked .41.
Tuesday, I swam 2,100 in the morning with John, lifted weights (bench press, bent row, swim pull), ran 5.48 miles, and walked 1.33 miles.
Wednesday, I swam 2,600 lifted weights (shoulders, shrugs, curls), ran 4.51 and walked 1.28 miles.
Thursday, I lifted weights, ran 7.46, and walked 1.88 miles.
Friday, I swan 1,400 meters, cycled 20.41 miles, ran 3.15 and walked .17 miles.
Saturday, Penny and I went to Seldom Seen where we saw Silvia, among many other people. We had a relaxing, enjoyable day. After we got home, I lifted weights, ran 6.55 and walked 1.12 miles.
Sunday, I napped of course and then went out for a short and easy 11.21 on the bike.
For the week, I
swam 8,100 meters,
cycled 72.8 miles
lifted weights four times,
ran 28.31 and walked 6.19 miles.
A decent week, but I need better.
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