Countdown Begun

Yeah, I am getting nervous. I always do. Once inside the two week window, what I call the countdown phase, the nerves start rising. At this point, the fitness is either built or it is not built. The trick is not to de-train while resting and getting the mind right. Presently, my mind is not right. Yesterday I started doing some of the little things, like rigging up a new rope that will have my feeding bottle attached to it. Last year's apparatus was a little too short. I found an old strap that I thought would be perfect, so I added a float and some pink duct tape for style and visibility.

Oddly, I did not swim Monday. I think I am still traumatized from running over Pee Wee last Thursday. Monday was rainy and that always makes me lazy. Then after lunch, CC climbed up on the bed with me and took a nap. That did me in. I napped with her and then felt terribly guilty for not doing anything.

Tuesday, I did the work on the feeding rope and afterwards headed to the pond with the dogs. Pee Wee was not shy about getting out and running. He still gets in front of the truck and after running over two dogs, that makes me really nervous. Bear, however, has not been in front of the truck since our accident. He is an unusually smart dog, and I don't think you could run over him now if you tried. Pee Wee, on the other hand, is still as wild as ever and most of the time is out of sight running just ahead of the vehicle's front tires. We did make it to the pond and back without incident.

There I swam four laps plus and a little extra. On what I call the backside (the south levee), I did some pickups. On each lap I upshifted to 85% or higher for increasingly longer lengths on every trip around. I started with the first telephone pole on the backside and swam hard to the first aerator. On the second trip, once more starting at the first pole, I busted it to the second aerator. On the third trip, I burned it to the wildflowers that are just before the third aerator. The fourth time around, I just kept it easy. I finished with 3.32 miles.

Tuesday, I also contacted the Greenwood Commonwealth and WXVT about the swim. I hope they provide coverage because the Commonwealth article has always caused a spike in donations in the realm of $500 to $600. Charles Corder has not responded so I can only pray that I will receive a call from Bob Darden who usually writes the article. Woodrow Wilkins of WXVT only sent a thumbs up emoticon in response to my message. Oh well, the ball is in their court. If you pray, pray for this, pray for good weather on June 3rd, and pray for the swim's success and the crew's safety. 

Praise be to God.