I did a lot of thinking about the directional lane bias that I accidentally discovered after poking around in my Garmin after my Tuesday the 26th swim. The pool swims fast going west and slow going east. At least if does in the north lane (I think they call that lane two). First, I postulated that the pool was unlevel and going west you swim downhill and turning around is an uphill swim. Then I figured maybe not.
My next guess was the speed difference had to do with the earth's rotational spin. As the earth spins east, it meets us as we travel west. Whatta ya think?
Then I did another swim test. I swam in lane one and this time I also discovered directional lane bias, but it was the opposite. While lane two is fast going west, lane one is fast going east. That kills the unlevel pool and the earth's rotation as an answer.
With my top suspects eliminated, what could the answer be? I sat in at the end of the pool and thought as hard as I could. I thought so hard my head hurt. I thought so hard I became hungry. I thought so hard I grew angry and wanted to smite someone about the head and shoulders. While I fumed, the pool water gradually calmed and then I saw it. I saw it! What did I see? Answer in the comments. The person with the correct answer will receive a yet-to-be-determined prize.
Saturday, June 30, 2018
Thursday, June 28, 2018
6/18 - 6/24
I wrote this last Monday, and I have no clue why I am just now publishing. Does this mean I am getting old?
Monday, Brian and I had a nice ride out north of town. We have taken a shine to a couple of roads that go east from downtown Money. We finished with 19.48 miles and then had a relaxing drive back to town.
Tuesday I hit the Twin Rivers Tiny Pool for 4 X 400. These were all easy and there was no set rest interval between them. I just stretched and drank water and swam again. Later, I had a pretty substantial leg session at Plate City. The improved leg press and the calf raise machine along with the seated calf machine are a real boom. After the weight session, I took a walk (2.31) and inserted a .16 mile shuffle.
When I look at my training dairy, I see nothing written for Wednesday. I can't remember why. Does that mean I am getting old?
Thursday, I went back to the tiny pool for an easy 2,000 straight yards in 38:06. Friday it was more little pool for some more easy swimming. I did 400, 500, 500, and 650 for 2,050 yards.
Saturday, I swam 2,100 straight in 39:15. Afterwards I did another walk (2.41) and this time shuffled .17 miles. I am going to get the running back, but first I need to lose some serious weight. I also did some more lower body weight lifting for a pretty big workout day.
I don't usually do anything on Sunday, but this time I felt compelled. I had not done any upper body weight work so I hit the bench for
17 X 55
13 X 77
10 X 87
7 X 97
3 X 102
On the Swim Pull, I did
10 X 20
20 X 23
15 X 24.5
A walk followed (2.75) with a .18 mile shuffle.
For the week, I
cycled 19.48 miles,
swam 7,750 yards (7,083 meters),
ambulated 8.77 miles (shuffled .51), and
lifted weights two times.
Monday, Brian and I had a nice ride out north of town. We have taken a shine to a couple of roads that go east from downtown Money. We finished with 19.48 miles and then had a relaxing drive back to town.
Tuesday I hit the Twin Rivers Tiny Pool for 4 X 400. These were all easy and there was no set rest interval between them. I just stretched and drank water and swam again. Later, I had a pretty substantial leg session at Plate City. The improved leg press and the calf raise machine along with the seated calf machine are a real boom. After the weight session, I took a walk (2.31) and inserted a .16 mile shuffle.
When I look at my training dairy, I see nothing written for Wednesday. I can't remember why. Does that mean I am getting old?
Thursday, I went back to the tiny pool for an easy 2,000 straight yards in 38:06. Friday it was more little pool for some more easy swimming. I did 400, 500, 500, and 650 for 2,050 yards.
Saturday, I swam 2,100 straight in 39:15. Afterwards I did another walk (2.41) and this time shuffled .17 miles. I am going to get the running back, but first I need to lose some serious weight. I also did some more lower body weight lifting for a pretty big workout day.
I don't usually do anything on Sunday, but this time I felt compelled. I had not done any upper body weight work so I hit the bench for
17 X 55
13 X 77
10 X 87
7 X 97
3 X 102
On the Swim Pull, I did
10 X 20
20 X 23
15 X 24.5
A walk followed (2.75) with a .18 mile shuffle.
For the week, I
cycled 19.48 miles,
swam 7,750 yards (7,083 meters),
ambulated 8.77 miles (shuffled .51), and
lifted weights two times.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Lane Bias
Are you kidding me?!?! I thought to myself the first time I heard the term "lane bias." My next thought was to recall the words of the old United Negro College Fund commercial that stated: "A mind is a terrible thing to waste."
It was an article, a swimming one, I saw somewhere, probably a link posted on Facebook. I didn't read it. I thought, "Somebody has too much time on his hands." From what I gathered, the writer was recounting how all lanes in a pool are not equal but some swim faster than others. Then I had this experience.
My trip to the Twin Rivers Tiny Pool, as I have taken to calling it, put me into the two lane pool with another person. Not to worry because I only need one. Usually I swim in the first lane, the one closest the front door, but since that one was occupied, I swam the outside (north lane). I didn't notice any difference only that I was closer to the wall. The other lane is beside a long entrance ramp. I did, however, notice that my time was slow. Not too worry, I wasn't swimming for time, just an easy steady effort as I am still rehabbing a wounded shoulder.
It was only last night when I was transferring my data to a training diary that I happened to peak at the Garmin I wore for the swim. For no particular reason, I scrolled through the length record and noticed a pattern. It goes like this. Below, the numbers on the left are the lengths (odd going west and even going east). The next number is the pace per 100 yards for that 25 yard length. Take a look:
1 1:47 (odd numbers are swimming west; even numbers are swimming east)
2 1:55
3 1:47
4 2:00
5 1:47
6 1:59
7 1:50
8 2:01
9 1:52
10 2:02
11 1:54
12 2:07
13 1:48
14 2:08
15 1:52
16 2:06
17 1:53
18 1:59
19 1:53
20 2:07
21 1:54
22 2:04
23 1:49
24 2:02
25 1:44
26 2:08
27 1:54
28 2:04
29 1:53
30 1:59
31 1:51
32 1:59
33 1:50
34 1:56
35 1:51
36 2:05
37 1:52
38 2:04
39 1:48
40 2:08
41 1:54
42 2:03
43 1:57
44 2:06
45 1:52
46 2:08
47 1:51
48 1:57
49 1:59
50 1:59
51 1:55
52 2:08
53 1:53
54 2:09
55 1:48
56 2:05
57 1:55
58 2:05
Changed lanes
59 1:56
60 2:00
61 1:54
62 1:55
63 1:59
64 1:50 (Finishing strong? I don't remember)
Do you see it? I am not so sure about lane bias in my favorite lane because I only swam 150 in it. But I am absolutely certain there is a lane direction bias (credit me with coining that term) in the north lane of Twin Rivers indoor pool. To me the evidence is stunning, credible, undeniable. When you swim in that lane, going west you go fast, while going east, the pace slows. Bear in mind, I was not modulating pace. I do that sometimes, but not June the 26th. I was just trying to get in a decent-for-my-fitness swim at an easy, steady pace.
I find all of this interesting, and it will give me something else to occupy my mind while I swim there. In the ponds, I used to try to figure out why they warmed and cooled the way they did. They would change temperatures in spots while I swam. I became an expert on catfish pond temperature changes. If you ever need any information on that subject, I am your man. If you want to know about lane bias at the Twin Rivers indoor pool, give me a call.
As far as the other lane goes, more research is needed to determine if a similar lane direction bias exists in it also. I hypothesize that a similar but reduced lane bias does indeed exist for my favorite lane. Furthermore, since there is what appears to be a drain at the bottom of the west end of the pool, (I start on the east end) I predict a faster western length when compared to the eastern lengths. My plan is to research this matter this afternoon. Look for the results here tomorrow morning.
It was an article, a swimming one, I saw somewhere, probably a link posted on Facebook. I didn't read it. I thought, "Somebody has too much time on his hands." From what I gathered, the writer was recounting how all lanes in a pool are not equal but some swim faster than others. Then I had this experience.
My trip to the Twin Rivers Tiny Pool, as I have taken to calling it, put me into the two lane pool with another person. Not to worry because I only need one. Usually I swim in the first lane, the one closest the front door, but since that one was occupied, I swam the outside (north lane). I didn't notice any difference only that I was closer to the wall. The other lane is beside a long entrance ramp. I did, however, notice that my time was slow. Not too worry, I wasn't swimming for time, just an easy steady effort as I am still rehabbing a wounded shoulder.
It was only last night when I was transferring my data to a training diary that I happened to peak at the Garmin I wore for the swim. For no particular reason, I scrolled through the length record and noticed a pattern. It goes like this. Below, the numbers on the left are the lengths (odd going west and even going east). The next number is the pace per 100 yards for that 25 yard length. Take a look:
1 1:47 (odd numbers are swimming west; even numbers are swimming east)
2 1:55
3 1:47
4 2:00
5 1:47
6 1:59
7 1:50
8 2:01
9 1:52
10 2:02
11 1:54
12 2:07
13 1:48
14 2:08
15 1:52
16 2:06
17 1:53
18 1:59
19 1:53
20 2:07
21 1:54
22 2:04
23 1:49
24 2:02
25 1:44
26 2:08
27 1:54
28 2:04
29 1:53
30 1:59
31 1:51
32 1:59
33 1:50
34 1:56
35 1:51
36 2:05
37 1:52
38 2:04
39 1:48
40 2:08
41 1:54
42 2:03
43 1:57
44 2:06
45 1:52
46 2:08
47 1:51
48 1:57
49 1:59
50 1:59
51 1:55
52 2:08
53 1:53
54 2:09
55 1:48
56 2:05
57 1:55
58 2:05
Changed lanes
59 1:56
60 2:00
61 1:54
62 1:55
63 1:59
64 1:50 (Finishing strong? I don't remember)
Do you see it? I am not so sure about lane bias in my favorite lane because I only swam 150 in it. But I am absolutely certain there is a lane direction bias (credit me with coining that term) in the north lane of Twin Rivers indoor pool. To me the evidence is stunning, credible, undeniable. When you swim in that lane, going west you go fast, while going east, the pace slows. Bear in mind, I was not modulating pace. I do that sometimes, but not June the 26th. I was just trying to get in a decent-for-my-fitness swim at an easy, steady pace.
I find all of this interesting, and it will give me something else to occupy my mind while I swim there. In the ponds, I used to try to figure out why they warmed and cooled the way they did. They would change temperatures in spots while I swam. I became an expert on catfish pond temperature changes. If you ever need any information on that subject, I am your man. If you want to know about lane bias at the Twin Rivers indoor pool, give me a call.
As far as the other lane goes, more research is needed to determine if a similar lane direction bias exists in it also. I hypothesize that a similar but reduced lane bias does indeed exist for my favorite lane. Furthermore, since there is what appears to be a drain at the bottom of the west end of the pool, (I start on the east end) I predict a faster western length when compared to the eastern lengths. My plan is to research this matter this afternoon. Look for the results here tomorrow morning.
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Back in the Saddle
I'm back in the saddle again,
out where a friend is a friend,
where the long horn cattle feed
on the lonesome gypsum weed,
I'm back in the saddle again.
Brian texted me Sunday afternoon. Want to ride Monday? Want to ride Thursday? I answered yes to both questions, only to realize later that I had a previous engagement Thursday. It had been two weeks since we rode. He had a health issue, and during our sabbatical I wracked up a whopping two miles on my mountain bike. But now we are back in the saddle again. We rode Monday, parking at Money and riding first McIntyre Lake Road and then the one that goes out east from downtown Money. We pulled thirty seconds each and rode pretty hard for two fat guys who had been off for a couple of weeks.
When we got to the end of our last road, about four plus miles from the truck, we called a truce and did a gentleman's ride back. That felt good and we finished the ride happy, having a good workout without totally wasting ourselves.
Total ride: 19.48 miles. Thank you, Jesus.
Ray 8
But he didn't call. After three full days, I knew Roy Blackmon was not going to contact me. And I didn't even get a number for him when I was at his house. I just assumed, thinking for sure he would call that very day, but he didn't. What to do?
I decided to make a trip to Louisville and Noxapater. I have kinfolk over there and it is prime timber/pulpwood territory. In the past, there were pulpwood trucks all over Winston and Neshoba Counties. A few weeks back, I had called my Uncle Paul in Noxapater and asked him to be on the lookout for a truck. He spread the word, had one guy working on it, and had a lead on a truck. I was still counting on a twofer. Find a truck, find Ray.
So I left out Wednesday morning. On the way, a memory surfaced of when I used to hang out at the wood yard in Terry and take pictures. One of the pulpwooders mentioned a yard in or near Brandon that had a lot of old, raggedy trucks rolling in and out everyday. I pulled over on the side of the road on Highway 407 just outside of French Camp, and did a Google search for the Chamber of Commerce in Brandon, Mississippi. I found a number and called. From the Chamber of Commerce, I secured numbers for wood yards and timber companies all over central and south Mississippi, one even in Louisiana. I called Rollins Pulpwood and Timber Co., Donald Timber, Soterra Timber, Plumb Creek Timber, Scott Penn, Armstrong Timber, Forrest South, and a bunch more. Those are just the ones I still have notes on.
I phoned them all. After the last call, I knew one thing for a fact: no one buys short wood anymore. No one. That means my search for Ray had hit a dead end. I had counted on Ezell Lowery being right that somebody out there still bought it and that is where I would find Ray. Now, I didn't know what the next move should be. This made me feel really sad, despondent even, and I teared up as I drove on slowly. Not only did no one buy short wood, but none of the wood yards I spoke with had a clue where to find an old fashioned pulpwood truck. "They've all been scraped," I was told over and over.
But instead of scrapping my trip to Louisville, I decided to call a cousin of mine, Elizabeth Ann Wyatt, and maybe take her to lunch. She lives in Louisville, and I had been wanting to spend some time with her since Mom passed. I knew she was upset at Mom's death, and I sensed she needed some attention.
I made contact with Elizabeth Ann and we made plans for lunch. When I arrived at her house, I met her husband for the first time. He was outside working on some stuff. I shared with him my search for a truck and he told me what I already knew. They used to be all over the place around here. He also showed me a stump in their yard and said the people who cut and hauled off the tree had one, a ragged one ton! He vowed it was true and said he would be on the lookout for it or another one. I also asked him if he knew anybody named Ray Azal. He didn't but vowed to look for him also.
Elizabeth and I had a nice lunch at Lake Tiak O Kahta (pronounced tee uh katuh). After I took her home, I drove down to Noxapater and stopped at D & D Tire where two of my cousins work. We talked about pulpwood trucks and Ray Azal. They didn't know Ray nor where any trucks were. John Walter Darby broke my heart when he told me that he was instrumental in cleaning out that part of the country when he bought and sold for scrap dozens of them after steel prices went through the roof.
I left the tire place and drove to Aunt Mary's. Uncle Paul was there, and I got to ask him directly about the lead he had on a truck. He told me the guy he had on the lookout for one had found one and got in the truck while the owner drove it. He said it was smoking really bad and that just as they pulled back into the owner's yard, the truck engine exploded (his word, "exploded"). Awe shucks. "But he's still looking," Uncle Paul told me, and if anyone can find one he can. I asked about Ray whom he had never heard of, and I asked him to set his truck-searcher on Ray's trail too.
Then I left and drove around in the country side some. I went east out of Noxapter onto a road I had never been on before A few miles out there I came upon a Cowboy Baptist Church. That was a first for me. I drove all the way until the road ran into Highway 19. The drive was enjoyable, but it failed to produce on pulpwood trucks, so I turned around and headed home with my head and heart slightly bowed.
I decided to make a trip to Louisville and Noxapater. I have kinfolk over there and it is prime timber/pulpwood territory. In the past, there were pulpwood trucks all over Winston and Neshoba Counties. A few weeks back, I had called my Uncle Paul in Noxapater and asked him to be on the lookout for a truck. He spread the word, had one guy working on it, and had a lead on a truck. I was still counting on a twofer. Find a truck, find Ray.
So I left out Wednesday morning. On the way, a memory surfaced of when I used to hang out at the wood yard in Terry and take pictures. One of the pulpwooders mentioned a yard in or near Brandon that had a lot of old, raggedy trucks rolling in and out everyday. I pulled over on the side of the road on Highway 407 just outside of French Camp, and did a Google search for the Chamber of Commerce in Brandon, Mississippi. I found a number and called. From the Chamber of Commerce, I secured numbers for wood yards and timber companies all over central and south Mississippi, one even in Louisiana. I called Rollins Pulpwood and Timber Co., Donald Timber, Soterra Timber, Plumb Creek Timber, Scott Penn, Armstrong Timber, Forrest South, and a bunch more. Those are just the ones I still have notes on.
I phoned them all. After the last call, I knew one thing for a fact: no one buys short wood anymore. No one. That means my search for Ray had hit a dead end. I had counted on Ezell Lowery being right that somebody out there still bought it and that is where I would find Ray. Now, I didn't know what the next move should be. This made me feel really sad, despondent even, and I teared up as I drove on slowly. Not only did no one buy short wood, but none of the wood yards I spoke with had a clue where to find an old fashioned pulpwood truck. "They've all been scraped," I was told over and over.
But instead of scrapping my trip to Louisville, I decided to call a cousin of mine, Elizabeth Ann Wyatt, and maybe take her to lunch. She lives in Louisville, and I had been wanting to spend some time with her since Mom passed. I knew she was upset at Mom's death, and I sensed she needed some attention.
I made contact with Elizabeth Ann and we made plans for lunch. When I arrived at her house, I met her husband for the first time. He was outside working on some stuff. I shared with him my search for a truck and he told me what I already knew. They used to be all over the place around here. He also showed me a stump in their yard and said the people who cut and hauled off the tree had one, a ragged one ton! He vowed it was true and said he would be on the lookout for it or another one. I also asked him if he knew anybody named Ray Azal. He didn't but vowed to look for him also.
Elizabeth and I had a nice lunch at Lake Tiak O Kahta (pronounced tee uh katuh). After I took her home, I drove down to Noxapater and stopped at D & D Tire where two of my cousins work. We talked about pulpwood trucks and Ray Azal. They didn't know Ray nor where any trucks were. John Walter Darby broke my heart when he told me that he was instrumental in cleaning out that part of the country when he bought and sold for scrap dozens of them after steel prices went through the roof.
I left the tire place and drove to Aunt Mary's. Uncle Paul was there, and I got to ask him directly about the lead he had on a truck. He told me the guy he had on the lookout for one had found one and got in the truck while the owner drove it. He said it was smoking really bad and that just as they pulled back into the owner's yard, the truck engine exploded (his word, "exploded"). Awe shucks. "But he's still looking," Uncle Paul told me, and if anyone can find one he can. I asked about Ray whom he had never heard of, and I asked him to set his truck-searcher on Ray's trail too.
Then I left and drove around in the country side some. I went east out of Noxapter onto a road I had never been on before A few miles out there I came upon a Cowboy Baptist Church. That was a first for me. I drove all the way until the road ran into Highway 19. The drive was enjoyable, but it failed to produce on pulpwood trucks, so I turned around and headed home with my head and heart slightly bowed.
Monday, June 18, 2018
6/11 - 6/17
I have already written about swimming 1,500 yards in the little pool Monday. I also did some bench pressing:
16 X 55
10 X 75
8 X 85
6 X 95
2 X 100
Considering where I started, this is looking good to me. Not only that, but it is feeling good, like I am really lifting weights again. There is still a touch of tightness and discomfort at the bottom, when I lower the bar to my chest. But it is getting better.
Tuesday I went back to the little pool for 1,825 yards and then did some walking in the yard and some rotator cuff exercises.
Wednesday I hit it for 1,025 yards and little else.
Thursday I started an improvement campaign on Plate City gym. I will have pictures and a write up later. I did some leg work at home and at the pool did:
1,050
8 X 50 @ 1:15
400
This was the first time this year I have done X anything. I also did a 2.21 mile walk with .12 miles of shuffling thrown in.
Friday I met someone in Oxford and purchased a seated calf machine from him. Back home, I set the machine up and did some more work on Plate City.
Saturday, I had the privilege of preaching Sue McNeer's funeral. Then I did some real work at Plate City that included both upper and lower body. On the bench I
17 X 55
11 X 75
9 X 85
6 X 95
2 X 100
I walked 2.67 miles with .14 of shuffling. I must lose some weight. If I do, I will be able to resume some light running. I need it terribly.
For the week, I
ambulated 7.11 miles,
shuffled .26,
lifted weights three times, and
swam 6,200 yards (5,666 meters)
Thank you, Jesus.
16 X 55
10 X 75
8 X 85
6 X 95
2 X 100
Considering where I started, this is looking good to me. Not only that, but it is feeling good, like I am really lifting weights again. There is still a touch of tightness and discomfort at the bottom, when I lower the bar to my chest. But it is getting better.
Tuesday I went back to the little pool for 1,825 yards and then did some walking in the yard and some rotator cuff exercises.
Wednesday I hit it for 1,025 yards and little else.
Thursday I started an improvement campaign on Plate City gym. I will have pictures and a write up later. I did some leg work at home and at the pool did:
1,050
8 X 50 @ 1:15
400
This was the first time this year I have done X anything. I also did a 2.21 mile walk with .12 miles of shuffling thrown in.
Friday I met someone in Oxford and purchased a seated calf machine from him. Back home, I set the machine up and did some more work on Plate City.
Saturday, I had the privilege of preaching Sue McNeer's funeral. Then I did some real work at Plate City that included both upper and lower body. On the bench I
17 X 55
11 X 75
9 X 85
6 X 95
2 X 100
I walked 2.67 miles with .14 of shuffling. I must lose some weight. If I do, I will be able to resume some light running. I need it terribly.
For the week, I
ambulated 7.11 miles,
shuffled .26,
lifted weights three times, and
swam 6,200 yards (5,666 meters)
Thank you, Jesus.
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Tiny Pool Again
So I went back.
To the tiny pool.
I was goofy glad to be able to get in and have my watch set to catch everything accurately unlike Monday when I had to get out a slide rule, a calculator, and call a mathematician to try to figure out how far I actually swam. I'm still not sure, but I put it into my training diary and on here as 1,500 yards.
This time when I called Stela to send someone to let me in, a girl and a guy came my way. The girl had the key and the guy had a big bag of what looked like fertilizer over his shoulder. Was he going to put that in the pool?
He was going to put that in the pool.
"You mind if I put this acid in the water before you swim?" he asked.
Yes, I'm kidding.
What he really said was, "You mind if I put this salt in before you swim?" I didn't mind. So it's a salt water pool. I figured that already. What I don't know is does that impact performance? If you know, please leave me a comment below.
I swam a little farther than yesterday. I warmed up with 600 straight which is the farthest I have swum this year not counting the .75 of a mile I swam at Chicot. Then I did 700, 200, 200, and finally 125 for a total of 1825 yards. My muscles let me know afterwards that I am still not in shape, but I keep inching up. My 100 average was 1:55. Since I mostly swim long course, I really don't remember how far off that is from my good swimming, and I am too lazy to go snooping around in my old training logs to find out.
At home I began some long dreamed of upgrades on Plate City. I mowed, lifted weights, and got tools out and started the remodeling job. The lifting is coming back, and it always gives me a boost to add something, change something, or upgrade something. I have some ideas, and I finally pulled the trigger and began the work. For me, getting started is at least 60% of the job. I and putting up one of the attachments Leflore Steel built for me that I had taken down because of room issues. The more I stand around out there and look and think, the more ideas I come up with. I may do a whole post on Plate City, so I'll drop that for now.
God is good. Thank you, Jesus for restoring my imagination, my dreams, my goals, my desire to do stuff. When those were gone, life was like eating fish without salt, pepper, and anything to drink. Now I understand why Mom, long past her ability to do much of anything continued to buy things she should have know she could never use. She was still dreaming and scheming. It kept her waking up each day.
To the tiny pool.
I was goofy glad to be able to get in and have my watch set to catch everything accurately unlike Monday when I had to get out a slide rule, a calculator, and call a mathematician to try to figure out how far I actually swam. I'm still not sure, but I put it into my training diary and on here as 1,500 yards.
This time when I called Stela to send someone to let me in, a girl and a guy came my way. The girl had the key and the guy had a big bag of what looked like fertilizer over his shoulder. Was he going to put that in the pool?
He was going to put that in the pool.
"You mind if I put this acid in the water before you swim?" he asked.
Yes, I'm kidding.
What he really said was, "You mind if I put this salt in before you swim?" I didn't mind. So it's a salt water pool. I figured that already. What I don't know is does that impact performance? If you know, please leave me a comment below.
I swam a little farther than yesterday. I warmed up with 600 straight which is the farthest I have swum this year not counting the .75 of a mile I swam at Chicot. Then I did 700, 200, 200, and finally 125 for a total of 1825 yards. My muscles let me know afterwards that I am still not in shape, but I keep inching up. My 100 average was 1:55. Since I mostly swim long course, I really don't remember how far off that is from my good swimming, and I am too lazy to go snooping around in my old training logs to find out.
At home I began some long dreamed of upgrades on Plate City. I mowed, lifted weights, and got tools out and started the remodeling job. The lifting is coming back, and it always gives me a boost to add something, change something, or upgrade something. I have some ideas, and I finally pulled the trigger and began the work. For me, getting started is at least 60% of the job. I and putting up one of the attachments Leflore Steel built for me that I had taken down because of room issues. The more I stand around out there and look and think, the more ideas I come up with. I may do a whole post on Plate City, so I'll drop that for now.
God is good. Thank you, Jesus for restoring my imagination, my dreams, my goals, my desire to do stuff. When those were gone, life was like eating fish without salt, pepper, and anything to drink. Now I understand why Mom, long past her ability to do much of anything continued to buy things she should have know she could never use. She was still dreaming and scheming. It kept her waking up each day.
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Tiny Pool
Last summer/fall/winter, Twin Rivers built an indoor pool. For a couple of reasons, this did not get me too excited. The main reason I wasn't wetting my pants in anticipation is I could not swim at all so the pool was a physician of little value to me. Another reason I was disinterested concerned pool itself. I was told by the director, it was to be 60 feet by 20 feet. That is a really small body of water, and I wondered how I could possibly get a training effect in something that small.
Nevertheless, as I recently began to swim again, I felt I ought to give the tiny thing a try, at least once. My sometimes training partner, John, was all against it the last time we talked. But since he does physical therapy on Monday, I decided to see if I could get in and swim test the new facilities. Miss Stela, whom I called after my summer school class let out, told me I had to get a reservation. I got one from 1:30 to 2:30.
The way it works is you drive up and then call her and she sends someone over to open the door for you. Once the door was opened, I was surprised to see first that the pool has the lane lines on the bottom. All two of them. Then I was shocked at how long the pool looked. Just gazing it appeared as long as a short course pool. My next surprise was at how cool the water was. Without the sun to heat it up, it must have been over twenty degrees cooler than the outdoor pool.
Another surprise came when I attempted to set my Garmin watch to a custom distance of 20 yards only to find that it would only go as short as 22.5. That meant my numbers and averages would be off. Not to worry. I could deal with that later. First, I wanted to swim. That's when I received yet one more surprise. The pool not only looked like a short course pool, but it felt like it when I swam it. After a few laps, I even counted my strokes, and I got the same number I do when I swim at DSU when the bulkhead is set for 25 yards. But, I thought, maybe it is because I am not in shape, and if I were really in a short course pool, my numbers would be higher.
To make a short story long, I stopped when my watch said I had swum 1342 yards. At home, I tried to convert that to what it really was, but I could not shake the idea that I was swimming a full 25 yards per length instead of 20. So I sent the director a text asking her how long the pool was. Her reply: "75 feet."
I knew it.
Now I can set my watch and get the numbers correct. Twenty-five yards is sufficient for real training. And now I can have more access to water even this winter, I think. I short, I am one step closer to getting back into shape. I am in no hurry, however. I am, and no doubt will remain, gun shy for a long time. One step, one swim at a time. Thank you, Jesus.
Nevertheless, as I recently began to swim again, I felt I ought to give the tiny thing a try, at least once. My sometimes training partner, John, was all against it the last time we talked. But since he does physical therapy on Monday, I decided to see if I could get in and swim test the new facilities. Miss Stela, whom I called after my summer school class let out, told me I had to get a reservation. I got one from 1:30 to 2:30.
The way it works is you drive up and then call her and she sends someone over to open the door for you. Once the door was opened, I was surprised to see first that the pool has the lane lines on the bottom. All two of them. Then I was shocked at how long the pool looked. Just gazing it appeared as long as a short course pool. My next surprise was at how cool the water was. Without the sun to heat it up, it must have been over twenty degrees cooler than the outdoor pool.
 |
| Notice the lane lines and the roof over head. Now I'm a believer, an excited one. |
Another surprise came when I attempted to set my Garmin watch to a custom distance of 20 yards only to find that it would only go as short as 22.5. That meant my numbers and averages would be off. Not to worry. I could deal with that later. First, I wanted to swim. That's when I received yet one more surprise. The pool not only looked like a short course pool, but it felt like it when I swam it. After a few laps, I even counted my strokes, and I got the same number I do when I swim at DSU when the bulkhead is set for 25 yards. But, I thought, maybe it is because I am not in shape, and if I were really in a short course pool, my numbers would be higher.
To make a short story long, I stopped when my watch said I had swum 1342 yards. At home, I tried to convert that to what it really was, but I could not shake the idea that I was swimming a full 25 yards per length instead of 20. So I sent the director a text asking her how long the pool was. Her reply: "75 feet."
I knew it.
Now I can set my watch and get the numbers correct. Twenty-five yards is sufficient for real training. And now I can have more access to water even this winter, I think. I short, I am one step closer to getting back into shape. I am in no hurry, however. I am, and no doubt will remain, gun shy for a long time. One step, one swim at a time. Thank you, Jesus.
Monday, June 11, 2018
6/4 - 6/10
Monday was a pretty full day. I did a Money Road shike (shuffle/hike) that led to to Twin Rivers after 6.0 miles. At the pool I only swam 500 meters, but I am swimming, and I am thankful. Then I ambulated home for a total foot mileage of 6.88 miles of which .62 was shuffling.
Tuesday I did not do much, but on the bench press I did
16 X 50
12 X 70
10 X 80
8 X 90
When I lift, I always get a little walking in between sets. This time it was .51 in addition to the .2 I did at work.
I wrote about Wednesday already when the dogs and I went to the pond for the first time in over a year. I cycled 2.04, walked/shuffled 1.09, and swam 1,000 meters.
Thursday and Friday are a blank in my training diary. I had a funeral to officiate Friday so when I got off work Thursday, I first went in search of a Dallas Cowboy necktie and then I went home to prepare. When the funeral was over Friday and I began to drive home, I felt almost as fatigued as I do after completing a Chicot Challenge. It always does me that way.
Saturday I was pretty washed out. I finally dragged out of bed and did some more benching:
16 X 50
13 X 70
10 X 80
6 X 90
3 X 95
Hot dog! It feels like I am lifting weights again. The shoulder keeps improving. I can now lower the bar all the way to my chest without pain, as long as I do it slowly. I used to warm up with 100, but from now on I think I will cap out eventually at 140. Why that weight? One reason is that is the weight where I could feel myself getting stronger every session so I know I can get strong on 140 pounds. Another reason is with my injury and the lightness of my bone structure, 160 and up now seems a little extreme to me. In the future, I plan to do more reps and sets at 140 when I build up to there. That is enough to be sufficiently strong to do all the swimming I want.
Later in the evening, I went to the pool and swam 1,000 meters.
For the week, I
swam 2,500 meters,
cycled 2.04 miles, and
ambulated 9.03 miles.
Thank you, Jesus.
Tuesday I did not do much, but on the bench press I did
16 X 50
12 X 70
10 X 80
8 X 90
When I lift, I always get a little walking in between sets. This time it was .51 in addition to the .2 I did at work.
I wrote about Wednesday already when the dogs and I went to the pond for the first time in over a year. I cycled 2.04, walked/shuffled 1.09, and swam 1,000 meters.
Thursday and Friday are a blank in my training diary. I had a funeral to officiate Friday so when I got off work Thursday, I first went in search of a Dallas Cowboy necktie and then I went home to prepare. When the funeral was over Friday and I began to drive home, I felt almost as fatigued as I do after completing a Chicot Challenge. It always does me that way.
Saturday I was pretty washed out. I finally dragged out of bed and did some more benching:
16 X 50
13 X 70
10 X 80
6 X 90
3 X 95
Hot dog! It feels like I am lifting weights again. The shoulder keeps improving. I can now lower the bar all the way to my chest without pain, as long as I do it slowly. I used to warm up with 100, but from now on I think I will cap out eventually at 140. Why that weight? One reason is that is the weight where I could feel myself getting stronger every session so I know I can get strong on 140 pounds. Another reason is with my injury and the lightness of my bone structure, 160 and up now seems a little extreme to me. In the future, I plan to do more reps and sets at 140 when I build up to there. That is enough to be sufficiently strong to do all the swimming I want.
Later in the evening, I went to the pool and swam 1,000 meters.
For the week, I
swam 2,500 meters,
cycled 2.04 miles, and
ambulated 9.03 miles.
Thank you, Jesus.
Thursday, June 7, 2018
A Return
It was as much for the dogs as for me. They haven't been out of the backyard since squirrel season ended. Last year, training for the Chicot Challenge, Bear, Pee Wee, and me traveled often to the fish farm where I swam and they ran, sniffed, drank pond water, rolled in dead stuff, and chased birds. They love it out there and were so eager to go back that recently every time I climbed in or out of my truck, they cried like little babies begging to "go to the pond." They know that phrase. Wednesday when I asked if they wanted to "go to the pond," Bear started howling and Pee Wee began to run in circles. So we loaded into the truck and left.
As soon as we got to the fish farm, Pee Wee wanted out to run, but since we were going to a new pond, I made him stay in the cab. I had called David and asked him about a new pond. He told me to go to the ND ponds. To get there, just cross one ditch on Steelman Road past D10 which was my training pond last year. Before going there, however, I drove though the D ponds. Many of them are being re-pumped right now so my prospects of good swimming are sky high. He told me to swim any of the ND ponds except number 5. So when we got to the ND ponds, the first thing I did was drive around and look them over. I chose one, ND 9, parked, and let the dogs out.
Who let the dogs out? I let the dogs outs.
They were so very happy that it made me smile so wide I got bugs in my teeth. After unloading my mountain bike, I did some more looking around on it. The dogs, of course, followed along. Bear trotted at my side while Pee Wee ran ahead, ran from side to side, chased birds, sniffed, and just generally went wild. After a bicycle ride, we took a walk. On our walk, Pee Wee got so excited chasing birds that be began that desperate bark of his that literally made me laugh out loud.
After the walk, we did another bike ride, then another walk, and finally I decided to swim test the pond. I always like to swim test potential ponds before I commit to one. You can tell a lot about a pond by swimming a single lap in it. You find the hot spots. In the spring you can find the cold spots. There are no cold spots in June. You can tell the fish load. You can even tell the turtle load. And of course, you can get an accurate measurement of the lap distance. All of that is important. I found out that this new pond candidate has a light turtle/fish load, and measure .61 per lap swimming. Not bad. I felt OK swimming, and I even think I picked up a gear.
By "gear" I mean the ability to swim at different speeds. When I first started getting coaching, Petya would mention gears. You swim the practice by gears. At the time, I only had one. Later, Cagri, our current Masters coach, loves the concept of gears. According to him, we are to consider ourselves five speeds, and he has us to swim in the various gears. When Cagri came along, I had all the gears. However, when I started back swimming last week after a ten month absence from the water, I only had one gear. Seriously. I swam five times last week, and yesterday in the pond, I discovered that I now have a second gear to go along with my first. There is a pretty tight gap between first and second, but at least I have a second gear now. The others will come back.
The dogs followed me as I swam. One time Bear even got in a swam a bit. He does that sometimes. Pee Wee doesn't seem to like to swim. He likes to wade, but he rarely swims though he do it well. I only swam a single lap (1,000 meters) but I am overjoyed to be able to do that. Thank you, Jesus.
When it came time to leave, Pee Wee wasn't ready to give it up. Bear couldn't wait to get into the truck and curl up on the back seat and sleep. I had to drive off with Pee Wee running wild. That dog. Once I finally did get the little turd into the truck, he cozied up to me and napped all the way home.
We had a good time, and my shoulder is doing well. It is far from fully recovered. I still don't have my full range of motion, and I still have to stretch it a lot. But thanks be to God that I can swim.
 |
| Bear trotting along while I ride the mountain bike. |
As soon as we got to the fish farm, Pee Wee wanted out to run, but since we were going to a new pond, I made him stay in the cab. I had called David and asked him about a new pond. He told me to go to the ND ponds. To get there, just cross one ditch on Steelman Road past D10 which was my training pond last year. Before going there, however, I drove though the D ponds. Many of them are being re-pumped right now so my prospects of good swimming are sky high. He told me to swim any of the ND ponds except number 5. So when we got to the ND ponds, the first thing I did was drive around and look them over. I chose one, ND 9, parked, and let the dogs out.
Who let the dogs out? I let the dogs outs.
 |
| Pee Wee out ahead running the edge and chasing birds. |
They were so very happy that it made me smile so wide I got bugs in my teeth. After unloading my mountain bike, I did some more looking around on it. The dogs, of course, followed along. Bear trotted at my side while Pee Wee ran ahead, ran from side to side, chased birds, sniffed, and just generally went wild. After a bicycle ride, we took a walk. On our walk, Pee Wee got so excited chasing birds that be began that desperate bark of his that literally made me laugh out loud.
After the walk, we did another bike ride, then another walk, and finally I decided to swim test the pond. I always like to swim test potential ponds before I commit to one. You can tell a lot about a pond by swimming a single lap in it. You find the hot spots. In the spring you can find the cold spots. There are no cold spots in June. You can tell the fish load. You can even tell the turtle load. And of course, you can get an accurate measurement of the lap distance. All of that is important. I found out that this new pond candidate has a light turtle/fish load, and measure .61 per lap swimming. Not bad. I felt OK swimming, and I even think I picked up a gear.
By "gear" I mean the ability to swim at different speeds. When I first started getting coaching, Petya would mention gears. You swim the practice by gears. At the time, I only had one. Later, Cagri, our current Masters coach, loves the concept of gears. According to him, we are to consider ourselves five speeds, and he has us to swim in the various gears. When Cagri came along, I had all the gears. However, when I started back swimming last week after a ten month absence from the water, I only had one gear. Seriously. I swam five times last week, and yesterday in the pond, I discovered that I now have a second gear to go along with my first. There is a pretty tight gap between first and second, but at least I have a second gear now. The others will come back.
The dogs followed me as I swam. One time Bear even got in a swam a bit. He does that sometimes. Pee Wee doesn't seem to like to swim. He likes to wade, but he rarely swims though he do it well. I only swam a single lap (1,000 meters) but I am overjoyed to be able to do that. Thank you, Jesus.
When it came time to leave, Pee Wee wasn't ready to give it up. Bear couldn't wait to get into the truck and curl up on the back seat and sleep. I had to drive off with Pee Wee running wild. That dog. Once I finally did get the little turd into the truck, he cozied up to me and napped all the way home.
 |
| Driving home |
We had a good time, and my shoulder is doing well. It is far from fully recovered. I still don't have my full range of motion, and I still have to stretch it a lot. But thanks be to God that I can swim.
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Chicot Challenge VII: New Blood
I guess there will never be a standard Chicot Challenge. That's OK. The only things standard about it are, we shoot for the first Saturday in June, we raise funds for the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi, and Team Centerville is the swim's backbone. And we do it in Lake Chicot. Every other detail is subject to change, has changed, and no doubt will change again in the future. For the first time, the 2018 version of our charity swim was a relay. There is a long history behind what led up to that, but if you read EndangeredSwimmer, you know the story so I won't bore you with a repeat.
We did not make our 8:00 o'clock launching time. That was OK. We do it our way, which means any way we can. Wilson showed up at 8:15. About a minute later MJ appeared, and Wilson walked up to her and said, "You must be MJ," extending his hand to shake. "We've been waiting on you for over an hour."
My kind of guy.
At 8:37, MJ Staples butt scooted down the boat ramp at the Lake Chicot State Park and into the warm waters of the blessed lake to start what was to be a day of struggle and fun. The goal? Swim from the park to the boat landing at Ditch Bayou twelve miles away. Accompanying MJ were Trevor McClean and Gerry Johnson in the bright red State Park kayaks.
The loose plan we set for ourselves was for each swimmer to do and mile. We would shuffle them in and out of the water giving the athletes a chance to rest, hydrate, and feed between swim legs. Feeding on the boat simplifies the duties of the paddlers a little bit. MJ swam first and Wilson volunteered to go second after MJ's mile was done.
Remember it is Wilson who saved the Chicot Challenge from extinction. When it became obvious that I could not do the swim, I decided to cancel the event but had not made an announcement when Wilson, at a party at Seldom Seen, approached me with an offer to swim in my place. He was hydrating at the time and that may have clouded his judgment some. But before the evening was over, he had not only volunteered but had also conscripted his handsome son, Spence, to relay the swim with him. I readily accepted his offer. A couple of months back, however, Wilson had a pretty serious health scare. Once more, it looked like Chicot was doomed. That is where MJ entered the picture.
Having served as the Official Observer in 2017, she knew us, the swim, the lake, and the cause. Not only that, but MJ is an adventure bug who travels the country swimming and working as support in events from the north to the south, to the east and the west. Recently, she worked SCAR, a four-day stage swim in Arizona so when my wife, after Wilson's health issues, suggested I contact her, I did it and in nothing flat she was part of the 2018 team. Then Wilson decided he could swim at least a bit so we had ourselves a relay in place. And I said I was not going to tell you all of that again.
The third athlete to enter the water was young Spence, a competitive pool swimmer. He did not disappoint but hit the lake with fervor and speed. The kayakers had to work to keep catchand keep up as he sliced through the water with grace and pace.
The day was beautiful, the sky above painted a deep blue by the hand of God, the water clear and fresh looking. The athletes did, however, face a head chop the whole day. But we had sunshine and despite the heat, the gentle winds kept us relatively cool on the boat though it did make the swimming a bit more difficult.
Leg after leg, MJ, Wilson, and Spence kept leaving the comfort of the boat to swim another mile. On board there was an easy banter between the swimmers and the crew. I overheard MJ telling Wilson about the wonders of SCAR. It sounds like a fascinating event, but it is one of those cold water things which effectively rules me out.
As the day drew on, Wilson asked me if I planned to get into the water. I hoped to swim the last half mile or maybe a full mile, I told him. I was afraid to get in any sooner, having just this very week begun to swim again after a ten month absence from the water. The shoulder is starting to come around. I will do Chicot again, thanks be to God above Who has sorely tried my faith and patience through this ordeal.
Finally, our swimmers brought us into view of Ditch Bayou. I remembered this from past swims. Although we could see the destination, I knew we were still a very long way from our goal, maybe three miles. And these are three tired miles. But slowly we drew closer and closer and then I started looking for my goggles. Spence was drawing us close. Then Wilson got in with about a mile to go. I decided to wait until we were about 3/4ths of a mile from the boat ramp to get in. MJ jumped in with me and the three of us swam in together, a fitting ending for a team effort. I predicted six to eight hours for the swim. It took us eight hours and thirteen minutes. Not bad, a full day, a fun day, and a tiring one. On shore were the remaining members of Team Centerville who were not able to join us on the boat, Kelsey, Debbie, and Gerald joined by our youngest member, Corey.
With us all on land and drying out, I gave MJ, Wilson, and Spence their T-shirts. The crew wears theirs on board and on land before the swim. But I never put mine on until I had completed the swim so I made this year's swimmers wait. Now, all of us in our safety yellow shirts, we posed for a picture.
The fundraising has been a little slow this year. Yesterday, I mailed checks and a money order totaling $1,124 to the DFM. I still have some T-shirts for sale, and we will collect funds until the end of June. If you have not done so, please make a tax deductible donation to the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. Mail a check to:
Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi
800 Avery Blvd N # 100
Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157
Please put Chicot Challenge in the memo line.
Or give online here:
https://www.crowdrise.com/chicotchallenge
(this link does not work, but you can find it on my Facebook page)
We did not make our 8:00 o'clock launching time. That was OK. We do it our way, which means any way we can. Wilson showed up at 8:15. About a minute later MJ appeared, and Wilson walked up to her and said, "You must be MJ," extending his hand to shake. "We've been waiting on you for over an hour."
My kind of guy.
 |
| MJ trying to get into the water without busting her hinder parts. |
At 8:37, MJ Staples butt scooted down the boat ramp at the Lake Chicot State Park and into the warm waters of the blessed lake to start what was to be a day of struggle and fun. The goal? Swim from the park to the boat landing at Ditch Bayou twelve miles away. Accompanying MJ were Trevor McClean and Gerry Johnson in the bright red State Park kayaks.
 |
| Trevor and Gerry take good care of MJ early in the Challenge. |
 |
| Wilson in the water |
 |
| Spence getting ready to show us how it is done. |
The third athlete to enter the water was young Spence, a competitive pool swimmer. He did not disappoint but hit the lake with fervor and speed. The kayakers had to work to keep catchand keep up as he sliced through the water with grace and pace.
The day was beautiful, the sky above painted a deep blue by the hand of God, the water clear and fresh looking. The athletes did, however, face a head chop the whole day. But we had sunshine and despite the heat, the gentle winds kept us relatively cool on the boat though it did make the swimming a bit more difficult.
Leg after leg, MJ, Wilson, and Spence kept leaving the comfort of the boat to swim another mile. On board there was an easy banter between the swimmers and the crew. I overheard MJ telling Wilson about the wonders of SCAR. It sounds like a fascinating event, but it is one of those cold water things which effectively rules me out.
As the day drew on, Wilson asked me if I planned to get into the water. I hoped to swim the last half mile or maybe a full mile, I told him. I was afraid to get in any sooner, having just this very week begun to swim again after a ten month absence from the water. The shoulder is starting to come around. I will do Chicot again, thanks be to God above Who has sorely tried my faith and patience through this ordeal.
Finally, our swimmers brought us into view of Ditch Bayou. I remembered this from past swims. Although we could see the destination, I knew we were still a very long way from our goal, maybe three miles. And these are three tired miles. But slowly we drew closer and closer and then I started looking for my goggles. Spence was drawing us close. Then Wilson got in with about a mile to go. I decided to wait until we were about 3/4ths of a mile from the boat ramp to get in. MJ jumped in with me and the three of us swam in together, a fitting ending for a team effort. I predicted six to eight hours for the swim. It took us eight hours and thirteen minutes. Not bad, a full day, a fun day, and a tiring one. On shore were the remaining members of Team Centerville who were not able to join us on the boat, Kelsey, Debbie, and Gerald joined by our youngest member, Corey.
With us all on land and drying out, I gave MJ, Wilson, and Spence their T-shirts. The crew wears theirs on board and on land before the swim. But I never put mine on until I had completed the swim so I made this year's swimmers wait. Now, all of us in our safety yellow shirts, we posed for a picture.
 |
| All of Team Centerville and our three swimmers on the front row. |
The fundraising has been a little slow this year. Yesterday, I mailed checks and a money order totaling $1,124 to the DFM. I still have some T-shirts for sale, and we will collect funds until the end of June. If you have not done so, please make a tax deductible donation to the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. Mail a check to:
Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi
800 Avery Blvd N # 100
Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157
Please put Chicot Challenge in the memo line.
Or give online here:
https://www.crowdrise.com/chicotchallenge
(this link does not work, but you can find it on my Facebook page)
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
5/28 - 6/3
I'm swimming again. And shuffling. Not much of either, but I am finally in a real comeback. The week of training went like this:
Monday, Memorial Day, I did some weightlifting in the morning. On the bench I did
15 X 50
10 X 70
8 X 85
8 X 85
I did some other stuff of course, but the bench presses felt almost like I'm working out again. I also did a 6.6 mile walk with about .34 miles of shuffling inserted. If I can get the weight off, I am now convinced I will be able to regain my running. On top of all that, I slipped over to the pool around 6:30 just to see if I could swim. I did a slow and awkward 6 X 50 at an average pace of 2:08 per 100. I was embarrassed but thankful to God to be able to swim at all. Like the shuffling, I think I can get it back. The shoulder was tight but never painful. It is going to come back all the way.
Tuesday I swam after I got out of my summer school course which began the same day. This time I did a total of 700. Again the average pace was 2:08. Slow but swimming. Brian and I rode after work. He made me suffer, and we did 19.7 @ 15.3 on a windy day. The numbers aren't impressive, but it was real work.
Wednesday I was in the pool for 800 @ 2:06 (broken up into 50s and 100s) and on the road ambulating for 6.25 with .46 of shuffling.
Thursday I swam 900 @ 2:08, and Brian and I rode 19.51.
Friday I slept in and then packed for the Chicot Challenge, which came off Friday.
Saturday, I swam 1,200 meters at the charity swim while MJ, Wilson, and Spence did the real swimming. A separate post on the Challenge is coming later.
For the week, I
cycled 39.21 miles
swam 3,000 meters, and
shuffled 12.91 miles.
I have real hope now, hope of regaining my fitness, health, and happiness. Thank you, Jesus, and forgive me for the weakness of my faith.
Monday, Memorial Day, I did some weightlifting in the morning. On the bench I did
15 X 50
10 X 70
8 X 85
8 X 85
I did some other stuff of course, but the bench presses felt almost like I'm working out again. I also did a 6.6 mile walk with about .34 miles of shuffling inserted. If I can get the weight off, I am now convinced I will be able to regain my running. On top of all that, I slipped over to the pool around 6:30 just to see if I could swim. I did a slow and awkward 6 X 50 at an average pace of 2:08 per 100. I was embarrassed but thankful to God to be able to swim at all. Like the shuffling, I think I can get it back. The shoulder was tight but never painful. It is going to come back all the way.
Tuesday I swam after I got out of my summer school course which began the same day. This time I did a total of 700. Again the average pace was 2:08. Slow but swimming. Brian and I rode after work. He made me suffer, and we did 19.7 @ 15.3 on a windy day. The numbers aren't impressive, but it was real work.
Wednesday I was in the pool for 800 @ 2:06 (broken up into 50s and 100s) and on the road ambulating for 6.25 with .46 of shuffling.
Thursday I swam 900 @ 2:08, and Brian and I rode 19.51.
Friday I slept in and then packed for the Chicot Challenge, which came off Friday.
Saturday, I swam 1,200 meters at the charity swim while MJ, Wilson, and Spence did the real swimming. A separate post on the Challenge is coming later.
For the week, I
cycled 39.21 miles
swam 3,000 meters, and
shuffled 12.91 miles.
I have real hope now, hope of regaining my fitness, health, and happiness. Thank you, Jesus, and forgive me for the weakness of my faith.
Friday, June 1, 2018
Chicot Eve
I have them. At last. When I was the swimmer, they always came a few days before the big day and built as the event drew closer. Now as a crew member of the Chicot Challenge, I am starting to feel the butterflies. I like that.
At the moment of this writing (10:00 am, Friday morning) MJ is making her drive from Atlanta. She will be staying in Greenville. Wilson and son and wife are spending the night with kinfolks on the beautiful Lake Chicot. It is looking more like Penny and I will be staying home and driving over in the morning. That means we will miss the evening before meal that has become a ritual of the swim. We meet at Fox's Pizza in Lake Village for a gorge out. That make the perfect pre-swim meal: lots of carbs, fat, and sodium. With a shorter route this year, maybe we can all get together afterwards. In the past, I have always found a high gear and headed east after my long day on the lake. This time I think I will feel a bit different.
Gerald Johnson is at work as is Trevor McLean. I am at home trying to get my Sunday morning sermon together so I can relax Saturday night when we get in. When I finish this post and my sermon, I will start getting stuff together for the swim. I am planning on packing a pair of goggles. I hope to swim some, but I am simply not fit and can only swim a little. Maybe we can all swim in together the last half or maybe even a mile. I think I can do a slow mile.
I heard from Rob Spiller the other day, and he is talking about bringing a crew over with his boat and hanging out with us. Great. Everyone is welcome. Come see what it is all about. If you have a boat come on over. If you don't have a boat, we plan on launching around 8:00 am at the boat landing at the Lake Chicot State Park. You can search that on Google Maps and find it if you are not familiar with the area. Also, a couple of hours in we should pass under the Causeway Bridge. That is a good place to watch a bit if you don't have a boat. Two or three hours after that and we will be going past downtown Lake Village, Arkansas which has some beautiful lake front areas open to the public. You can also get a good view of the lake and us from the Visitors' Center. I will make periodic postings on my Facebook page, and you can call me at 662-897-0020 to check on our progress and find out where we are.
The weather looks good, Team Centerville is making final preparations, and tomorrow we face an adventure. If you haven't donated, please do so. I only ask people once a year to give. And please, do more than make a donation. Get out and take a walk. Find a way to move your body. Eat a more healthy diet. Try to prevent yourself from developing diabetes. If you have diabetes, take care of yourself.
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| Late in the afternoon of Chicot VI |
At the moment of this writing (10:00 am, Friday morning) MJ is making her drive from Atlanta. She will be staying in Greenville. Wilson and son and wife are spending the night with kinfolks on the beautiful Lake Chicot. It is looking more like Penny and I will be staying home and driving over in the morning. That means we will miss the evening before meal that has become a ritual of the swim. We meet at Fox's Pizza in Lake Village for a gorge out. That make the perfect pre-swim meal: lots of carbs, fat, and sodium. With a shorter route this year, maybe we can all get together afterwards. In the past, I have always found a high gear and headed east after my long day on the lake. This time I think I will feel a bit different.
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| A happy crew member during the 2017 swim |
I heard from Rob Spiller the other day, and he is talking about bringing a crew over with his boat and hanging out with us. Great. Everyone is welcome. Come see what it is all about. If you have a boat come on over. If you don't have a boat, we plan on launching around 8:00 am at the boat landing at the Lake Chicot State Park. You can search that on Google Maps and find it if you are not familiar with the area. Also, a couple of hours in we should pass under the Causeway Bridge. That is a good place to watch a bit if you don't have a boat. Two or three hours after that and we will be going past downtown Lake Village, Arkansas which has some beautiful lake front areas open to the public. You can also get a good view of the lake and us from the Visitors' Center. I will make periodic postings on my Facebook page, and you can call me at 662-897-0020 to check on our progress and find out where we are.
The weather looks good, Team Centerville is making final preparations, and tomorrow we face an adventure. If you haven't donated, please do so. I only ask people once a year to give. And please, do more than make a donation. Get out and take a walk. Find a way to move your body. Eat a more healthy diet. Try to prevent yourself from developing diabetes. If you have diabetes, take care of yourself.
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