Finally

If you have been reading, you know that over the past two weeks I have been looking for a long swim. The term "long" for me has a moving definition whether it is referring to swimming or running or cycling. Right now, a long swim references one that goes upwards of two and a half hours and extends for about five miles. I did one last on March 12th. That day I swam for 2:41:42 and went for 8,800 yards (five miles). That was eighteen days ago.

Ordinarily when training for a marathon swim, I want a long one every week. If I miss a week, it's not too big a deal. Scientists say you need one every two weeks. Well, I was going on three. But why? you ask. Why have you gone almost three weeks without a long swim?

There are a couple of reasons for that. One is timing. Three weeks ago, when John was swimming, I did not have time in the morning to go really long. I could get up into the 5,000 range, which is good, but not the long one I need to swim Chicot. Also, I have been experiencing some pectoral twinges. I call them "twinges" because I don't have an injury but I have had some strange feelings in my right pec. These twinges have frightened me, made me cautious, extra conservative on my swims. 

Last Monday I got to 7,000 yards and decided to tap because I was having some sensations in the muscle tie in to the shoulder. Just the mention or thought of anything wrong with a shoulder, turns a confident, strong swimmer, into a paranoid crying baby crouching the fetal position hiding from himself, from the world.

Yesterday, with John still out, I went to the pool a little after lunch. I started swimming with no firm goals, only a hope, in mind. The hope was that I could swim for 9,000 yards. I was about 4,300 in when Billy and Rose Bowman joined me. Although they don't swim but exercise, I found their presence encouraging. Long swims when you are the only one in the pool can get lonely. When I get too lonely, I think too much. When I think too much every sensation in my body becomes a monster threatening my whole way of life. After they had been there about thirty or more minutes, Gloria Hathcock showed up. Now I knew I would have a swimmer with me after the Bowmans left. And I did. And it helped.

To make a short story long, I went for 2:50:30 and 9,050 yards. I could have kept going but that was enough. Live to fight another day, as they say. So now I feel a lot better mentally, emotionally. I know I am on track with my training. I have found from past experience that around five miles is a good distance. I can recover quickly from a five-mile swim and a five-miler builds good endurance. 

I am happy.

I forgot to mention that I ran in the morning. I shuffled 4.26 miles. So I got a medium run and a long swim. It started raining when I got home from the pool. Hence I did not lift. But two out of three ain't bad.

Thank you, Jesus.