Today in practice I learned that I can sprint, or I can swim endurance, but I cannot do both in combination. The mental battle was waged tonight.
This week I only swam 6.2km and I fly to Arizona on Friday. I'm bringing a thermometer so maybe I can get some cold water training in a pool there. I'm also thinking I might sell headbands to raise a bit of money. Or just live at my parents house forever.....or both.
I gave blood yesterday. I've been advised to wait until after Erie for my next donation. Apparently losing 500ml of blood makes your muscles, and therefore your endurance, weaker.....logical.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Training Journal #1
This weekend I decided I'm going to swim across Lake Erie. Its not the first time I've thought about it. In 2nd year university I brought it up to my family and friends and even started training myself to rebuild my endurance. In the winter of 2nd year when I was unexpectedly accepted onto Summer Team at Crossroads I made the decision to put the dream on hold to pursue a different opportunity.
I haven't thought about crossing lake Erie for years now. Though I still enjoy swimming, crossing Chesley Lake annually, teaching lessons, and every other month hopping in the pool at Laurier or Queen's or the YMCA for a kilometre or two, I really haven't seriously swam in a while.
Just before Christmas this year, the students in the French class I was teaching were making Bucketlists. The project made me reflect on my own Bucketlist, and the forgotten lake Erie idea, and its been bouncing around in my head for the last month.
I started researching again and sent out some emails asking questions, and I joined the Masters Swim Team at Brock. One email I sent out got me connected with Miguel Vadillo, a swimmer and now coach who has crossed Lake Ontario! He was willing to meet with me yesterday to answer some of my questions. I wanted to know whether it was even a realistic goal to attempt the Sturgeon Point to Crystal Beach crossing. Even now, after having that first conversation and resolving in my mind to do this, I'm pretty sure I've gone a bit crazy. I haven't slept properly in weeks. I'm equal parts excited and terrified. I'm sure the whole training regimen I'm looking at will be way more intense than I imagine. I can almost guarantee this will be the hardest thing I've ever done. The goal is July/August 2015, so I have 6-7 months to get ready.
This was my first week swimming with Brock Masters. I've been recovering from a cold and feeling completely inadequate. My endurance is decent but my speed/power is lacking. I swam 8.8km this week. Most of the other adult swimmers at Brock are tri-athletes, or former competitive or varsity swimmers. I swam in the slowest lane. Very humbling to be practically the worst at a skill I've often taken pride in. Miguel says I have to swim longer than the rest of the team, I just don't know if I can get the pool time, and I don't want to tell the team anything yet. I'm so new and they are all so much stronger than me. I guess that's better motivation though.
Miguel also says I have to get cold water training. Even though Erie should be 70 degrees F in July, after 8-10 hours I could still go hypothermic. So, in the next 6 months I have to train my body to deal. I have to intentionally induce myself into a hypothermic state and learn to cope. Apparently the best/easiest way to do that right now in the winter is to stop taking hot showers. My showers must be cold, working down to 11-13 degrees C. Starting tomorrow I guess.
I haven't told anyone except Miguel. Its too soon, I'm too fresh, too weak. I'm headed to Arizona this week so I'll lose a week of pool training. I decided I'll tell my family at the end of February, which is the same time I have to tell Miguel who will be a part of my crew, and I'll have to figure out how I'm going to pay the $5000.
The adventure begins.
I haven't thought about crossing lake Erie for years now. Though I still enjoy swimming, crossing Chesley Lake annually, teaching lessons, and every other month hopping in the pool at Laurier or Queen's or the YMCA for a kilometre or two, I really haven't seriously swam in a while.
Just before Christmas this year, the students in the French class I was teaching were making Bucketlists. The project made me reflect on my own Bucketlist, and the forgotten lake Erie idea, and its been bouncing around in my head for the last month.
I started researching again and sent out some emails asking questions, and I joined the Masters Swim Team at Brock. One email I sent out got me connected with Miguel Vadillo, a swimmer and now coach who has crossed Lake Ontario! He was willing to meet with me yesterday to answer some of my questions. I wanted to know whether it was even a realistic goal to attempt the Sturgeon Point to Crystal Beach crossing. Even now, after having that first conversation and resolving in my mind to do this, I'm pretty sure I've gone a bit crazy. I haven't slept properly in weeks. I'm equal parts excited and terrified. I'm sure the whole training regimen I'm looking at will be way more intense than I imagine. I can almost guarantee this will be the hardest thing I've ever done. The goal is July/August 2015, so I have 6-7 months to get ready.
This was my first week swimming with Brock Masters. I've been recovering from a cold and feeling completely inadequate. My endurance is decent but my speed/power is lacking. I swam 8.8km this week. Most of the other adult swimmers at Brock are tri-athletes, or former competitive or varsity swimmers. I swam in the slowest lane. Very humbling to be practically the worst at a skill I've often taken pride in. Miguel says I have to swim longer than the rest of the team, I just don't know if I can get the pool time, and I don't want to tell the team anything yet. I'm so new and they are all so much stronger than me. I guess that's better motivation though.
Miguel also says I have to get cold water training. Even though Erie should be 70 degrees F in July, after 8-10 hours I could still go hypothermic. So, in the next 6 months I have to train my body to deal. I have to intentionally induce myself into a hypothermic state and learn to cope. Apparently the best/easiest way to do that right now in the winter is to stop taking hot showers. My showers must be cold, working down to 11-13 degrees C. Starting tomorrow I guess.
I haven't told anyone except Miguel. Its too soon, I'm too fresh, too weak. I'm headed to Arizona this week so I'll lose a week of pool training. I decided I'll tell my family at the end of February, which is the same time I have to tell Miguel who will be a part of my crew, and I'll have to figure out how I'm going to pay the $5000.
The adventure begins.
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