Another milestone on the 'extra' day of winter

I broke the 25 mile mark today. 14 miles to go in the remaining 21 days of winter.

5 miles a week for the remainder of winter. . .

Golden Gate [X]press - Interview

Last week I got a call from a writer of a local magazine called Golden Gate [X]press. Meredith explained that she was a former competitive swimmer and wanted to interview me for an article she was writing about swimming in the bay. I was happy to oblige and eagerly answered a series of questions about: the Dolphin Club, the water temperature, sharks, sea lions, hypothermia, Alcatraz, etc.

Then she asked simply, “Why do you do it?” To my surprise, I didn’t really have a response. I wanted to convey to her the exhilaration I feel when I get in; the allure of open water; the camaraderie of the club; the beauty of sunrise from the ocean; that tranquil state of mind I experience after a long bay swim. . . the phone line was still quiet. Finally, I responded, “How about joining me for a morning swim?” To my surprise, she jumped at the opportunity.

The next morning, I met Meredith at the Dolphin Club at 6:30 a.m. She pulled on a wetsuit and shuffled, wide-eyed, toward the beach. The initial shock of the cold water, even with a wetsuit, elicits shrieks from the strongest of swimmers, she was no exception. However, as we swam away from the club, she seemed to gain more confidence with each stroke. Her experience as a competitive swimmer was readily apparent. Soon, she rolled on to her back, pushed her goggles to her forehead and resumed her interview with me in the middle of the bay!

The sun had risen and the historic ships in the bay came alive with color. There was no noticeable current or wind. I guess you could say it was the perfect morning for a floating interview. I can’t remember the details of the exchange. I suppose I was too cold, but I recall it seemed to go well. I suppose I’ll have to wait until the article is published to know for sure.

This morning, Meredith came to the club again to ask some follow up questions. This time the photo editor for the magazine, Darlene, came too. Darlene came prepared with her camera equipment, but the conditions this morning were a bit harsh. It was dark and stormy. She offered to come again on a clear morning to take more pictures. Meredith didn’t swim this morning because she had a bit of a cold, but I still have to hand it to her. Her dedication to journalism is amazing. I still can’t believe she swam in the bay to prepare for her article.

Broke the 20 mile mark

I hit 21 miles this morning. I expected a serene full moon swim. Instead, it was raining and dark. Par for the course, I guess.

Half way home, 19 miles miles to go!

Invitation to "Iron-April" 2008

“Swim 2.4 miles,
bike 112 miles,
run 26.2 miles,
brag for the rest of your life.”
John Collins – Founder of the Ironman triathlon

I invite you to participate with me in "Iron-April. As spring begins, the challenge is to cover the Ironman triathlon distance, in the three sports of triathlon, during the month of April. This is a challenging, yet attainable goal for most folks and a great way to break out of winter. What does it take?

The total miles for a typical week might look like this. . .
.5 mile in a pool
28 miles on a bike
6.5 miles running or walking

Sound like too much? There is a 2-person division (see below)

If you work out 6 days a week, your week might look like this. . .
Monday – walk 30 minutes (1.5 miles)
Tuesday – swim 20 minutes (.5 miles)
Wednesday – bike 1 hour (13 miles)
Thursday – REST
Friday – walk/run 30 minutes (2.5 miles)
Saturday – bike 1 hour (13 miles)
Sunday – walk/run 30 minutes (2.5 miles)

Of course, there are tons of different ways to get the miles. For some, it might only require working out 2-3 times a week. But, this gives you an idea of what it would take to gain the 140.6 miles of swimming, biking, and running during one month. Stationary bikes and treadmills are fine ways of covering the distance.

During April, I’ll post the names and mileage updates of all participants on a weekly basis. Just email me your weekly mileage and I’ll post your results on the blog so others can share your progress. The comment section of the blog will be open to all participants and virtual spectators.

E-mail me at kevin.haugh@gmail.com to join. I’ll add your name to the Iron-April schedule and post it April 1st. I’ll also email you on April Fool’s Day to remind you when it is time to start. Feel free to ask your friends or co-workers to join as well. This is open to anyone willing to accept the Iron-April challenge (limit 50).

Sound like too much? You can also join the 2-person team division. Just pick a team name and email me your total team miles each week.

Anything is Possible.

Kevin Haugh

My email address
kevin.haugh@gmail.com

The Blog
www.kevinhaugh.blogspot.com

Theory of Relativity

Yesterday morning, as we stood in the Dolphin Club planning our route, a solo woman swimmer walked in out of the darkness. Her skin was a discolored - bright red and blotchy white (a temporary side effect of swimming in cold water). A rush of cold morning air blew past her and I pulled my towel tight against my shoulders to keep warm. She chattered, “It is really nice out there, the water temp is f-f-f-fifty.”

As she entered the women’s locker room, my group of fellow swimmers started nodding their rubber capped heads and smiling. “Fifty”, said Mark with a smile. “Yeah, I got 49 yesterday”, said Vince. Sunny just smiled and said, “Fifty.” They all seemed pleased and relieved by the report of the apparition swimmer. I too started to smile and nod. Then I looked out at the cold dark bay, shivered, and thought these guys are insane.

I mentioned this to Jon and he replied quite simply, “Fifty feels a whole lot better coming up than down.” With that he pushed his way out the back door and into the night.

I reconciled his comment during our swim.

During the summer months, the temperature in the bay is in the high 50s and does sometimes even hit 60 degrees. As we approached winter and the mercury began to fall, 50 degrees was the mark where it was officially “f*#&kin cold.”

It seems a sub-50 degree swim is a badge of honor of sorts. In fact, I learned that many Dolphin members stop swimming when the temperature hits 50. Sub-50 is condsidered dangerously cold by many. This winter has been particularly cold. The water has been hovering around 47-48 degrees for weeks. The lowest recorded temperature this winter was 44.

As we rounded the pier, I started to get it. From depths of winter, hitting the 50 degree mark is like a calm warming after a storm. Fifty feels better when the temperature is rising that when it is falling! I peeked over at Jon gliding through the dark water and thought, “yeah, he’s really got it.”

Twenty minutes later as I made my final turn back toward the club, I could no longer feel my face, hands, or feet. The sun was finally starting to rise and I was struck by the site of frost on the dock! I watched Jon rise to his feet and wade out of the water. His back was bright red with blotchy white patches. He looked back toward me with a huge grin, nodded and made his way into the club. In that moment of ‘would-be clarity’, I was again struck with the distinct sense that my dear friends and I are all insane.

"Your going to need a bigger boat"

One of the best movie quotes of all time (and loosely swim related).

"Roy Scheider, a stage actor with a background in the classics who became one of the leading figures in the American film renaissance of the 1970s, died Sunday afternoon in Little Rock, Ark. He was 75.

He is best known for his role in Steven Spielberg's 1975 film, "Jaws," the enduring classic about a killer shark terrorizing beachgoers as well as millions of moviegoers.

Widely hailed as the film that launched the era of the Hollywood blockbuster, it was also the first movie to earn $100 million at the box office.

In 2005, one of Scheider's most famous lines in the movie - "You're gonna need a bigger boat" - was voted No. 35 on the American Film Institute's list of best quotes from U.S. movies. He also says to the shark, in the parting phrase, "Smile, you son of a bitch!"

Click here for full article.

S-s-shaky Solo Swim

Swam solo this morning. It was tough getting in alone. I almost didn't, but I had a lot on my mind and needed the swim. Apparently, there was an earthquake this morning. Although, I didn't feel anything.

"An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.1 struck one mile northwest of Pacifica this morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The tremor occurred at 5:31 a.m. and had a depth of 6.3 miles. There were no reports of injuries or damage, authorities said."

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