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  • tortugatortuga Senior Member

    That is very very cool

  • MouthbreatherMouthbreather MassachusettsMember

    Hey Folks,
    I am an adult onset swimmer, 53 years old, former runner and mountain biker racer. I just started swimming in April 2015. I joined a local masters swim group after struggling on my own for a couple of months and that has made all the difference. I am one of those folks who could only swim a length or two of the pool before and was really uncomfortable in the water. But the work with the masters group has really helped. Last weekend I swam a mile in the pool! I love patiently and methodically working my way through the challenges I find in swimming whether they be technique issues- so many!, or psycholgical isuues - FEAR! I swim with a lot of people who race tris but for me I just want to be able to swim for a long time. I will do a one mile open water swim in a couple of weeks. Even though I totally get the 'no wetsuit' thing and wish I could just wear my speedo , I will wear one for that swim as I get so damn cold even in 62-63 degree water can only stay in for 10-15 minutes and shiver for an hour in the sun afterwards! I am 5'9" and weigh 148 . . . This is something I will work towards for sure.
    I was inspired by the movie "Driven" and appreciate the postings of folks here about everything, including how a skinny guy like myself could get use to colder water and the philosophy motivating such actions to enter such waters clad in very little. Someone here - I think- posted a link to Scott Zornig's piece that talked about wetsuit vs no wetsuit. Knowing nothing about the issue, I found it very informative. So thanks again to you Evan and everyone else, keep up the great work!

    evmoIronMikeSolo
  • MouthbreatherMouthbreather MassachusettsMember
    edited August 2015

    BloodBank said:
    Come August 8th-15th I'm swimming the perimeter of Lake Tahoe. Just like my backpacking endeavors this will be self-supported. I'm swimming roughly 10 miles per day and towing all my gear, food, water, etc in a dry bag behind me. If I see an intriguing cliff I'll most likely go climb it. Every night I'll get out and set up my sleep system and fall asleep then wake up, pack up, and do it all over again. No fins. No wetsuit.

    Wow Sara! I am so impressed with your 'swim packing' around the perimeter of Lake Tahoe. Do you have a donation tab on your blog, something like 'Buy Sara a cup of cocoa' sort of thing. I wish you all the best!

  • swimrn62swimrn62 Stowe, VTSenior Member

    Wow, Sara, amazing trip. I do annual kayak camping trips but swim camping never crossed my mind. Good luck with your circumnav of Tahoe.

    Last Labor Day, a fun dip in a Maine lake during a kayaking trip awoke my love of swimming from my youth; I hadn't been in the ocean or a pool since 1989. As soon as I got back home, I found a great pool, joined a Master's team, and swam all winter 4-6 days a week. I swim in the slow lane and don't see that changing; I'm 63 years old and am not ambitious about speed, but am working on getting better swim technique.

    For the last 12 years I've done kayak support for various swim races. Yesterday was my 6th MIMS and the first one enjoying from the perspective of a swimmer. It was a great day.

    A recap of my own swim 'races' so far:

    2 Bridges Swim: My first open water swim since 1989. I signed up for the 5K and started the race in my normal, slow warm up pace, looked up a few minutes later to realize I was going backwards in the current and that I had not even reached the starting buoy. Thoroughly shaken, I tried to gain ground but just ran out of steam and finally gave up and didn't finish (DNF). I may have created a new category, DNS (did not start).

    New Amsterdam Swim to raise money for ALS Research. 1 mile swim. I was grateful to finish and swimming felt great and natural, but didn't realize that I had to go through the timing gate to have my time finalized. Hung out on the dock waiting for a friend. I did finish this one though!

    Save the Bay. 1.76 mile swim across Narraganset Bay. A delightful swim, I felt fine until I saw that 5 of the 8 people my age or older were faster. Time to work harder or smarter.

    Maggie Fischer Swim. 5.44 miles. Another great swim, I felt very strong and much to my surprise was not tired at the end of the race. I could have swum farther, so I'm looking for longer races that have generous pull out times.

    This board has been an incredible resource, so thank you to all who contribute and share their experience ... and humor!! I found the perfect sunscreen, goggles, water bottles and more from the advice on this board. Still figuring out the nutrition bit, but I haven't swum far enough to really get beyond PB&J. I'm hoping to change that next year.

    j9swimMouthbreatherMtuley
  • j9swimj9swim CharlestonSenior Member

    WOW very impressive start @swimrn62, hell of a rookie season! since i'm guessing you're a local nyc come do the triple dip at coney island in september. BTW I'll be petitioning the board to rename 2 Bridges swim to 'suck it up buttercup swim'.

    JenA
  • swimrn62swimrn62 Stowe, VTSenior Member

    Thanks J9, I'm signed up from Triple Dip, for the 5K. I'm pretty sure that the currents will defeat me in a 10K, though I thought about it.

    LOL, I'd sign the renaming petition!!!

  • MLambyMLamby Senior Member

    Hello!

    So, here's my scenario.

    I will be 50 in October. Former runner and triathlete. Did the NYC Tri in 2013 and 2014 in under 3 hours. Swim (river current aided) was approx 19 minutes. I can no longer run and can bike minimally due to a serious foot injury. I still swim.

    I want to know if it is realistic for me to think that I could train for and complete a 12 mile swim (around Key West) in under 8 hours by the middle of June 2016? Thoughts?? All the best!!!

    Mouthbreather
  • MouthbreatherMouthbreather MassachusettsMember

    Sorry to be a 'hitchhiker' on your question above MLamby, but I was also needing some feedback from you all about a similar question. I was looking at the Nike 5K swim in Miami in April 2016 and was wondering, 'I have swum a mile in the pool, I will swim a mile in OW in a couple of weeks, is it unrealistic to think I would be able to do that swim?' we live in New England and would travel to FL on a family vacation. If you read my intro above you will see that as a newbie I have no real frame of reference for this. How does one gauge such aspirations? My desire is strong and I am committed to training but is that too quick of a time frame? I want to be in this for the long haul . . . uh, I mean long swim so I don't want to burn out. Thanks for your thoughts!

  • tortugatortuga Senior Member

    Last year's Swim the Suck 10 miler had a dude who had only just learned to swim 10 months prior to the event and he finished. It can be done.

    MLamby said:
    Hello!

    So, here's my scenario.

    I will be 50 in October. Former runner and triathlete. Did the NYC Tri in 2013 and 2014 in under 3 hours. Swim (river current aided) was approx 19 minutes. I can no longer run and can bike minimally due to a serious foot injury. I still swim.

    I want to know if it is realistic for me to think that I could train for and complete a 12 mile swim (around Key West) in under 8 hours by the middle of June 2016? Thoughts?? All the best!!!

  • loneswimmerloneswimmer IrelandCharter Member

    @MLamby, @Mouthbreather it's certainly possible to train to complete by that date. A 5k could be done with 3 months of training. @MLamby, it's not possible to estimate time based on your minimal information. 12 miles is 19k, which would require a speed of under 2.5k per hour, which would be considered fairy slow, so it's likely.

    loneswimmer.com

  • Hello all,
    Newish member here. Here's a little history about me. I was never a swimmer, growing up. I did the mandatory swimming tests for scouts, etc but nothing of any consequence. When I was in college in the early 90s, I started hanging out at the aquatics center and decided to start swimming laps (instead of JUST looking at girls). The proverbial bug bit me. Flash forward about 10 years when I was at the Y just doing my laps, this OLD guy next to me said, "would you like some help with your stroke?" I guess the obvious answer to that is a resounding, "YES, please." So I spent a couple of years getting some help. Flash forward another 10 years or so and I've found myself in a masters class twice a week with a coach that is not afraid to point out flaws in my stroke. (and there were more than a few) About a year ago I added a second masters class and am putting in between 10-12k per week. Nothing of "marathon" distance, but I feel I'm on my way.
    I did one lake crossing last month which was 4.5 miles. I felt pretty good about that. Then this last weekend I did the Point to La Pointe swim in Lake Superior. 2.1 miles in pretty good sized water. This was my second year for that and I felt much stronger, shaving 7 minutes off of last year.
    Ok, that's me in a nutshell.
    One question I'm sure you've all thought about is this: What do you do with your brain in a long swim? This weekend I found myself "what if" ing just about everything which sort of led me to a dark place, mentally. I'm pretty good with focused meditation but find it nearly impossible whilst swimming because it's such an active thing. Meditating between breaths is kind of challenging. I've heard of folks singing but that's kind of so-so for me.
    One thing that kind of works for occupying my mind is really focusing on my stroke. Every aspect of every stroke. But that sure makes the time go slowly.
    Any tips?
    Thanks, much! Paul

  • MouthbreatherMouthbreather MassachusettsMember

    Thanks Loneswimmer and Tortuga! In your opinions what would be the minimum weekly meters totals one would need to hit and for how long (months) to arrive at the starting line for that 5K with the confidence and stamina to finish without suffering too much?:) Right now I am swimming about 6 -7 K a week ( 3 days with Masters group, 1 day on my own). I know I read some general 'rules of thumb' somewhere( ?) and I do plan to get Lynne Cox's book this week so forgive me if that question is repetitive. Thanks very much!

  • loneswimmerloneswimmer IrelandCharter Member

    @Mouthbreather, while we all have different opinions on ths, because I was writing the answer to your question so often, I wrote this article: "How To: "How much do I need to swim for - x - open water distance?"

    Generally 5k isn't the level of swim we deal with since that's below the 10k minimum marathon distance that this forum is about. A moderate swim training regime of 4x a week should make you capable of such, whereas most swimmers here can be swimming 5 to up to 11 times a week. 6-7k is quite small volume.

    Mouthbreathertortuga

    loneswimmer.com

  • MLambyMLamby Senior Member

    Thanks Loneswimmer. I train regularly in a pool, and normally complete a mile in a little under 1/2 an hour, and two miles at roughly the same pace. I competed in the NYC Triathlon in 2013 and 2014 and completed the one mile swim in around nineteen minutes. I also completed a three mile recreational ocean swim last summer in around 1 3/4 hours. I am considering doing the swim around Key West in June as a charity event in order to raise money for an organization called Grassroot Soccer. They are the reason I did the triathlon, but a severe foot injury has made it so that I can't run competitively any more. I just wanted to get a realistic idea of whether or not it would be possible for me to train for and complete a twelve miler in under 8 hours within the next ten months before I commit to doing it and get all the fundraising efforts in place. Thanks again, so much, for your help. All the best.

  • pavlicovpavlicov NYC USASenior Member
    edited August 2015

    @pwoolson

    To your question: "One thing that kind of works for occupying my mind is really focusing on my stroke. Every aspect of every stroke. But that sure makes the time go slowly. Any tips?"

    Here is what I do: Starting from about 2 weeks prior the swim (mostly during my taper), I start preparing what I call "envelopes" and I memorize what task is in each envelope. I practice to know exactly what the envelope contain because during the swim, my mental capabilities are lower than usual but I don't actually do fully the envelope task until the swim. I make sure that each envelope can create only positive thoughts.

    I have to note the task in each of the envelope is not mandatory and that they are moldable to any given mental state. Here are my current envelopes.

    Envelope 1: My family :
    My task is to pronounce (in my head) full name of each person, imagine how they look like (what they wear, their hair, glasses, outfit) at some occasions (last Christmas, wedding etc) and think about at least one positive memory about them. I allow myself to skip a person if bad memories start to creep in.

    Envelope 2: My last vacation :
    My task is to try to remember every day of my vacation starting with travel day or at least remember the most memories of what I have done on each day. I allow myself to skip days or go unordered if too hard.

    Envelope 3: Meaningful numbers :
    I start with 1 and try to think of something meaningful about the number and one memory about the thing or person. I will start picking numbers as I please as long as it makes me happy and occupied. For instance: 1 - I have on sister (mentally say her name, how she look like, what I remember or know about her). 2 - I have 2 parents... 3 - I have 3 nieces (names, faces, personalities), 4 - and now I have to think what is interesting about the number 4. For instance I might see 4 houses on the river, so I will try use that. 5 - I spent 5 years in college so I will think about each year's positive memory. etc. 72 - I was born that year :D

    Envelope 4: Praising by alphabet - either ocean, water, swim or myself if I need some "pick me up" :
    A - awesome ocean, B - Beautiful ocean, C - camouflaging ocean (i might run out of words then I either switch to different language or skip).

    I also recite poetry in my head I had to memorize during my high school years.

    The point of all those exercises is to keep me positive, out of the mental depression cave and help me to 'zone out'. There might be many minutes between me thinking of family members because my brain took a detour. I might come back to each envelope several times because I realize I completely skipped my uncles or grandmas.

    I also keep reminding myself, that I just need to swim (compare to the craziness at work) and that I get to lie down the whole time. So, technically, it is awesome!

    Sorry for the long post.

    Martina

    loneswimmerklassmanJenAnugent44
  • MouthbreatherMouthbreather MassachusettsMember

    Perfect, thanks loneswimmer I will read that article!
    This forum is so cool - I feel as if I am talking to superheroes!

  • @pavlicov
    Thanks much for the advice. I like the numbers vs happy thoughts idea. Will try that for sure.

  • SwannSwann Den HaagMember

    Hi,

    I am 35 swimmer living 300 meters from Scheveningen Beach in the Netherlands. I am not a good swimmer, unfortunately, but I enjoy it :). I started 3 years ago - with a lot of training in the pool - with active swimming - and was out of breath after 100 meters of freestyle.

    In the Netherlands we learn a different swim style when we are young. Very good for not drowning, not so good for long distance swimming :)) Since I am not a motoric wonder, I still have to do much training on my technique because my skills are limited.

    Anyway I now swim regularly in the sea (around 2K) near my house. I just returned from Sweden, where I swam in different lakes. My ambition is to do swims of around 10K in a few years from now.

    Actually my primary goal is a full triathlon. Cycling is my stronger part, but start to like the swimming more and more :)

    IronMiketortugaloneswimmer
  • SpacemanspiffSpacemanspiff Dallas, TexasSenior Member

    @BloodBank This is a totally cool idea!

    "Lights go out and I can't be saved
    Tides that I tried to swim against
    Have brought be down upon my knees
    Oh I beg, I beg and plead..."

  • Hi all! I have been lurking the forums for a bit and finally decided to join in!

    I graduated college a couple years ago where I swam competitively, mostly in the "distance" events. (I quote "distance" because it is nothing compared to the distances I have seen many of you swim :) ) I took a small break from swimming until I moved to NYC a couple months ago where I started to get back into it by joining a masters team (and hopefully CIBBOWS soon as well!). Hope you all don't mind another younger swimmer among your ranks haha

    I haven't done many open water swims before (I did the Little Red Lighthouse 10k back in 2011) but am interested in gaining some experience. @swimrn62 and @j9swim I'll see you this weekend at the Triple Dip! I am signed up for the 10k... hopefully that isn't too much for me to bite off in my first race back, but I am stubborn in my ways :-S

    My goals are to train up and do the Tampa Bay Marathon swim next year, and then eventually train for colder waters so I can aspire to the Triple Crown. One can dream!

    loneswimmerpavlicovJSwimDarKnighttortuga
  • I've been toying with the idea of starting a thread to post my history and why I'm here. Finally decided to do it today, logged on, and saw that one already existed--and was at the top of the page. How's that for fate?

    I haven't swam competitively since I was 14, when I left the pool to race on top of the water rather than in the water. I rowed at a college and international level for the past 6 years, but was forced to stop when I was involved in an accident last September.

    I dislocated my knee and tore all four cruciate ligaments, as well as the meniscus and peroneal nerve. After a year of rehab that really led nowhere, I was desperate to be able to work towards something physical, and swimming was the only sport I could do.

    I've been back in the pool for about 3 weeks now and am absolutely loving it. I've decided the best way to stick with it is to set a long term goal and slowly build up to it. I've decided to enter a 5km open water race next summer and am slowly rebuilding my aerobic capacity.

    At this point, I'm swimming 3-4 times a week (about 3 km per session), doing TRX work twice a week, and doing aerobic cross-training on the elliptical twice a week. This will build throughout the year, but for now it's a manageable level that won't make me scared to get out of bed in the morning. I am so out of shape, it's embarrassing.

    I've noticed some improvement already, which is encouraging. I figured out my BASE pace on Monday, and it's already faster than what I was able to do my first day back. I also did some speed tests today and broke 1 minute for my 100 free (scm), so I'm hopeful that this quest might actually be possible. Speed isn't a pressing goal of mine, but I think that if I train to improve my shorter swims, I'll be more likely to survive the first 3 months, at which point I'll start to add in some longer swims.

    Beyond next summer, I don't have any real plans, but I'd love to do some longer swims if I can.

    I haven't felt this good about myself since the injury and it's great to have found a forum that will help keep me engaged and motivated. Hopefully I'll build up some knowledge and experience so that I can contribute something of value.

    JSwimstephenc161JenAloneswimmerSpacemanspiff
  • loneswimmerloneswimmer IrelandCharter Member

    Three weeks swimming. Breaks 1 min for 100 scm.

    I give up.

    JenAFrancoJSwimsuziedodsdc_in_sfOnceaRunnerswimdailymalinakapavlicovtortugarosemarymintssthomasVicomtec

    loneswimmer.com

  • loneswimmer said:
    Three weeks swimming. Breaks 1 min for 100 scm.

    I give up.

    In fairness, I did swim for competitively for years and have spent the better part of the last 7 years training twice a day, so the physiological base is there.

    By the way, love the blog

    loneswimmer
  • EvanEvan Member
    edited October 2015

    Hello boys and girls! So glad to see so many swim enthusiasts!
    I am a 36 year old guy, Greek, living in Dubai at the moment (which means we just started - October - swimming in the sea again, it was too hot up to now since June). I am doing some (short) triathlons at the moment and would love to complete a marathon swim close to my hometown next summer, a 26 km swim across a gulf called Diaplous of Toroneos Gulf (or similar).
    I am not fast, but I just want to be able to make it, some shorter ones if convenient might squeeze in the schedule (the Bosporus swim in Istanbul sounds good foe example). I should be starting to get a bit more serious about training around this time...
    Any comments/advice?
    Happy to be part of the community!

    cthoroldtortuga
  • loneswimmerloneswimmer IrelandCharter Member

    Forum member @JimBoucher is a veteran of the Gulf of Toroneos and almost made it onto last year's calender with an image of Mike Reid if I recall.

    loneswimmer.com

  • ryansryans northern VirginiaMember

    hello fellow fish. I've found this site very helpful the past several months so now I'm official. Started swimming in NVSL in Northern Virginia at age 5 through high school. Took a break in college and picked up triathlons and aqua bike races(swim/bike) five years ago. Early forties now and focusing on what I enjoy most, swimming. Several lake swims and my first 3 mile ocean swim in OC MD this summer was great. I'm entered into the CB lottery for 2016 and I'm looking to go longer and get a 6mile + swim accomplished by end of summer. stay healthy be strong have fun.

    evmoIronMikeloneswimmerSpacemanspiffTheoJbetley
  • FlowSwimmersFlowSwimmers Polson, MontanaMember

    I'm diving in! New to the group but marathon swimming for several years. I'm looking forward to being a part of the group.

    evmoloneswimmerJbetleyssthomas
  • I'm an avid open water swimmer and a marathon swimmer wannabe. I swim all summer in the Adirondacks of New York, mostly in Lake George, but I'm slowly accumulating a longish list of other local lakes and rivers in which I've had a lot of fun. I can't seem to work past four miles, as I haven't figured out how to feed or get used to cold water. I've crewed on an English Channel swim, spent 20 minutes swimming in Dover Harbor, and trained with another Channel swimmer. I am a swimming Official, a swim Dad, and am mediocre in the pool in my 65-69 age group. I am also the Event Director for the Lake George Marathon Swim, and hope to meet many of you!

    evmomalinakaswimrn62msathleteloneswimmerChrisgreenethelittlemerwookieJbetleyssthomas
  • neenneen Lacombe, LA USAMember

    Hi, I'm so happy to find this group of so many experienced OW swimmers. I started looking locally for people who might be swimming in open water about a month ago but had no luck and was fortunate to at least find loneswimmer's blog a few days ago, which led me to this forum. I am still reading but want to say thanks for all the information you all so readily share here. It is both inspiring and terrifying. My goal is to swim across our Lake Pontchartrain, which is roughly 24 miles across at it's widest part going north to south, shallow (about 4 to 5 meters deep on average), warm and brackish. No commercial traffic but lots of recreational. I have no meaningful open water swimming experience and my goal is to swim the 24 mile stretch by October 2016. I'm not trying to set any records - I know it has been swum before at least twice, but I haven't been able to find any other information about it yet. My primary goal is to raise awareness about a cause that is important to me so I just want to finish. Initially, I assumed I would wear a skin suit to keep the jelly fish and other scary stuff off, but after reading so many of your posts and articles, I'm thinking I shouldn't be such a big baby and go without. I'm 53 and in a healthy weight range. I'm recovering from a hunger strike in October, but have worked up to swimming a mile in the pool easily. My goal this week is to swim 5 miles and to add 5% ever week thereafter until I can swim 25 miles in a week (thanks to loneswmmer for that). I have no idea what I'm getting into or if I can be successful but I'm not afraid of failing - just of quitting. and I always say, anything worth doing is worth doing badly.

    loneswimmer
  • Hi everyone, and a merry Xmas to you all.

    I am a UK based 43yr old male with very little swimming or sporting experience until about 7yrs ago when I finally managed to quit smoking and hit the pool as part of my health regime.

    On work days I commute by bicycle a 14mile round trip plus my job job is very physical hence I usually only swim for an hr after work and save the longer swims for rest days. I can't join my local masters as they train at 9pm which is no good for me when I'm up 3:45am everyday. I am trying to learn stuff from sites like this and books.

    This year I completed my first 10km at 3hrs 1min with wetsuit. Next year I'm hoping to start some cold water training. Also I'm looking at ways to improve fitness and stroke efficiency. Any advice would be much appreciated. I breathe every third stroke and kick a four beat pattern as I find this most comfortable. Is this normal. I have been using the swim smooth book which has been a huge help. I still can't get my head around all the different complicated sets and drills. I just like to swim and keep going. During the swim i focus on various aspects, body position, entry catch etc. Rotation. Breathing. I do time myself but my progress has not really improved for some time. I just can't seem to get under the 30min mile. Anyway hoping I can get some advice here many thanks and happy swimming.
    Sam.

    ChickenOSeaJbetleyloneswimmermalinakaIronMike
  • ChickenOSeaChickenOSea Charter Member

    Welcome, from a fellow adult-onset swimmer. You sound like you're doing wonderfully. I usually swim alone, too. But it's great to get some coaching sometimes.
    Merry Christmas!

  • danswimsdanswims Portland, ORMember

    ChickenOSea said:
    But it's great to get some coaching sometimes.

    Totally true, even if it only happens occasionally. Improving one's stroke with no outside feedback can be challenging because the gap between what you think you are doing and what you really are doing can be huge. Also, the vast array of drills becomes far less confusing if you have someone who can suggest which ones would be of help to you specifically and who can both confirm that you are doing them correctly and explain what you are trying to accomplish.

    wendyv34tortuga
  • Hello all, have checked out the forum but here is first post..I'm a 46 yr old who started swimming about 10 yrs ago (good suggestion after back surgery) but really started getting much more serious in just last few years. However, I have always been in competitive athletics and working out. My first OW swim was in 2014, I did both a half mile and a 1500m. and then this year in May I did SAA-Dallas 2.4 mile (had to be done in pool because of lightning!), and then also completed a 2 mile OW in Sept. looking to continue OW and up the distances. in my 2 mile swim there was a great field of swimmers and several who had done Ederle and other note worthy swims. definitely motivating to swim with this field. I did a pool swim training swim 2 weeks before my 2 mile race of 5k (scm), completed in 1 hr 58 min. two weeks ago I did 7700 yards SCY took me like 2 hr 50 min. w/o was broken down into 1000X5, 500x4, 300x1 200x2. I swim the 1000y right at about 20 min. I give you this w/o info just so you know my level. I'm a self taught swimmer who is finally getting a little coaching and I highly recommend for others like me who don't come from competitive swim background. since its the end of the calendar year I will post my annual mileage , I just started tracking this last year. In 2014 I did 261km, and in 2015 in did 403km. ( you have heard of the saying that anything that gets measured gets focused on, well logging my w/o's and tallying distances has led to me dramatically increasing my frequency and duration of my swim workouts). most of this was in my local scm and scy's that I swim at, and I did a few OW training swims in the summer in preparation for races. I live in Dallas so the OW training swim scene here is not very good. would love to get OW in. Looking forward to putting in some good training, improving my technique and getting ready for 2016 OW swims. -Ed

  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member

    neen said:
    I'm recovering from a hunger strike in October,

    I have no control whatsoever over my curiosity, so I have to ask... Why were you on a hunger strike?

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • ChickenOSeaChickenOSea Charter Member
    edited December 2015

    Leonard_Jansen said:

    neen said:
    I'm recovering from a hunger strike in October,

    I have no control whatsoever over my curiosity, so I have to ask... Why were you on a hunger strike?

    -LBJ

    Thanks for asking, Leonard! I'm dying to know,

  • neenneen Lacombe, LA USAMember
    edited January 2016

    :) I did not eat during the month of October to raise awareness about our broken justice system, and in particular, that every October, a lot of money and hype is spent on encouraging women to leave abusive relationships, which invites them to enter a justice system that will likely re-victimize them and their children because it does not understand how domestic violence presents in divorce and custody cases. I learned a lot, but maybe the most important thing being that I will not voluntarily starve myself again - it was miserable, although, though it was unhealthy, I was never in any danger of starving to death. In fact, the most dangerous part was starting to eat again. I will NOT be doing that again, at least not voluntarily, though I don't regret it. Next year, however, rather than starving for justice, I plan on swimming for justice. I think in many ways, the swim will be much harder and with a much higher fail potential. I have a thousand questions ...

    malinakaNoelFigartLeonard_Jansenloneswimmer
  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member

    neen said:
    and in particular, that every October, a lot of money and hype is spent on encouraging women to leave abusive relationships, which invites them to enter a justice system that will likely re-victimize them and their children because it does not understand how domestic violence presents in divorce and custody cases.

    You are new here, so you will learn, in time, not to answer my questions as it always triggers more questions...

    1) October? Why is money/hype so prevalent over this specifically in October?
    2) What is a realistic alternative to a woman leaving an abusive relationship? Staying in the relationship has to be at least as bad.
    3) What does the justice system do that makes it (potentially) worse? What % of the time does the system make it worse?

    -LBJ

    IronMike

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • neenneen Lacombe, LA USAMember
    edited January 2016

    Leonard_Jansen said:

    neen said:
    and in particular, that every October, a lot of money and hype is spent on encouraging women to leave abusive relationships, which invites them to enter a justice system that will likely re-victimize them and their children because it does not understand how domestic violence presents in divorce and custody cases.

    You are new here, so you will learn, in time, not to answer my questions as it always triggers more questions...

    1) October? Why is money/hype so prevalent over this specifically in October?
    2) What is a realistic alternative to a woman leaving an abusive relationship? Staying in the relationship has to be at least as bad.
    3) What does the justice system do that makes it (potentially) worse? What % of the time does the system make it worse?

    Ha! Don't count on it. :) My soap box is rarely out of arm's reach.

    1) October in the US is Domestic Violence Awareness month so there are lots of promotions and "feel good" commercials encouraging victims to leave.

    2) There is no good alternative, which is the tragedy of it all. And there's no real way to say which is worse. Many women that I have helped regret leaving the relationship after they experience the justice system. Many of them are haunted by the fact that, because the courts refuse to consider evidence of violence in awarding custody, abusers are often given unsupervised joint custody of the children and the mother can no longer protect them. Horrific things happen. Some stay and die. Some leave, and their children die at the hands of the abuser. Some escape with their kids. Some escape, but their kids remain unprotected from the abuser and the abuse, with devastating, and permanent, consequences for the children.

    3) Abusers use children as leverage to control their victims, and the courts become willing participants in the abuse because of an inability to understand what domestic violence is and what it looks like. Contrary to what you might assume would be the case, courts (judges) assume that allegations of abuse brought by one parent against another are false and brought to "alienate" the child from the accused parent. They respond to allegations with hostility and punish the parent who brings the allegations. They often refuse to allow evidentiary hearings and refuse to allow children to testify about abuse. Even though proving abuse is extremely difficult (b/c it usually takes place only in the presence of the abuser and the victim(s)), courts often treat an "inconclusive" finding of abuse as evidence that the allegations are false, and then punish the accusing parent by depriving them of all or almost all contact with their children. Because of the dynamic of DV, women are most often the victims in family court, but not exclusively. I have also helped (or tried to help) dads who were attempting to protect their children from an abusive mother and, because the courts no longer operate according to objective rules of evidence and procedure, dads are also, though less often, victims of the courts.

    It's impossible to say how often the system makes it worse. How do you define worse? How do you compare what you get with what you might have had, had things gone differently? Research shows that a parent who brings allegations of abuse in a custody case is more likely to LOSE custody to the accused parent than those parents who don't bring the allegations, even if abuse is a factor in the relationship. (See http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/1/pas/dv.html)

    I could go on ... it is my passion ... but I have to go swim! Speaking of which, I swam two miles (75 laps in the pool) last Sunday and my shoulders are still sore. Thanks for asking about my passion. I have to believe that if more people understood how unjust the justice system actually is, they would be horrified and want to change it, as I do.

  • ChrisBChrisB Issaquah, WAMember

    Stumbled across this forum looking for some training advice. I swam competitively from age 7 through college but pretty much stayed out of the water for the next 17 years. In a quest to lose some lbs two years ago I started having some injury problems from running so I decided to jump back into the pool. Since walls suck I started looking into open water swims which I use to love as a kid but found so few to compete in (usually just multi-event relays) at the time. I was shocked by how many OW events are available nowadays so I decided to "get serious" and began working out to do the 2015 Fat Salmon swim (3 mile). Unfortunately my mind still thought I was in my twenties and my body reminded me that I'm over 40 and out of shape. A case of tendinitis kept me out of the Fat Salmon last year but I was able to do a two mile Alcatraz swim, the Point Defiance swim (5k that ended up being 4 miles) and a sharkfest San Diego 1 miler. I also traveled to Waikiki to do the Roughwater but it was canceled. This year my goal is to do some of the longer distance swims and end the season with a 10K.

    Andrew Malinak's successful swims here in the NW has sparked my curiosity for doing some longer swims. There is a 50 miler I've wanted to do since I was a age group swimmer so maybe that is the ultimate goal but I figure one mile at a time and see where it takes me.

    I travel a lot for work which makes training difficult and adventurous at the same time. I find myself searching hi and low for pools, workout groups or OW areas to get some work in. My favorite places last year were La Jolla Cove, Barton Springs Pool (1/4 mile long) in Austin, TX and the Kitsilano Pool (137m) in Vancouver, BC.

    Thanks MSF!

    loneswimmerChrisgreeneLesliecurly
  • wendyv34wendyv34 Vashon, WASenior Member

    Hi Chris, did you happen to grow up in Issaquah and swim for IST? I swam with a Chris B at IST in the late 70s, just checkin'.

    USMS 10K nationals are being held at Applegate Lake OR this year (mid-July) and there will definitely be some PNA swimmers there. OMS does a great job with OW events and I'd recommend it if you want to get in a 10K.

    It's always a bad hair day when you work at a pool.

  • ChrisBChrisB Issaquah, WAMember

    Hi Wendy,
    I grew up in Eastern/Central Washington and started swimming USS in 1980. Yes, I believe the USMS 10K Nats is scheduled for 7/16 which is also the same day as the Fat Salmon (and Bear Lake Monster Swim). Can't do them all but I think I need to check off the Fat Salmon swim from my list since it was a big goal of mine last year and I wasn't able to do it. I have a 10.5K mapped out on Lake Sammamish which I planned to do this year to get a better feel for feeding.

    Funny story: I did a workout when I was about 15 called the Turkey Day Massacre 4x5000y on 60min interval. It took our coach until the second one to realize that we needed more than just water. I completed the last one in 55min on nothing but apple juice. Sports Nutrition and awareness has come a long ways since than.

  • Surfboy66Surfboy66 Perth, Western AustraliaMember

    Hi,

    Been lurking for a while but recently signed up as a new member. Love this forum and find myself spending way too much time browsing through the highly informative threads.

    I was a competitive swimmer as a kid with reasonable success at provincial/state level but gave it all away in my early twenties. As I approach my 50th birthday I have over the last few years rekindled my love of swimming.

    I initially used swimming as "cross training" while preparing for marathons (of the terrestrial variety), but then realizing that I was far more comfortable in water than on land, running became my "cross training" for swimming.

    By no means a marathon swimmer I have completed a few open water events (5km and under) and plan to do more this summer. Living in Perth Western Australia I have always fancied attempting a solo Rottnest channel swim in my 50th year............However with a young family (8yr, 5yrs and 2yrs) I am not spending nearly enough time in the water and this may just be a pipe dream.......

    Thanks to all members of the forum for unselfishly sharing your invaluable insights, experience and motivation with newcomers as myself.

    Best regards
    Jon

    loneswimmerevmoLesliegregorywannabe
  • wendyv34wendyv34 Vashon, WASenior Member

    ChrisB said:
    Hi Wendy,
    I grew up in Eastern/Central Washington and started swimming USS in 1980. Yes, I believe the USMS 10K Nats is scheduled for 7/16 which is also the same day as the Fat Salmon (and Bear Lake Monster Swim). Can't do them all but I think I need to check off the Fat Salmon swim from my list since it was a big goal of mine last year and I wasn't able to do it. I have a 10.5K mapped out on Lake Sammamish which I planned to do this year to get a better feel for feeding.

    Isn't it a pain that all 3 of those swims are on the same weekend? I've had my eye on the Bear Lake Monster for a few years...maybe next year. I like the possibility of a lake monster for motivation. The great thing is, you can race somewhere in the PNW almost every weekend from mid-June through late-September. I think there was one weekend I didn't race last summer, so I did a 5 mile training swim.

    PNA got a USMS sanction on the Ally Fell swim at Lake Padden last August (it's mostly USAS kids) and there was a 10K. It's a pretty boring little (murky) lake to swim around 4 times and it happened to be a cool, windy day last year. I realized that it's better for me to attempt longer distances before I get that season-end fatigue. My motivation was low and I poked along just fast enough to stay warm.

    As a kid, I spent my summers at Lake Sammamish. We'd ride our bikes down there and stay until someone's mom or dad showed up and yelled for us to get our butts in the van. Good times! :D My first official OW swim was organized by IST. We jumped off a boat (time trial, one every 30 sec) into the lake and swam up the slough to Marymoor Park. I was grossed out by the jungle of milfoil (I was 10 or so) so I swam breast stroke the entire way.

    Hopefully I'll run into you (but not literally) at a swim this year, since I'm at most of them, although I'm going to try to go to Applegate, if I can get the weekend off from work. Here's to an injury-free 2016!

    It's always a bad hair day when you work at a pool.

  • LeslieLeslie TexasMember

    Hi everyone. Can't believe I am just finding this forum. Anyway, I started swimming in 2012 because I wanted to do a triathlon. Found out I was TERRIFIED of open water. Ups and downs but mostly successful in the sport of triathlon. What's ironic, is that swimming has become my favorite leg of the three. I am in love. Since then I've done one "marathon" swim..it was a charity swim and the distance was an 11k. I am looking to build on my experience of long distance swimming. Not sure if ANYONE will read this but if they do and know someone who has done Swim the Suck, please let me know. I'd love to talk to that person.

    evmoIronMikemsathleteBigGuppy412
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member

    @Leslie, many of us have done StS (and love it). Search the forum for the StS threads and you'll even find some blog posts reviewing the swim.

    Welcome to the obsession!

    BL: You cannot go wrong attending StS. Still my absolute favorite.

    Leslie

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • LeslieLeslie TexasMember

    @IronMike , thanks. I am torn between STS and Ocean City. @Franco has done both and recommends both. Do you plan to swim STS this year?

  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member

    Leslie said:
    @IronMike , thanks. I am torn between STS and Ocean City. @Franco has done both and recommends both. Do you plan to swim STS this year?

    Yea, as @Niek says, I'll be swimming here in Kyrgyzstan. No stateside swimming for me for a few years.

    I've done both StS and Ocean City (dnf'd that one), and I'd agree with @Franco: Do both!

    Leslie

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • Hi @Surfboy66 (born in '66?)

    Another sandgroper here, gregorywannabe61 :)
    North or South? I'm south, part of a Masters Club, and a bunch of us swim each Sat morning at Coogee.
    We meet at Coogee Jetty, swim to WoodmanPt Jetty (1.5km) and back (3km), or some double up for 6km.

    Done a few 5km races and 2 10km ones and was training/entered for Rotto Jan 2015 but shoulder issues
    and seizure a few weeks before swim meant a DNS. 3 months off and only back to 3x3k per week at the
    moment. Still sorting out the shoulder.

    Cheers
    gw

  • Hello Everyone!

    Happy to have found this amazing resources as I transition into longer swimming events. Will attempt my first marathon swims this year. Did 5k-10ks in the past. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm. Looking forward to meeting you.

    Mary

    loneswimmerTheoChrisgreeneJenAevmoKate_Alexander
  • Hi,
    I have been a member since Nov 14 but this is my first post. I thought as I'm going to buy a t-shirt I should at least introduce myself! I read the forum update every day and click through frequently - this forum is gripping and the stories are inspiring.
    I got a taste for open water swimming in 1994 by swimming across the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic via Carlingford Lough. I then went to work in Nepal for six years where walking was more important than swimming.
    After returning to Northern Ireland in 2001 I got involved in triathlons and this culminated in an Iron Distance race in the beautiful County Kerry in 2012.
    Although I finished within the time cut off this was only because of a strong swim and I realised than I am not built for long distance running. I also realised that I hated long distance running. At this point my long suffering wife suggested that I stick to what I actually enjoy, namely swimming. Good advice.
    I have experimented with wetsuit swims but a holiday in Cyprus convinced me that 'skins' is the way to go. Over the last two years I have been fortunate to go on a couple of SwimTrek holidays which helped to develop confidence in deep water - and I completed my first 5k in open water.
    When I found LoneSwimmer's blog I was challenged to go skins in cold water and last summer I built up to 5k swims in cold water. This year I am hoping to get to 10k plus. So not a marathon swimmer yet....

    JenAevmoChrisgreenedpm50NoelFigartKate_AlexanderFlowSwimmerstortugaSpacemanspiffpavlicovloneswimmerJbetley
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