TWO shocking things happened:
Ten years today ago someone actually married my crazy ass. On June 6, 1999 I duped a guy, er....I mean, I lucked into marrying my perfect partner.
And then, in even MORE shocking news, I did a 2.5 mile swim in the ocean.
Maybe you didn't hear me,
I said, I swam two point five MILES in the O-fucking-CEAN.
Some on you may think, "Oh, you are so lucky! What a joy to swim with the dolphins! You are blessed with the beauty and tranquility of swimming in God's pool."
To which I say, bullshit.
It is one of those romantic notions that sound good, but suck ass in actual practice. Like, joining the Peace Corps or making homemade Christmas gifts.
The ocean has several things that make it suck:
1. Need I say it? SHARKS. Yes, that is number one.
I know, I know. The odds of being attacked by a shark are about 1,000 times LESS likely than being hit by a bus while walking on the sidewalk, but when faced with the option of being eaten alive (either partially or entirely) versus being squashed flat in front of the local Starbuck's, I will chose a fast moving transit bus ANY DAY. The chances of being attacked by a shark while walking on the sidewalk are ZERO, by the way.
2. Salt water.
It tastes disgusting and if you SUCK at swimming in more ways than one, and take on water like termite riddled canoe, it makes you puke when you swallow too much. Chafing is 500% worse in salt water versus fresh water.
3. Waves.
Not just when it is windy, just when the earth is rotating on its axis.
There are other reasons, but I think you get the point.
Anyhoo, I have been dreading this swim since I saw it on our training schedule and honestly, I am pretty proud of myself for doing it. Pretty proud, but also pretty stunned that I actually did it.
I am really grateful to the tri group for being very understanding and helpful to those of us that were scared shitless, ...er... I mean, apprehensive about the swim and the LARGE waves and thick kelp beds that we faced today.
I really have two women to give extra thanks to for this accomplishment today. GG along with her girlfriend, A, on a surfboard, stayed with me for the entire 1:57:20 swim (BTW, that DOES make the IM cut off. I know, I am as shocked as you are.)
These are the same kind souls that got me through the swim around the wharf last year. This duo has been there for, and are largely responsible for my success at, the two scariest and hardest swims of my triathlon career and I am eternally grateful for their help.
First full IM distance swim. Go me.
21 hours ago
26 comments:
Wooohooo!! You are ROCKIN' it!!
Ocean swim = scary. You won't find me out there swimming in that stuff.
Love to start my mornings with a post from you-gets me laughing!
Congrats on the keeping some poor soul attached to you for the last 10 years!
Ocean swims-I remembered them as a kid in TX when grandparents lived there, damn those jellyfish!
yeah the shark thing doesn't go so well with me. 2.5 miles swimming anywhere = insane. i can't even imagine. beating the im cut-off = amazing! see i knew you could do it.
Yee-ha!! You did it! And IM swim is easier..I promise.
Given the choice I would choose being (possibly) struck by a bus in the ocean. It would be all slow-mo and shit, and I imagine more fun than painful.
BOOYA! You did it! And in the ocean, no less. How's that for a big ass confidence boost?!?!
You're gonna do this. :)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whoa! This is HUGE! I do feel called to say that, while it is tempting to give others total credit for our successes, it simply is not true.
YES they were responsible for supporting you and YES without them there you may or you may not have accomplished this, but honey, YOU are responsible for stepping up and delivering a swim time that is not only .1 mile over the IM distance but one that is WELL UNDER THE IM DISTANCE CUTOFF!!!!
YAY YOU!!! And thank Goodness for the support you have that enables you to SHINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
New to your blog. Congrats on the swim. One question: Is it more likely to have an encounter with a shark if you have your period? Kind of like camping and the bears.
I knew you could, I knew you could!!!! Yes you did!!! I know you weren't looking forward to this swim! But you did it, your conquered it and you beat the IM swim cutoff!!! How exciting is that!!???
As for open water swimming-you are my hero! I'm scared shitless of open ocean for many reasons-sharks are up there! But after being pummeled in the waves while attempting to learn to surf MANY years ago and being stuck and caught under the water in the washing machine that is falling in the surf with a very large surfboard attached to your ankle-open water and waves really freak me out! So for you to go out there and conquer what I feel is HELL, well...you have elevated yourself into rockstar status!!
You did that in OUR ocean? Yuck. I don't even like wading in it. It's very dark and full of the unknown. You rock girl! So nice of someone to stay with you on a surfboard too.
Awesome work! I wish we had a Tri team like that around here. I am scared of swimming in open water. Great job you did!
Oh yeah and congrats on your anniversary.
Go you!!!!!! And happy anniversary. AND YAY RBR!! 2.5 mile swim is a-frickin-mazing!! I love the ocean and would swim in it over a lake any day (and twice on Sunday) but the PacGrove swim was the hardest part of the whole thing. So 2.5 in those same conditions? Again and again I say - WOO HOO YOU! :D
Happy anniversary! Glad to know that you found someone to marry your crazy ass...I'd hate to have to move in with you and we'd be the weird old ladies with 100 dogs;)
Niceee job on the swim. It does wonders for your confidence and I'm so glad you made it sans shark bites!
you are funny
No sharks in Idaho - too cold.
Thumbs up! I heard if a shark confronts you to bop it on the nose as hard as you can. Don't worry that will never happen.
Sharks are not cool, and I'd rather get hit by a bus too. Okay...maybe tapped by bus. Still, better than a shark attack.
If you can swim in the northern Pacific you can totally fucking swim in Lake CDA. Totally. It tastes better, too.
Truly Awesome! Congrats on a great swim! Happy Anniversary!
that is awesome! Great great job, you have guts and discipline. I gotta hand it to you!
You are so damn funny! And like the rest, I'm amazed that you swam in the Pacific Ocean. I prefer being on top of it in a kayak, myself. Swimming is my biggest obstacle in attempting more triathlons. Totally freaked about drowning, sharks, being kicked in the face, you name it. You're an inspiration.
that is in-fucking-sane. yes ocean is tough. way more tough then my lake swim. and 2.5 miles is nuts. wait until you read how my oly swim went yesterday.
in-fucking-sane.
First of all, Happy Anniversary!!!
And secondly, Kudos to you for that ocean swim! I certainly know how much more difficult swimming in the ocean is both physically and mentally. That should give you LOADS of confidence for the swim at IMCDA. No sharks there, for sure. YAY!!
Friggin' awesome. Way to go!
You are a rock star after that swim
first happy anniversary!
and second OMG. *bowing* to you. 2.5 miles in the ocean?!?! WOW. that is all i have to say :)
Way to rock it out there!
I have to confess, I don't think I've ever done a long distance ocean swim in unprotected waters!
Go girl!
And congrats on the anniv!!
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