10K Swim

My first 10K swim. 

Note, I said first, because I plan on doing so many more.  I found my calling in life... well, now I'm being dramatic, but I found something that suits me so well.   I have long loved endurance events, as most of you know.  But the jarring of running, really wore my feet down.  I still love running and plan to run long distance, it's just I have a new love and focus right now.

On Saturday July 20, 2019 - I woke up and drank two cups of black coffee and had a Juice Plus Complete Shake with a banana and peanut butter.  I was very rested but had a slight tightness in my calves and shoulders from taking a High Fitness class two days before.  I figured it would be okay, but if I have my druthers, I would've skipped class and done a slow run that night instead but I'll do anything for my running partner - and High Fitness it was!

Terrence and I arrived to Linville Access around 8:15 and unloaded the car.  We had a cooler full of hydration (Fresh Lime Nuun for me), LÄRA Bars, and bananas.  I got in the water and started prepping. The water was upwards of 85 degrees and I was already panicking.  But I had to stay collected.  We started the swim around 8:30.  The first mile, the liar mile as we often call it, was a great way to settle in.  My arms were tight and sore but I figured that would subside.  We stopped at the first cove about 1.2 miles in; I drank to fuel - my pace on the first mile was 24:59, I was okay with this time but I knew I could swim a little faster.  Terrence handed me a bottle from the kayak and I tread the water while I drank.   On I swam ...  my goal was to drink each mile and eat at mile three, the turn around.  I swam out until 3.1 miles then came back toward Terrence for hydration and a bite of my LÄRA Bar.  It's so hard to eat and tread water.  Drinking is one thing, chewing is another monster. The longest stretch was from 3.1 to 4.5 that I swam without fueling.  By 4.5 miles I felt tanked.  We opted to stop every half mile at that point.  I looked at the animals, laughed with Terrence, and waved at boaters on the water.  I just enjoyed the moment, the peace, the water.  By mile 5.2 or so I was feeling really good again.  Then at 5.8 I saw the shore.  I started crying in my goggles.  But I can't cry and swim, that's not part of the plan, so I sucked it up.   When I hit mile 6 I knew I had just a few minutes left and that 0.2 felt like an eternity.  Then I hit the shore. It was over.

 When I got home I cried the biggest tears.  I still cry thinking about it all. I didn’t cry because it was over, I cried tears of joy because it’s all just begun.   I trained hard and lived the life of a marathon swimmer.   Hell, I am a marathon swimmer.