Grandma got run over by a reindeer

This weekend, I am recovering from swimming a 5K at yesterday morning's International Swimming Hall of Fame Roughwater swim. The conditions for this year's race were much calmer then when I swam it 2 years ago (I missed last year due to being sick the weekend of the swim), but had similar results: I again finished 4^th (this year in a time of 1 hour and 9 minutes).

The swim, itself, went alright, though I couldn't really change gears at all during the race (a problem for me of late)--will need to work on that. Along with that was that both my calves cramped right as I attempted to exit the water and run to the finish. It took about 10 seconds or so to get my ankles bent again to where I could stand and walk to the finish (and I'm not entirely sure why they cramped, given I didn't really kick during the race...).

Anyways, in recovery mode, and enjoying the long weekend (work was--nicely--closed Thursday and Friday for the New Year's).

Grandma got run over by a reindeer,
Walking home from our house Christmas Eve,
You can say there's no such thing as Santa,
But as for me and Grampa, we believe

Oops, I, did it again...

Pictures from today's Men's 10K race at the USA 2008 Open Water World Trials.

Pre-race, women's 10K winner Micha Burden awaits getting on a boat. Micha was the feeder for 3 of her teammates who swam today. (There's a feeding station on course, so that swimmers can get food/liquids during the race. The catch is that the swimmers can't touch the boat where the stuff is, so someone needs to hand it to them. Hence Micha hanging out on a boat for the 2 hour race, as well as her having the stick in her hand.)

The men's pre-race meeting. During the meeting, the referee goes over general course layout/race plan (4 laps around the 2.5K course, there's the feeding boats, finish is over there...) and rule reminders ("I'll blow my whistle to let you know to move apart--which he did a whole lot during the race--or to indicate someone getting a yellow card--one guy did get one).

After the meeting, the swimmers headed to the starting area, either via land or water. Here, Scott Kaufmann straightens out his cap as he gets used to the water and before swimming over to the starting line. (Scott's the one in the the blue jacket in the pic above).


Here, the guys have started lining up for the start, which is about 5-6 minutes away. A few guys are still swimming over as well (they are above the line, in center frame). In this shot you can also see that the water is not smooth (due to the wind). This chop caused half the race to be into the wind (going down) and half the race to be with the wind (coming back).

And they're off!
Unlike the women's race, the referee didn't watch the start from the dock today, but rather stayed in a boat (the starter was in a boat both days). I also was a wee bit later snapping the pic, so the guys are a bit farther off the line here than the girls are... the interesting thing to me is how clear the arms in the far side of the line are (and through the splash as well).




A few more differences between the guys and girls races, which this picture shows. The guys field stayed together through most of the race; no one broke away early. So when they got to the turns, 15 guys went around them together, bunched up (like here). Also, there were more local swimmers spectating today, so the dock in the background was crowded (and sinking somewhat)--so I moved from it (also because they were talking over the announcer and not about the race...).

The staying-together of the men's field also led to their race being more physical, to the point where many of the guys emerged from the water with cuts or scrapes, and in the case of Chip Peterson, a rip in the leg of his suit...

Can't you see I am fool, in so many ways
But to lose all my senses
That is just so typically me

Dad is great, give us chocolate cake

I'm sitting in a hotel room in Fort Myers at the moment, watching Bill Cosby's Himself--hence today's chocolate cake reference. Actually, my mom watched this the other day... and coincidently, my dad's birthday is next week (I hope he gets some chocolate cake...).


I'm on the Gulf Coast of Florida this weekend, attending the USA 2008 Open Water Worlds 10K Trials (the pictures are from today's women's 10K race...).

Above: The lake where this weekend's events are being held, looking down the 1.25K length of the course (the 3 orange buoys are the turn).

at left: Start of the women's race.


Shortly after the start of the women's race, 4 swimmers broke away to form the lead pack; they stayed together for the remainder of the race.
Here 3 of them (in order front to back: Chloe Sutton, Kirsten Groome and Micha Burden head out of the first lap (2.5K), with the fourth (Kalyn Keller) just out of frame to the left. In the background of this photo is the finish line area (the white & blue rectangle just above the hat of the guy standing in the boat).

By the end of the race, with about 300m to go, the 4 ladies had split up.
In this picture are all 4 (look closely). Just in front of the boat is Burden, pulling into the lead with a more directly line to the finish. To the right of the boat, the big splash is Groome (blue cap) and Sutton (yellow), who veered a bit wide. And the splash behind this pair is Keller.


And lastly, here are Groome and Sutton finishing in second and third (Groome is on the other side of the person in the black shirt, Sutton is on the right side of the frame). After 2 hours, they're just that far apart.

Final times for the top-4:
1) Burden--2:00:47
(2 hours and 47 seconds)
2) Groome--2:01:05
3) Sutton--2:01:09
4) Keller--2:01:42

A good--more detailed--write up of the race, with a full results can be found here, if you're interested (although I don't believe it mentions the dislocated shoulder that happened...).


Eggs; eggs are in chocolate cake.
And milk! Oh, goodie!
And wheat: that's nutrition....
Now need something to drink with chocolate cake, something breakfast.
Grapefruit juice! (groan from the audience)
This is not your child.