So tonight I swim as I do every year on the Solstice.  I swim to honor the sun’s return to longer days as the longest night passes and the rotation of the earth changes direction to favor the Northern hemisphere ( Read more... )

I swam the 3K at World's this year.  Because I'm not in the shape I want to be in, it was long enough to allow a lot of thinking ( Read more... )

Well I whined yesterday and realize there is only so much I can fix.  I can work on little tiny pieces and hopefully ‘the big stuff will work itself out in the wash’ as my Grams would say.


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This year which started with so much promise swimming and otherwise is turning into a year of loss.  My parents, both are not doing well.  The friends I use to be able to count on more than two hands have dwindled to 1 or 2.  My home Bay Swimming club has pretty much stated ‘we like the money you pay for dues but you aren’t one of us because you ( Read more... )

I’m a very lapsed Catholic which means we have differences of understanding.  I’m feeling not at odds with family but there are difficulties so maybe I will participate in my own way to honor my Grams which I do a couple of times a year.  She was such a good Irish Catholic with pagan tendencies. I try and make Church on Good Friday as well as ( Read more... )

As a concept it is great but putting it into practice, not so much.   It meant another weekend of working out in a pool and skipping the meets.  I got the girls groomed on Saturday and swam while they were being ‘beautified.’  Even though I broke up the drive to and from the groomers to 45 minutes each leg, a total of 3 hours in the car took its ( Read more... )

These last few months have been really tough.  My Parents’ health is failing, my Dad had a stroke and my Mom is not coping well.  Dad is on his 4th hospital admit in 5 months, this time for pneumonia.

My brother has been amazing in taking care of things back there while I am working and trying to send some home to help at the same time I’m ( Read more... )

Since January I have lost 80 lbs.  There are thing in this life that you lose and really don't need to find.  I lost it by changing my eating habits, smaller portions, lots of veggies and reading labels, yada, yada, yada...

But in reality I lost it one small decision at a time.  Do I eat the yummy looking eclairs or do I grab a handful of raw ( Read more... )

 Today as one of those day in which everything and everyone was frustrating by everything I probably mean mostly myself. I went out to swim just for my sanity. I was headed to the pool when the lowering sun caught my eye.
The water was so calm after last night’s storms and the sky looked ripe for a beautiful sunset. I turned the car around ( Read more... )

 So I’m still mulling training ideas and have kind of come up with a plan at least for Summer to Late Fall. This summer is strength, endurance, technique and open water focused. All of which will serve me well when I really return to pool for speed increases during the Fall/Winter time frame.

I figure I will peak first for the meet in Long ( Read more... )