Oh yes, despite a slow beginning, I’m beginning to even the score with Sister Mary Aggressive (wife, Carol)! After our most recent dual endeavor, a swim event called the Masters Mile challenge at Fort Myers Beach, it is now two to three in Carol’s favor!
This was our first U.S. Masters open water swim, and it was held in conjunction with USA Swimming 2008 Open Water 5K and 25K National Championships. We did see the 5K and some other USA Swimming age group events. It was really neat to see the up and coming swimmers in the open water category!
As for our event, Carol and I were the second oldest male and female swimmers entered. We couldn’t have asked for a better day and a water start, with only approximately 25 other competitors each. The course was rectangular, and during the long upwind leg against the current, I never thought we would reach the turning buoy. After that it was all downhill on the final leg to the finish!
Carol was accused of fooling around with that buoy, try as she might, just couldn’t seem to get away! Oh yes, it really was a buoy! No awards, but that is OK, great location, great swim, and great competitors, can’t ask for anything better than that! And my time was faster than SMA’s!
I recently wrote that I was focusing on running for upcoming events, specifically the Marine Corps Marathon. My record is abysmal with this event, having signed up twice before and bailing out at the last minute! Our daughter Megan, age 35, has signed up too!
Just a little bit of history, several years ago Megan and I ran the Disney World Marathon together. We started in separate corrals, so didn’t see each other until she passed me at the 25 mile mark! I pleaded with her to wait for me, so we could finish together. She knows me too well, and knew that I would sprint past her at the finish, so she waved, yelled, “See you at the finish”, and kept on running! This is just another reason I want to improve my running: Guess what Megan, payback is hell!
To that end, I have signed up for Jeff Galloway’s online “ecoaching program." So far, so good. I have managed to keep up with the training plan and have begun to show some improvement, yes, at age 65!
Upcoming events include a “Tri in the Buff”( I checked and modest attire is required) in Buffalo, N.Y., and some triathlons and open water swims in Florida. We just canceled our entry in the Lee Swim in Cork, Ireland, scheduled for July 19Th. Carol has had some surgery, so has been out of the water and would not be ready to compete. We did it last year and had a marvelous time. Possibly we will be back in 2009!
Hang in there and enjoy your summer!
Tags: Swim Marathon
