Late Afternoon Swim Wednesday

It's been a long time since I got in the water and it was a bit colder today.  I went around the pier north to south.  There were warm spots and cold spots, and 67 degrees for most of the time.  The water was flat and beautiful--great for swimming.  Lots of surfers out on the south side because the waves were 2-3 feet, and occasionally a larger set.  On the way in, past the surf looking in at the back of the waves, I was surprised to see a few good-sized waves.
My swim was a relaxed swim at 31 minutes around.  My photo card won't read so I am waiting for a reader to upload my photos again.


"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Sadly, No Labor Day Pier Swim for Me

Labor Day Pier Swim North County Times Coverage



Above is a link to The North County Times covering the swim on Monday.
I was on the DL,the  Disabled List, in football parlance.
I got a new treatment for low back nerves the prior Thursday.  The Dr. did injections of something, I'll guess Marcaine, because I heard him say to another Dr., "I'll need a little more of that 0.25%."  He did an injection into the joint between my right L3 and L4, which has helped somewhat.  On the other hand, the left side is now giving me even more grief.  I think the left side has always been an issue but that it has been overshadowed by the worse right side. 
I know this is a bunch of uninteresting info but I felt that I should write something about the Pier Swim.
They had the strong inside rip current to the north, as usual.  The surf had picked up from 2 feet to a more powerful 3-4 feet. 
There has been a change in the management of the Oceanside Swim Club, which sponsors the annual swim, but thankfully the swim continues.
Since I am not swimming, I think that I may start another blog.  About nothing.  Kinda' like the Seinfeld Show.  We'll see. Congratulations to you Labor Day Pier Swimmers.  Life is better 'Out Past the Breakers.'


"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Repeat 2.5 mile Swim North of Pier to Wisconsin St and Back

I took some pictures but my camera cord isn't working.  The sky was a clear blue yesterday evening.  I went down at 5:30 PM and it was quiet at the Pier.  The tide was low to medium, with small waves and gentle surf.  I did the same swim as a few days ago.  My time was very similar; I did the route in 1 hour and 49 minutes.  The water was flat swimming out and got a bit choppy before the end of the pier and beyond the pier.  Visibility was about 7 feet.
I'm thinking about how to describe the swim south to the Wisconsin Pole and back north to the pier.  The ocean was calm but with a constant 1 foot ripple of a wave over and over the entire way.  It wasn't a chop, like a washing machine up & down, but a defined, constant, small, formed wave that I tried to time my breathing with as I swam.  I was taking more strokes per breath and breathing on both sides as I felt which stroke would put me at the apex of the small waves on the surface to breathe easier.  There was also a mild current moving south again, as is mostly the case in the area.
I started the swim at tower 2 on the north side of the pier, and hit off the end of the pier at 14 minutes.  Then I swam parallel to the shore out at that distance from the shore to the Wisconsin pole.  I checked my watch after I circled the pole and started back; it was 51 minutes.  I hit the end of the pier at 1 hour and 33 minutes, and the beach at 1 hour and 49 minutes. 
I was starting to get tired about a quarter-mile south of the pier.  Swimming in to the beach was hard for me; I didn't had any gas left in the tank.  The warm water lulls you to laziness:  70 degrees.  I personally need more misery to make me pull harder and kick more.  I prefer my misery in the form of wet cold. I was also lazy with my kick yesterday evening.  On the swim northward it was nice to get a repeating view of the full sun descending to my front and left.  I brushed against a big, white blob with just my feet; I think it was a big jellyfish because I looked back at it--but it seemed to be chasing me, so I got the heck out of there.  No stinging at all though.  Maybe an overactive imagination?
After I was out of the water, there was an almost-full moon shining in the southwestern sky.
A good swim, but I paid for it when I woke up this morning.  I have epidural nerve block injections this afternoon to try something else for the low back.

"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Marine Convoy

This post has nothing to do with ocean swimming but I'm branching out to other topics.  Yesterday I was driving from Temecula, CA to Oceanside, CA on Interstate 15.  This is part of the route that the Marine Corps drives when they go out to their desert training base at Twenty-Nine Palms, CA.

Temecula temperature was 101 degrees and these Marines were returning from temperatures in the neighborhood of 110 degrees. They may have been out there for two weeks or two months--who knows, but 29 Palms is a miserable place.
As I drove along at 60-70 miles-per-hour, being passed by most cars going faster, we all passed this slower, long convoy of 8-wheel military vehicles with Marines in full combat gear sitting on top of the vehicles, hanging out of the vehicles, standing inside with their upper bodies outside getting fresh air, etcetera. 
The vehicles were traveling at 50-55 miles-per-hour. 
Now here is what what special about this encounter: At least 3 of every 4 cars that passed by EACH armored vehicle (I'm going to refer to them as LAV-25's--the top picture) slowed down and waved to the Marines aboard each LAV-25, and ALL of the Marines waved back to all of the cars.
I personally passed by about 16 LAV's in the rear portion of this convoy, and I waved to all of them.  I saw other drivers switching lanes to get to the lane adjacent to the Marines to give then the 'thumbs-up,' a smile, or a wave. 
I was struck by a very deep admiration and respect for these men, and I got goose bumps as I drove along. The striking thing to me was that most of the drivers on the highway were hit by that same feeling of patriotism and an appreciation for the work the Marines are doing for us. 
These men are the best that we have, and to see them being thanked and appreciated was quite touching. 
(And I do hope that they get a swim in when they are in Oceanside)


"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Warmest Water Yet. Solo 2.5 mile evening swim

Wednesday evening. 72 degree water. Low tide. Small, mild waves. Overcast sky.  Not many people around the beach/pier area.
I was feeling crummy with my low back and craved the relief that I get from the water today.  I wanted a big swim, and I got one.  I went out at tower 2 and around the pier and headed south.  I hit the end of the pier at 14 minutes.  There is a floating white pole sticking up off Wisconsin Street about 1/3 of a mile out, and I decided that I would swim there and back.  There was a small chop at times, but mostly the water was flat with a small swell out there.  No back pain in the water but the neck pain was with me as usual.  I really felt good and smooth during the swim.  I hit the buoy/pole at 54 minutes.  On my return trip north, there was a small current that I was swimming into, so I had to commit to the swim.  I thought a lot about my arm pulls and recited poems and the like over and over in my head to occupy myself.  It was on the dark side out there because the sun was occluded by the clouds and I didn't finish my swim until about 7:15 PM.  Total swim time was 1 hour and 46 minutes.  I approximate 2 1/2 miles for me, knowing what I know about my swim times.  I tried to finish strong coming in on the north side of the pier, and my arms got a good workout.
I feel like I broke through some barriers tonight and had a very good swim.

"The first time you quit is the last time you try."