Manhattan is over and the Boston Light Marathon swim is coming up this weekend.  What did I do with my down time?  Well there wasn’t much down time.  I think I have taken 1 or 2 days off from training, but definitely not on the weekends.

The weekend of July 19-20 Tim and I just hit our old stomping ground of Hagg Lake.  Neither of us really felt like making the trek down to the Oregon Coast to hit Nehalem Bay.  Saturday’s swim was warm and beautiful.  Now we try to get out to the lake early so that we aren’t out when all the boat and fishermen come out.  Saturday was no exception.  We were out at the lake at 6:30am.  There was a beautiful fog over the late and the water was steaming as the air temperature was high 50′s – low 60′s.  We got started in this sort of dream land state.  Again it was the normal loop with a pier to pier.  As we were coming back past from the “pier to pier” we noticed some fishermen near “The Kids”.  Tim and I sort of stopped and bobbed and talked about superheros.  Had we been in Dover, I’m sure that someone would have told us to get on with the swimming task at hand, but we were enjoying the sunshine and determining the best path around the fishermen.  It appeared to us that they were moving more towards the middle of the lake, so Tim and I took the shoreline.  And when I say we took the shoreline…we were super close to the shoreline, perhaps 4 feet of water.  As we got by the fishermen, we (OK I) stopped for some more bobbing.  As we were about 100 feet away we hear “HEY BUDDY Nice going, way to swim right where we were fishing!  THERE IS A WHOLE LAKE TO SWIM IN!”  Now being that I’m a very delicate flower, this upset me.  Of course my immediate reply was to turn around and state that “Yes and there is a whole lake to fish in too.”  And then I proceeded to laugh.  Some might not think this the best reaction to 3 arrogant A-holes in a boat while Tim and I are just swimming, but again this delicate flower perhaps wasn’t thinking straight.  The rest of my swim was spent planning alternate rebuttals to this fisherman.

Option 2 – was to swim over to their tin can of a fishing boat and do a quick manuever to tip it over sending them, their gear and beer into the lake…somehow I managed to hold back. 

Option 3 – was to swim over and introduce myself.  “Hi I’m Michelle and I’ve been swimming out here since 6:30am.  I was curious if you were a safety person, where would you advise two swimmers who have been in the water for 2 hours to stay…close to shore and an exit path or in the middle of the lake where our tiny yellow caps may or may not been seen by the likes of fishermen who have started drinking at 8:30am in the morning?”  Somehow this didn’t seem like a good plan either.

For the record for all those fisherman/boaters/etc that may read this blog, without a safety boat, safety people on shore, or dragging a safety buoy/balloon swimmers will stay close to shore.  Now I thought this would be for obvious reasons, but apparently not.

Sunday Tim and I just did another quick pier to pier swim and called it a day. 

This past weekend (July 26-27) my good friends allowed Tim and I the use of their little house down in Manzanita Oregon.  Without the dreaded drive back from the coast on Saturday, Tim and I headed to Nehalem for training.  (Note: It is about a 2 hour drive to the coast, so you can see why a round trip in a day would be difficult).  We left early per my usual insane need to be in the water first thing in the morning.  Now I thought for sure that Nehalem Bay would be back at its “regular” 60 degree temp which would be a nice change from Hagg’s sweltering 76.   As we arrived at the State park, I decided perhaps in bad judgement to check the water temperature before we actually got in.  In the words of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman “Big Mistake…Huge!”  From the boat launch the water registered 50.  Which I have found that non-cold water swimmers don’t understand.  They usually look at me and say “Well that’s not so bad.”  Somehow I believe that they are judging it from a 50 degree day.  50 degree water does not feel like a 50 degree sunny day.  It grips your lungs and squeezes them like the Incredible Hulk and in your head you are crying out “Uncle”, but your jaws are tensed shut and locked because of the cold.  And when they aren’t locked shut, you are chattering like those wind up teeth.  In fact, it is so bad sometimes that you think that all your teeth will break and fall out of your mouth.  Plus you have the mother of all ice cream headaches that no amount of grabbing your head and screaming will alleviate.  Not to mention all your bits that hang off your body have decided to go “Turtle” on you and try to grow back inside your body.   Now imagine this for men and their little friends.  (Special Assignment:  For the really daring, take your bathtub and only turn on the cold water.  Fill bathtub.  Strip down to your skiives and jump in.  No not just your feet, your whole body.  Now if your cold water is anything like mine, that is 74 or maybe 72 degrees.  Dang cold right?)

Since I was there to train, I stripped down to my swim suit and got ready to start.  Tim didn’t seem as enthusiastic and I believe he was using stall tactics.  Finally after the last stall, I told Tim I would meet him in the water or he could just wait on the beach.  Personally I would have been happy with whatever his decision.  Again somehow I think the cold water might overshadow his love for swimming outdoors. 

I was planning on a 4 hour swim.  However, with that temperature I would really have to be concerned with adverse affects.   Tim and I decided to assess the situation after one lap which usually takes just over an hour.  Like last year, I swim between the green buoys and the shoreline, passing the buoys first with 11, then 11 again, then 5, then 3.  At 3, I turn around and head back.  The water was especially clear this day and we saw plenty of dancing crabs.  At buoy 3, I stopped and got ready to turn around way before this Tim had decided to jump in and swim and had caught up to me.  We did the quick cold water assessments, which equals “Are you ok? Yeah are you? Yeah.”  Yes it is very scientific and took years of research to learn.  We headed back to the boat ramp.  Honestly the swim back was tough as we were against the current and the cold was beginning to take its toll.

We made it back though and it took just over one hour.  Tim decided to call it good and I don’t blame him.  I managed to make it back out to buoy 5 and back in (which back in seems more important sometimes).  Another 40 minutes to the tally.  1 hour and 40 minutes didn’t seem all that bad in 50 degree water.  I was happy and called it good.

Tim and I spent the day relaxing and lounging around Manzanita, which was so nice rather than the 2 hour drive back to Portland.  YEA FRIENDS and their generosity!  The next morning I was so relieved not to have to get up early and get in the car.  I finally was able to sleep in a little and finally got out of bed at 8:30am.  I can’t remember the last time I slept that late.  Then it was back out to the bay.

This time I didn’t check the water temp and Tim didn’t stall.  I was only planning for one “lap” of the bay.  On our way back we picked up some spectators.  I stopped and said good morning.  And then came the question “What are you doing?”  Now being that Tim and I are in swimsuits, caps and goggles and happen to be swimming I thought it was pretty obvious…so I replied “We’re out for a run.”  Now some of the people in the group thought that was a little amusing.  She however did not.  So I quickly adjusted and said “Well we’re swimming.”  The next question “How cold is it?”  I had been checking the temperature at every buoy and like a good training partner had not been telling Tim.  So I pulled the thermometer out of it’s super secret hiding spot and read it “50 degrees” (Note:  I’m too cheap to buy a watch that tells me the water temp, so I carry a water thermometer with me.  Plus I don’t like wearing a watch while I swim.  Some might argue that it is more comfortable than a water thermometer shoved down the front of your suit.  Dang it there went my super secret hiding spot )  “Isn’t that cold?”  “Yes it is.  Have a great morning.” 

Swim 2 finished and we jetted over to the campground to take our normal warm up shower.  Overall a great weekend.

Until Monday morning.  I noticed on Saturday afternoon that I was getting some sores on my finger joints.  And then on Sunday afternoon, I had even more.  And then Monday these sores were especially p***d off and frankly were double in size and seemed to be taking on their own personalities.  Now I’ve had these before and the doctor years ago told me to come back when they were bad.  Well I never considered them “Bad” enough to ever go back to the doctor…that’s right you guessed it “Until now”.  I called up the doctor and went in.  She took one look and said “Those are chilblains.”  I was relieved that she actually knew what they were, as I think my last doc just thought I was crazy.  She mentioned that it is caused by getting too cold.  Hmm, 50 degree water wouldn’t have anything to do with that.  Unfortunately there really isn’t anything to do, but to keep the extremities warm.  I think the Channel rules would frown on warm woolen mittens. 

According to MedicineNet.com a Chilblain is ”A cold injury which, while painful, causes little or no permanent impairment. It appears as red, swollen skin which is tender, hot to the touch, and may itch. This can worsen to an aching, prickly (“pins and needles”) sensation, and then numbness. It can develop in only a few hours in skin exposed to cold.

The first aid treatment of chilblains is to stop exposure to cold, remove any wet or constrictive clothing, gently wash and dry the injured area, elevate it, cover it with layers of loose warm clothes and allow to rewarm. “ 

According to some websites, they apparently can become worse from rapid re-warming, which I can confirm I did in the shower after the swims. 

Good news is that my fingers will be fine.  Bad news is these things hurt while they are here.  I will just be more careful in my warming procedures from now on.  Can’t really do much about the cold.  My doctor assures me that it is all ok and my cold water swimming career is safe.  Whew, that’s a relief!

Ah Manhattan, a crazy busy city that was crazy hot and muggy.   Jane, Cathy and I arrived on Thursday July 3rd.  Cathy had a pretty crazy experience with the shuttle service and spent almost 4 hours in the JFK airport.  It was almost longer than her entire flight, while she was struggling to get the shuttle to actually let her on…Jane and I were taking a quick cat nap after the red eye flight.  Thankfully the Marriot had our rooms ready for a very early check in.  Thank you Marriot. 

Once Cathy arrived we headed down to the water front for lunch and then began walking around town.  I faded quickly and headed back to the hotel around 4pm to rest.  Jane and Cathy took the time to go through the US Sports Museum.  I really wanted to go as the US Women’s Sports Hall of Fame was there, but alas it was not to be this trip.  (Note:  One of these times I’m going to go to NYC and actually play the tourist.) 

Friday was mostly uneventful.  We had the swimmers meeting over at Governer’s Island.  The field of swimmers this year was amazing.  In the room there were probably 10 English Channel swimmers, at least 3 people who had completed the Catalina Channel, plus 4 previous winners of the MIMS.  Needless to say, I was pretty excited and intimidated.  Morty, the race organizer, went through the details and then we were all headed back to Manhattan.  My crew and I decided to hit Greenwich Village for dinner that night before the big fireworks.

We watched the fireworks on TV and out our hotel windows.  It was an incredible display.  One that after the grand finale I was off to bed to get ready for the swim on Saturday.

Saturday arrived sooner than I was ready.  Cathy and Jane had gone to meet the safety boat, as we connected about 20 minutes into the swim at Pier 11.  And I was off to South Cove to check in and get ready.  Again it was great to be around all the swimmers, plenty whom I’ve read about online or talked to via email. 

The kayakers started to arrive in South Cove and I quickly met my 2 kayakers, Tracy and Jack.  They were both in orange kayaks so I was hoping that would make them easy to spot while in the water.   I spent a lot of time before the start just looking at the water in South Cove.  I guess I was trying to determine if it looked as bad as I thought or if it wasn’t as polluted as I thought.  I think it was less even with the dead pidgeon floating on it’s back with legs sticking out of the water.  I made a mental note to avoid that bird for the start.  Yes there were odd bits of flotsam and jetsam, but nothing that seemed too out of the ordinary. 

We all started in the water at South Cove.  Man did the race start out fast and man were we all bunched together.  I spent the first few minutes worrying about connecting with my kayakers, but they managed to find me and we started on our way.  The water was a lot warmer than I expected at 73.  I didn’t think that I would really notice the New York skyline, but I did see quite a bit.  We arrived at Pier 11 before I even knew it.  There were Jane and Cathy on our support boat “The Sushi” with Captain George and John our observer.  I was glad to see them.  However, I noticed that the swimmers were all still really close.  It was time for me to get serious and race, which I think I sort of accomplished…until the Harlem river.  I made it through Hells Gate without much fanfare.  (Note: To those swimmers out there, yes this is a little bumpy but not nearly what I imagined).  Then I was headed against the current.  Not so much fun staring at the same building for a while.  My guess is that I was making about 0.5 miles an hour.  I just kept waiting it out as Morty said that the tide would turn, but “WHEN????”  It is about this time that I started to get what seems to be my normal headache.  I think I tweaked my neck while doing some funky sighting. 

Then there was the shoulder pain.  And shortly there after was the extremely foul mental attitude that I just couldn’t shake.  Let me go through my list of excuses right now “The water is too hot.”  “I’m tired” “My shoulders hurt” “My neck hurts” ”When are we going to be out of the Harlem” ”When is my feeding?” “I want to get out” “Damn is it hot! (note: Harlem temp 76)” “Stupid jellyfish”  There were a few others but they aren’t appropriate to print.  Every athlete and person goes through those moments when we just want to get out and be done with it all.  This apparently was my swim.  Thankfully I have a crew that won’t let me get within 10 feet of the boat when I’m in this mood.  Cathy, Jane and John kept me going despite the tears…oh yes there were a lot of tears.  Jane’s account to my mother and ultimately you all was very tame compared to the grumpiness that they endured.  I was very unhappy.

Cathy and Jane kept mentioning just push through to the Hudson and you’ll get a push from the current.  Ok keep on pushing Michelle.  When we reached the Spuyten Divel, 2 swimmers shot past me as if I was doing the doggy paddle.  Talk about bruising an already fragile (ok broken) mental state.  But I kept pushing and we entered the Hudson…where there was no current.  AWESOME!  Luckily the water was cooler than the Harlem.

I did what every athlete that wants to get out does at some point.  I sweared and told myself, just 1000 more strokes then see where you are at.  After 1000 it was OK 1000 more Michelle.  Jane and Cathy just kept supporting me as did Tracy and Jack from their kayaks.  (Note:  I owe a huge thank you to Tracy, Jack, John and George.  I swam my best, but you didn’t see my best side.  Thank you for staying with me).  Then Tracy and Jack peeled off at North Cove and I was to swim next to “The Sushi”.  I actually calmed down some after this.  Perhaps I’m just a bit more comfortable swimming right next to my safety boat and seeing my crew with each breath.  Or maybe it was the fact that I was about 0.25-0.5 miles away from the finish.  Either way I made it to the wall and I started to hear 2 of my friends shouting their heads off.  Which now when I think about it is really quite amusing.  Scott and Heidi had traveled up from Washington DC to see the finish.  And I could see them as the current pushed me along to the finish…finally some current.  I got passed by one last swimmer before ultimately finishing in 7 hours 55 minutes and 31 seconds.  Kris, the swimmer, asked me if I had fun.  Poor Kris got a sour response from me.  (Yes, mom I apologized later). 

I climbed out of the water and promptly started crying when I saw David Nagel, the official photographer.  To anyone out there, may you be blessed with an event photographer like David.  He is kind, caring, understanding and just a great guy.  He looked at me and said “I know.  I know.  But you finished.”  It made all the difference.

Scott became the very caring very doting friend.  “What can I get you?”  Do you need water, banana, cookie, pizza? What do you need?”  I kept responding that I was fine and just needed to get dressed and wanted to watch the swimmers come in.  I don’t think Scott quite understood that I could just be relatively “normal” after the swim.  I kept reminding him that I didn’t need to sit down as my legs didn’t do anything for almost 8 hours.  Gotta love my distance stroke without a kick.

After the swim it was back to the hotel for a shower and a quick change before heading to the banquet.  It was at the banquet that I found out that while I was hitting jellyfish and tree debris that my crew and kayakers were seeing quite a bit more.  According to the pilots there was a lot of tree debris in the rivers, more than in previous years.  Then there were shoes, trash bags, and one 3 foot tall Daffy Duck face down in the Harlem.  Apparently Tracy mentioned “It isn’t a good day when Daffy’s face down in the river.”   

The banquet was a really nice affair where we all talked about the day’s swim.  I came off lucky on the jellyfish stings as they restricted themselves to my arms, legs and stomach (dang the one or two that made it down my suit).  Some of the swimmers got them across the face.  I also found out that the Top 10 individual swimmers all finished within 30 minutes of each other.  Now that is a tight field.  I managed to place 9th, which isn’t where I wanted, but I did finish with in my goal time.  I guess with the crabby pants attitude that I had this all in all was a successful swim. 

I left the banquet around 10:30pm to head to pack as Jane and I were being picked up to go to the airport at 3am.  FYI – not the ideal traveling scenario.  I made it back to Portland in one piece with a pretty sore neck and left shoulder.  I spent Sunday resting and doing laundry. 

Monday the 7th, I was back up and at morning swim practice.  It felt good to stretch out.  I’ve been spending the last 10 days getting back into my swim and shoulder rehab routine.  Mostly I am doing very well.  I’m still recovering though as I couldn’t even make 6×200 on the 3:00minutes in practice the other day.  Oh well, it will be back soon enough.  Heck I’m off to Boston for the Boston Light Marathon swim on August 2nd so it better be back.

Thank you to everyone that supported me through the swim. 

To Jane, Cathy, John, Tracy, Jack and George – Thank you so much for making me push onwards even though it was the last thing I wanted to do.  Thank you for enduring the rain without complaining and staying by my side.  I couldn’t have asked for a better support crew, pilot, kayakers and observer.

People have been asking me “Are you going to do it again?”  I’m not going to rule it out.  The MIMS is an amazingly organized race with a ton of support.  The MIF, selection committee, volunteers, photographers, etc do an amazing job registering, selecting swimmers, and caring for the swimmers.  For this reason alone it is worth another attempt.  Thank you too all involved for making this such a great open water event.

PS.  I’m working on getting the photos posted….soon.

To Michelle from Mom and Dad: “You amaze us.   We are incredibly proud of your declared intention, commitment and willingness to live this dream in front of all of us. Many of us would not be as brave as you have been!”

To Jane from Tom and Kathleen: “Thank you for guiding the way and making sure there was enough energy in Michelle to finish strongly.  You are a great athlete as well. ”

Michelle had a very strong last quarter mile.  Finished in 7 hrs and 50 minutes.  Don’t know how she is at this point but only imagine she is relieved and happy and HOT.

Michelle had her last feeding.  Jane reported: “75 degree water is too warm for our little Michelle but she is hanging in there.  She can’t wait for a cold shower.”

At this report, she only had about 1.5 miles left.  At this writing, she should be nearly done and hearing the crowds that gather to cheer the swimmers on.  She is a champion always to us.

Got the wrong time on the last post.  MIchelle is getting into the Hudson at 2:17.  She has been swimming approximately 5 hours. 

If you are reading, send message I can send to Jane.   

Michelle is leaving the Harlem River.  She fought current and lots of stuff in the water which she ran into.  She must “get through the current at the confluence of the Harlem and Hudson River”.  The current will be strong again.  Last leg down the Hudson.

Current changing and now Michelle is swimming about 1.5 mph rather than .5.  Whew!

Michelle is still battling current in the Harlem River.  According to the information I have read she will be in that current for 40 minutes.  She is doing well and swimming strong.  Is 5th at this point.

Michelle has had 2nd feeding.  She has entered the Harlem River and is swimming against the current.  She is strong says Jane.