One Stroke at a Time - Don Macdonald's journey to Swim Around the World: San Francisco Bay Swim

Showing posts with label San Francisco Bay Swim. Show all posts

Sep 5, 2012

One Stroke at a Time Wins Nomination for Best Swimming Blog

"The nominations are an annual collection of the web’s most inspirational and thought-provoking blogs geared to teaching resilience through the educational systems of our country".

2012 Fascination Awards – Swimming Blogs

I am fortunate to receive such a nomination, any nomination, for the blog which simply reflects a persons journey to conquer life-long dreams despite everyday obstacles, to perhaps touch someone, somehow to take that next step, just outside their comfort zone by taking "One Stroke at a Time".

This journey is actually a team effort even through I am usually the one in the water. My team and this recognition belongs to my family members, coaches, close friends and training partners that support me to swim in various places around the world, namely the big marathon swims such as the English Channel, Tampa Bay, Catalina, Lake Superior, Hudson River all 20 plus miles each and usually a 10-14 hour event. The real work happens every day in a lake or pool, not the big event.

This nomination came as a nice surprise but the article I wrote wasn't. The article nominated was for recalling my post English Channel attempt routine physical stress test where we discovered I had arterial blockage and during the recovery period actually flat lined for 8 seconds. Good news it was likely the post recovery withdrawal of Beta Blockers that were used to suppress my heart rate too quickly and that's it. I guess being a swimmer with a normal resting heart rate of 42 or so plus these drugs doesn't mix well. Since then I have completed a post procedure stress and passed with flying colors and recently re-started strength training and will later in the fall be back to swimming regularly for next season.

Jul 19, 2012

Weather & Marathon Swimming

This day from near shore at Dover,
the Harbor looks calm
however mid channel it was force 4+ = big waves.

Dear Friends,

Weather plays an important part in open water and marathon swimming contributing to your success and failure. at its most basic level of influence, even to the degree of difficulty.

Some weather situations drive resulting sea state and large lake conditions from hundreds of miles away in ways that befuddle most of us, frustrate the hope swimmer waiting to go. In the end you must consult and work with local captains, seamen, ports to determine and plan well these variables to minimize the risks and increase your chances of success.

This summer, like last for me, has seen significant weather related "no-go's"but like Mount Everest or any other endeavour of similar magnitude its part of the challenge.

Below, you will find excerpts from the English Channel Google Group from July 18-19th. This exchange from the venerable Captain Oram and others who pilot swimmers in the English Channels show just the sheer variability and sometimes confusion messages that come from mother nature to unknowing swimmers that may not be accustom to terminology.

For those of you who are not familiar with sea terminology, I strongly suggest before you plan a big open water swim especially in the ocean or great lakes to spend the time to learn the basics - what force means, sea state, tides and current mapping, etc. Words like "rough", "unsettled" usually are code for really tough swimming in 6-10ft swells, white caps, or worse waves one direction and wind the other copping up the seas. It might just make the difference or at least reduce your safety crew "puke factor" from rolling seas. Once you know the basics trust your pilot/captain and let it go.

In the USA NOAA has great resources for inner coastal areas, lakes and rivers and many web sites exist for shipping and sport fishermen that track similar conditions as well as some national parks that have open water as part of the boundary or lake shore.

July 19th

Actual Weather Forecast from Captain Oram:

Looks like we can go swimming as of tomorrow. (not sure exactly when)

All we have to do is wait for the sea to settle.

Sandettie 0900BST is showing WSW 22.9 knots with a 1.6 foot sea

Water temp is still 59.7°F (15.5°C)

Today's forecast is back to Tuesdays with no strong winds on Sunday

Dover -- Shipping Forecast - Issued: 0405 UTC Thu 19 Jul

Wind -- West 5 or 6, veering northwest 4 later.

Sea State -- Moderate or rough.

Weather -- Showers.

Visibility -- Good

North Foreland to Selsey Bill - Inshore waters forecast

Strong winds are forecast

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore from 0600 UTC Thu 19 Jul until 0600 UTC Fri 20 Jul

24 hour forecast:

Wind -- Westerly or southwesterly 5 or 6 (Big stuff!), becoming variable 3 or 4 later (Swimmable)

Sea State -- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.

Weather -- Showers, thundery for a time.

Visibility -- Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

Wind -- Variable, becoming westerly for a time, 3 or 4.

Sea State -- Moderate becoming slight.

Weather -- Showers, thundery for a time, then fair.

Visibility -- Good, occasionally moderate

Thursday 19th July lunchtime chart --

Strong wind gusts until late afternoon (25 to 30 mph) then everything should start to settle.

The Azores high has built in and the last part of the low pressure is leaving the Channel

Midnight 0000 UTC Friday 20th July

Dover HW 0020 BST 6.3 metres

Dover HW 1240 BST 6.5 metres

The Azores high is moving into the Channel and the winds are settling.

Watch the Sandettie light vessel to see how soon the sea settles down.

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=62304

Saturday 21st July 000UTC

Dover HW 0055 BST 6.4 metres

Dover HW 1315 BST 6.6 metres

High pressure dominant in the Channel, just a small ridge over the French side.

Midday Sunday 22July 1200 UTC

Dover HW 0129 BST 6.5 metres

Dover HW 1351 BST 6.7 metres

High pressure still dominant in the Channel with the deep low moving up and through Scotland.

Need updates on the pressure charts to sort out Monday onwards.

July 18th

Feb 6, 2010

Kicking, Kicking and more Kicking

Finished the week with just over 25,000 yards (just about 15 miles) and year to date 61 miles under the watchful eye of coach Marcia Cleveland during a nice long 6100 yard workout that included 2000 yards of stressed fin kicking. Needless to say I had my lunch handed to me but kept a good pace throughout.

Marcia tells me that stressing kicking now will have big pay-off later. Now it lets me work through big yardage without over stressing my shoulders (which my left is still tender but getting better with stretch cord work on the interior rotator muscles) but also helping me become more balanced in my freestyle stroke when breathing on both sides.

Continue planning open water swims for 2010 leading up to my 6 hour cold water qualifier in October. In July there is the Golden gate bridge to Oakland Bridge race that is 6 plus miles (but and this is a big but...its with a flood tide of almost 4 knots, which in open water swimming is like flying) so you end up swimming a little over 3 miles. The water is expected to be 55f to 61f and without a wetsuit possibly a good early look at some extended cold water time in rough SF Bay.

May 1st if water is above 50f its time to "take a dunk" a begin the cold water...CRAZY. I figure April no more warm showers should be a good start...