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I don’t have a joke this week, but if you’d like to read something funny, and far more entertaining than what you’re about to, check out more Allie Brosh posts:

A stick figure’s surprisingly accurate take on what it’s like to pivot from societally-endorsed success to your own definition of success: http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/apparently-i-am-failure-at-success.html

She just makes me laugh out loud: http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/year-easter-bunny-died.html

Back to Normal… For the next FOUR WEEKS!!!

We leave for England four weeks from yesterday – hurrah! I cannot tell you guys how long-awaited this dream has been, or how tightly I’m crossing my fingers that the world does not get in the way. Again.

I absolutely cranked this week as far as England Business productivity goes. My training is going well, and my cold acclimation is better than I thought it would be (and my cold acclimation already had a pretty big ego). I am doing everything that is within my control… and taking the rest one day at a time. Que sera f-in’ sera.

All the Thanks

Thank You! To everyone who helped out and offered to help out while E was in the hospital – You guys are amazing, and I can’t tell you how much it meant to us!

In The OW Again – Yay!

It was great to get in an open water swim after 3 weeks of missing the ocean. 

Does it still count if your shrimp-eating time eclipses your in-water time?

Important Update

Oh yeah – before Christmas, I said that I didn’t dream about swimming. Well, I dream about swimming all the time now. Especially during Christmas training.

Just kidding, that wasn’t important. Psyche

Irked

I was almost tempted to get in a fight on social media, but I heroically resisted. Instead, I’ll use my (admittedly limited) public forum to vent my spleen.

I’m not on FB much, but if I notice someone has posted to the Dover Training group or the Channel Swimmers group, I’ll often give it a click. 

In doing so recently, I came across this post and its responses:

So, right off the bat, one wonders how much coaching business someone gets who appears to be in the business of telling people that they don’t need coaches.

But this was the one that really got me going. 

So, if you work with a coach you’re not a good athlete? Curious as to what all of the Olympians would think about that. It obviously is not necessary for marathon swimmers to work with a coach, but what on earth is the downside? If nothing else, they can help you navigate the (not inconsiderable) admin end of things – from paperwork, to travel plans, to nutrition and packing. All of that would make you more ready to swim, not less. It seems kind of insane to me to have to be arguing that coaching is helpful to athletes.

Something else I’ve noticed on the group is that so many seem so sure that they know the one best way to train for and swim the Channel… but they all say something different. It seems like hubris to be that egotistical about something that fewer than 3000 people have been able to do. (Reading that back over, it seems inflammatory, and I may be generalizing from what are actually a small number of posts, but I kind of stand by it. The converse is that every actual Channel swimmer and coach I’ve talked to in person has been awesome. This is why I’m not on social media.)

I don’t think I’ll be posting questions to the group 🙂

On Editing

So, I did find some time to make this post legible. But I thought you might enjoy my stream-of-consciousness take:

“Too busy to clean this up – posting as-is. On the bright side, things are coming together. (Why do we say this? ‘Things’ aren’t coming together – I am friggin’ hauling/heaving/dragging things together by main force. How many times do ‘things’ get together and decide, “You know, Laura’s had enough of entropy for now – let’s defy physics for her.”

England Business (Feb 7-11)

Monday 2/7 – Ugh, this morning was a slog through a ton of emails, most of which I’m waiting for other people to get back to me on. And fair enough, I’m asking them for stuff… but it didn’t feel productive. I did get stuff purchased for the March surprise, (and had a very frustrating conversation with whoever picked up the phone at the cupcake place, but at least things are progressing). Then I took Henry the cat to the vet for his annual checkup, so that that will be out of the way and we’re ready to take him up to my parents when we get the chance.

Now I’m going to work on getting the last three weeks of blog up, cause it is weighing on me. (And possibly contact another yard work guy.)

Tuesday 2/8 – I feel like I am spending an absurd amount of time on the child travel consent form, but everything just takes up time. I worked on that for a bit, sent a big coaching email that took awhile to write, revisited cupcakes for the team, worked on finding lawn maintenance briefly, and generally spent a couple of hours doing crap. Time for staff meeting 🙂

Wednesday 2/9 – Finally put up a blog post! Contacted the vet about Henry’s mysterious heart murmur – will have parents do a follow-up while he’s staying with them. Kupkakes next step. 

Annoying Arcadia/Duke disconnect. Annoying pool business from annoyingness.

Oh my gosh, can I even remember what all I just did? Constructed the Minor Travel Consent form and gave it to E to review, started to look at travel health insurance – sent the quote to E to review. Talked to J’s math teacher and decided that he should go ahead and take Honors Math 3 next year, got quotes for lawn care. Cleaned up the million websites I had open about everything. Emailed about being involved in cold acclimatization research, took notes on everything which takes twice as long, but saves time in the long run. Emailed travel agent about hotel and fun in London (and travel to Bournemouth). 

I did even more than this, directed by my reminder emails. (Good email from Maggie about electives and testing, for instance.) Time to crank!

Next up: Documents!!!!

Thursday 2/10 – Flying through a bunch of stuff. Emails about used uniforms, got an email from lawn care – they are booked up, organizing the curriculum stuff that teachers have sent into Notes (E – Homeschool), other kid school stuff, started working on documents (sent minor travel form to Enrique to review, looking into NHS covid pass and passenger locator forms, covid verification apps and on iPhone) Phone info from Johnny. Put my covid vaccines in Wallet and Health – will do kids this weekend. E is done. Will wait to do Delta-specific things until closer to travel date

I am spending my life waiting on verification codes.

Dealt with annoying Arcadia thing. Again.

The secret surprise took some time this week.

Friday 2/11 – OK, seriously did ALL THE THINGS today! The last 3 days were very productive, and I feel much better. Today’s major accomplishments were 1) Getting the Masters coaching stuff mostly squared away for while I’m gone and 2) Getting all of the documents (and photocopies, and printouts, and references) together for all 4 of us. It wasn’t as time-consuming as I had feared, but I definitely spent a good amount of time reading crap on government websites to make sure we’re good to go. I also booked the lawn service, reconciled my to-do list with the one our more experienced world-traveling friends had looked over, and checked of a BUNCH of little items along the way. My inbox is every so much friendlier than it was a week ago (although still intimidating), and I cleaned a bunch of stuff off my desk as well.

I feel like when I read the Master Timeline on Monday, I will feel, for the first time, pleased instead of massively overwhelmed 🙂

I also did more secret stuff and put gas in the car. 

Saturday 2/12 – ONE MONTH OUT FROM THE MOVE!!!

I was super productive again this morning – I am feeling so much better about where I am. I got another two coaching handoff emails written, completely cleared my inbox, and worked on a bunch of emails that I had snoozed until tomorrow. I even got a chance to go through Monday’s snoozed emails as well and weed out anything that had already been taken care of or that I could take care of today. I’m still waiting on a bunch of stuff (hello, London hotel room) and for my kids and I to be free at the same time, but it’s going well.

I had a chance to look into the phone situation – it looks to me like Google Fi would be great, although it is in Beta for iPhones.

Now I can head off to the beach not feeling like my inbox is going to eat me tomorrow or Monday.

Yay beach!!! (Even more… yay beach while feeling like I’m caught up on things!!!)

“No New Mail!” is my favorite. There is something wrong with me, but at least I know it and am using it to my advantage 🙂

The Week at the Pool (Feb 7-11)

Summary

Pool Yardage ~ 30,200 (had to get out early one day)

OW Yardage ~ 2,000

Total Yardage ~ 32,200

Every time I have a slow practice, I forget I’ve ever gone fast. By Thursday I was feeling like I haven’t improved at all over the last 5 months, but looking back over these workouts, it was an OK week, especially considering how hard I was working outside the pool.

The Gory Details

Monday 2/7 – Theme: Just a Day (~7600)

• 1600 w-up
• 10×100 on 1:30 (wasn’t very consistent – 1:13-1:17?)
• 8×500 on 7:00 (see below)
• 10×100 CD 1:25…1:40
• 50 ez

So, the 500’s were kind of hilarious. On the evens, we had 2 people in the lane doing 400 IM, 1 doing 25 fly/25 bk/50 fr for a 450, one doing 50 fly/50 breast for a 400, and me, doing 500 free. The odds were a little more cohesive, but somehow still felt muddled.

Understandably, it took us a little time to sort out the lane order. So the first 4 were a bit chaotic. My goal was to hold 6:15’s – I think I managed one 6:20, and the rest different flavors of nope. This was compounded by my continued tendency for my right foot to cramp. Oh yeah, and I switched lane positions every 100, so my intervals were more like 6:40 and 7:20 than 7:00 (and for the first 4, not that sensicle.)

(My foot also cramped, for the first time ever, while I was driving home. That was, shall we say, not pleasant. Had some pickle juice when I got home. Pickle juice is yummy.)

So, I didn’t distinguish myself. But it was fine.

And it certainly mimicked open water swimming!

Tuesday 2/8 – Theme: Also Just a Practice (~7000)

• 1600 w-up

• 2x:
• 2×75 no free IM on 1:15
• 2×200 free on 2:45 (held 2:30’s or close, working on new stroke. It’s afraid of other swimmers)
• 100 ez on 2:00
• 4×200 IM on 3:05
• 100 ez on 2:00
• 2×100 free on 1:20 (1:11, 1:13; 1:12, 1:12)
• 100 ez on 2:00
• 4×100 stroke (back) on 1:50 (1:19, 1:19, 1:20, 1:20; 1:23, 1:22, 1:22, 1:21?)
• 100 ez on 2:00

• 600 CD
• 50 ez

Wednesday 2/9 – Theme: Maybe Yesterday Was Harder Than I Thought (~4900)

• 1600 meet w-up:
• 500 swim
• 400 IM 50k/50 drill
• 3×100 descend (1:17, 1:15, 1:12?)
• 100 ez
• 4×50 build 
• 100 ez

• 5×100 broken 25/(5s)/25/(5s)/50 on 1:40 (1:12, 1:10, 1:09, 1:08, 1:07)

I wasn’t trying to descend them… I think this is just where I finally got warmed up

• 100 ez on 2:00
• 4×200 stroke broken 50/(10s)/50/(10s)/25/(5s)/25(5s)/50 on 3:30 (went ez – made it by 5-10 seconds)
• 100 ez 
• 3×300 on 4:15

I was all jazzed to see how far under 1:15 pace new stroke would go on these. The answer… not under at all. I went around 3:53. Really not sure why. I’m usually really, really good at knowing how fast I’m going, but not today – it felt like I was going fast, but I wasn’t.

• 100 ez
• 2×400 IM broken 75/(15s)/25(5s) on 6:00
• 50 ez

I had to get out at 5 to sub for Eric as child transportation, so I cruised the first 400 IM and did the second as CD.

The next thing on the board was a 500 all out… after the 300’s, can’t say I was that sorry to miss it.

I was really feeling yesterday’s practice today.

Thursday 2/10 – Theme: Tired from all the Things (~6700)

• 150 swim (got in late – struggled to get off the couch)
• 400 IM kick/drill
• 3×100 descend (1:18, 1:13, 1:11?)
• 100 ez (I did 50 & showed L video)
• 4×50 IM on 1:00
• 100 ez
• 10×50 free descend on :45 (from :40 to :34)
• 100 ez

• 2x (with fins):
• 2×200 on 2:30
• 2×100 IM on 1:30
• 2×50 on :45
• 2×25 fr/bk on :30
• 100 ez

(I went pretty quick)

• 200 ez
• 8×25 – 12.5 u/w, 12.5 fast on :30
• 200 ez
• 12×200 on 3:00 75 fr/25 br (Tried to hold 2:45. Actually held 2:46. Except for a couple with foot cramps)
• 300 CD

I was super tired today. I think more from England Business than from swimming. But it definitely came out in the swimming. Eat now.

Friday 2/11 – Theme: The Mice Shall Play (~4000)

I’m arbitrarily assigning yardage to this practice. We worked underwaters, we worked on dives. We did standing butt sits into the water, we dove over pool noodles. A good time was had by all, or at least me.

Not much notable for me. We did some 50’s fast that I went :35/:36 on while holding my stroke count down to 12/14 (really struggled to get the 2nd 25 down, but no luck). We did a couple of 100’s broken off the block (25/5s/50/10s/25), and on the one that I didn’t flub the start I went a 1:04, trying to maintain new stroke.

I need more practices where I have enough rest to try to hold new stroke while going fast.

Good news is, my shoulders seemed to hold up well, even with all of the diving, climbing, and other craziness.

Oh, and we did a 200 backwards reverse IM. I won. It is sooo my event.