Open Water: Disturbing and Humbling

I drove down to Chatfield reservoir this morning to meet my friend and coach, Eddie, for a little triathlon training. We'd start with a swim, then do a bike around the park for an hour or so, and then run 2 or 3 miles -- just to start getting the feel for the whole thing. The bike and the run was no problem. The swim however, was an entirely different matter.

Holy shit.

This was my first swim in open water. The plan was to get in, swim about 300 meters (yards, basically) to a little sand bar out in the middle of the lake, and then swim 300 meters back to shore. I don't think I can communicate the psychological impact of the obvious differences between pool swimming and open water swimming: cold water temperature; deep, deep water; no visibility to see the bottom; no concrete wall to grab on to when you get tired; and the omnipresent FACT that you MUST make it to where you're swimming.

They have a word for not making it to where you're swimming. And that word is drowning.

See, in a pool, if you get tired (and I do -- all the time), you're always at least 25 meters from a wall, and frequently, you can just stand up. Voila! Not so, in a deep ass lake or reservoir.

Okay. So suffice to say, the above factors, combined with my tiny, newbie swimmie ability, conspired to raise my heart rate to the piont where I could basically only do freestyle for like... 30 or 40 meters before I ran out of breath.

Can you say UTTERLY HUMBLING?

I made it to the sand bar. Where Eddie and I had what could best be described as a "therapeutic conversation". And I made it back to shore. But it was UGLY. I was essentially breast stroking, side stroking, back stroking, doggie paddling and otherwise having a moderate aquatic freakout next to a guy who has literally done something like 12 Ironman Triathlons (2.4 MILE swim + 112 MILE bike + 26.2 MILE run).

Thankfully, Eddie is a super guy and a fabulous coach. He just said, "Well, you did it! Now you know what it's like. Trust me, it's going to be easier next time, and easier after that."

I AM glad I did it. And before I got 20 feet back onto blessed, beautiful dry land, I had already made my mind to go back once a week and do MORE open water swimming until it feels comfortable.

Now I'm pissed.

On The Waterfront

It's a hot, hot Saturday here in Denver. They say it's going to top out at 100 degrees today. After an early morning bike ride to Cherry Creek Reservoir and back (25 miles), I ended up horozontal in front of the television, feeling like I'd earned the right to be a little lazy... I was mindlessly flipping around from channel to channel when I saw Marlon Brando in a plaid workman's jacket on the screen.



I'm not sure if I've ever watched On The Waterfront in its entirety before... It's one of those Saturday afternoon movies that you just sort of happen across, and it feels right so you settle in for the ride. It's like hitchhiking... "Where you headed?" "Wherever you're headed, I guess."

This movie was released in 1954. It was REALLY NICE to be reminded of how much can be accomplished with a simple, powerful story, great acting, smart directing and a score that, although really obvious at times, was still really effective at heightening emotion. In comparison with nearly every Hollywood film I've seen over the last 20 years, it felt odd at first... Direct. Honest. Unadorned. And ultimately, better. Unlike so many of those other, more recent films, I didn't get a hangover immediately afterward... You know that post-movie feeling: "I just got hoodwinked into giving up 2 hours of my life to a glitzy trick." Instead, seven hours later, I'm still thinking about the story. Great film.

Rattlesnake Sprint Triathlon

Okay. I just signed up for my first (sprint) triathlon. August 19th. I really need to learn how to swim (better).

Big Sky Duathlon... This Morning

Hey!

I did the Big Sky duathlon this morning (2nd of three that I'm hoping to do this summer). It was a short-ish one, but still challenging. I felt GREAT during and after the race. Who'd have thought that getting up at 6AM on a Saturday to go work your ass off could be so fun... :-)

These races attract UBER-FIT people, so this whole experience -- today included -- continues to serve up PLENTY of humble pie for yours truly. People were blowing past me on all three legs of the race. I just cheer them on when they pass me - truly! I have nothing but admiration and respect for anyone who's doing this stuff: fast, medium or slow. Speed and pace aren't the point (for me). It's about competing with myself and seeing what I can do... what I can become.

Anyway... The race consisted of a 2.5 mile run followed by a 15.5 mile bike followed by a 2.5 mile run. Here's what I did:

Mile 1 - 8:22
Mile 2 - 8:42
Mile 2.5 - 3:31
Transition (run to bike) - 1:27
Bike Out: 25:52 (into a headwind)
Bike Back - 22:50 (tail wind!)
15.5 mile Total Bike - 48:42
Transition (bike to run) - 1:13
Mile 1: 9:24 (running after biking HURTS!)
Mile 2 - 8:36
Mile 2.5 - 3:33

TOTAL RACE TIME 1 hour, 33 minutes 40 seconds

Woo hoo!

~John

Hand Surgery

So... I've been in hand surgery limbo for about 6 weeks now... trying to figure out, with my doctor (and his colleagues), what course of treatment to pursue and WHEN to pursue it.

I had feared that I was headed for surgery in June that would involve my fragmented and displaced left scaphoid (the bone at the base of your thumb) getting screwed into the main scaphoid, followed by 3 months of being in a cast, followed by 3 months of rehab. Well, that's basically what IS happening, but I asked my doc if there would be any long term negative effects to me scheduling the surgery in September instead so that I could spend the summer training, doing du/triathlons, playing music, recording, etc.

He said no problem... I can do the surgery this fall!

So other than my hand hurting all the time (pain which I've had for 14 months -- eh, what's another 3 months??), I've got my summer back! Hot damn! I'm gonna go make another record...

:-)

John

Hands On My Time

Hello Figment Readers In My Imagination,

I'm sitting in the lobby of the Taos Inn... about 3 minutes from playing... it's a gorgeous evening here. Just beautiful. I can't wait to play. Should be a good time. The time between loadin/soundcheck and actually playing is a blank space that has to be filled... But it's nearly over now. Time to go play....