Getting A Bit Of My Own Back

When my Hague 10K swim turned into a 7.5K swim, I was very upset with myself for several reasons, but my main problem was that I lost my focus.  Live and learn.  

Missing the mark that day was hard, but it prompted me to continue to train.  I had been considering Sharkfest Boston Harbor, and finally registered for it.  I found a campground that was close enough for packing up the morning of the race, and I headed off on adventure.  

I am so glad I went to Boston.  Finding the campsite took forever, but was great once I arrived.  Finding the race venue the next morning was tricky, but I got there in plenty of time to hunt down a Starbucks for bagels, a banana, and chocolate milk.  I stashed my belongings in a secure location and waited to take a ferry to the starting point across the harbor.   

It was a cool September day, but warming in the sunshine.  All around me, people were getting into wetsuits!  Someone said the water was around 68F, which is warmer than the ocean I had been in a few weeks prior, and about what Lake George was at the time.  I wasn’t worried, but I saw fewer swimsuits as time went on.  I started to wonder how many in my age group would be wearing wetsuits.  Awards are given for both wetsuit and non-wetsuit swimmers, and it was looking like I might just stand a chance at placing in my age group!  

Jumping off a dock into chilly water isn’t my preferred way to get wet, but it’s what we had to do, and after the initial surprise of the chill, I found my bearings, and headed off past a few moored sailboats.  My goggles needed frequent attention, which was a bit frustrating, but I felt solid in the water, and kept a strong pace throughout.  Once I was able to discern the finish area, I was able to dig up a burst of energy to finish with power.  

Redemption.  

Finishing felt great.  Wearing the shirt that says “I Swam Boston Harbor” is a treat.  Getting an award for finishing third in my age for non-wetsuit swimmers was the frosting on the Boston Cream doughnut.  I was much happier ending the open water season on a positive note.  

Not everyone swimming that weekend had a good event.  

While the skies were clear in Boston, the Lake George Marathon Swim Event in upstate New York was facing a brutal weather forecast.  Due to start at 4:00pm, many solo swimmers, relay teams, kayakers, and boats set out into some of the worst wind sweeping up the lake that anyone could remember.  Chop grew into waves, boats were pushed too close and too far from swimmers, and after about 6 hours, the whole event was called off.  After months of training, and swimmers traveling from all over, the timing couldn’t have been worse.  

Upon my return to New York from Boston, I started tracking the progress of the pods of swimmers and support boats until no data was updated any longer.  A few days later, one relay team still in the area took advantage of a shift in the weather to give it a try, and they were successful.  

The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to swim Lake George.  And the more I thought about it, the more confident I became that I could do it.  I wasn't sure how, but I had a few ideas.  Reading about Diane Struble, the first person to swim a documented solo of Lake George, it occurred to me that she likely did not have access to winter swimming pools.  Maybe if I worked on increasing my time spent in motion, I could be ready for distance swims longer than what I had done before.  I walked.  I ran.  I started hiking up Mt. Defiance, sometimes once, sometimes twice.  I used some weights, I did range of motion exercises, and I researched.  

I swam in Lake George for the last time in 2016 on October 21.  I swam about two miles in water under 60F.  A few of my late season swims had been in about 55F, and I was able to tolerate the initial chill long enough to get a quarter mile behind me.  After that, I felt good.  

Really.  

Surprisingly.  

I was going to hold that thought until spring, when I could once again work on getting used to functioning in cold water, so I’d know I was ready for any cold pockets the lake might throw at me on a mid-summer night.  

For information about the swims in Hague in August:

http://www.lakegeorgeswim.com

To learn about the documented solo swims of Lake George:

http://db.marathonswimmers.org/events/lake-george/

To find a Sharkfest swim that sounds cool to you:

http://sharkfestswim.com 

Hague 7.5

It was a beautiful day for a swim in Lake George— clear skies, warm sunshine, and ideal water.  

But it was not my day for the 10K.  

I started off with the group and spent the first 1/2 lap of the course finding my groove, so to speak.  Some days, everything is off kilter for a bit while I warm up, get moving, and start to feel fluid.  I reminded myself that I did the 5 miles in the Chester River in just under 3 hours, and that I had 4 hours to finish the 10K.  It would be close, but I felt like it was reality based.  Periodically, I swam alongside another swimmer for a while before one of us pulled ahead.  Having another swimmer in my sight line is hugely helpful, as it keeps me focused and I push a bit harder.  As a slower swimmer, any boost I can get is good.  

One of the things I love about open water swimming is that time and distance don’t feel the same as on land, so you could tell me I’ve been swimming for 20 minutes or two hours, and I would have to trust you.  This was not in my favor today.  I did have a watch on, and checked my time after each lap of the course.  I was taking about an hour each, which was cutting things a bit close.  During the stretches when I swam alone, my mind wandered a bit.  For more than one lap, my mind kept wandering into less than optimal places.  Sometimes, if you are driving and getting sleepy, thinking about an old argument or grudge can boost your adrenaline enough to jolt you to attention for a while.  For some reason, I kept remembering some of the more negative comments I’ve gotten about my swimming this summer, and my arm strokes kept them stuck in my head like a broken record.  I know better.  When I swam Champlain in 1999, I remembered my high school lifeguard coach saying I didn’t swim well enough to pass, and I went past Juniper Island and the Four Brothers chanting, “I can SO swim!”  (For the record, I didn’t do well enough on the written test, but maybe he thought I’d rather think it was about the swimming? Regardless, I passed when I took the course in college, and am currently a certified guard. Neener, neener, neener.)  

Lap 3 was the clincher.  I knew that I had to round the green buoy and be on my fourth lap by 11:00am or I would not be allowed to start that final lap.  I focused as much as I could, helped along by a few swimmers coming into my range (the 5K swimmers started after the 10K swimmers, and many of them flew by).  At one point in the third lap, I saw that it was about 20 minutes until 11:00.  I thought if I could round that buoy by 10:50, I could take the few minutes needed to get a drink at the support boat before starting my last lap, which would give me a bit of a boost.  The second half of lap three was the time for maximum power— a sprint into the wind.  Fortunately, I had a more positive mental image working for me:  Aunt Julia in the swim cap I gave her, with her wacky, curly, windblown, swimmer hair escaping around the edges while she used my shoulders to hang ten and surf her way across Lake George toward that dratted green buoy.  If that doesn’t get you moving, I don't know what does.  

By my watch, I rounded the green buoy at 11:00.  You know the saying, “A man with one watch knows what time it is, but a man with two watches is never sure”?  The only watch that mattered was the official race time.  When I got to the double yellow buoys which marked the start of lap 4, a kayaker told me that I needed to exit the race via the beach.  

Do I think I could have finished Lap 4?  Absolutely.  

Was I going to argue with the race officials?  Absolutely not.  

Leaving the race let me watch some of the other swimmers finish— a few people trying open water for the first time, which is very cool.  I was able to visit with other swimmers who have done some races I’ve done- that is the good thing about race shirts!- like the Chesapeake, Swim for Life, and even one with a shirt from the Potomac 7.5 mile swim.  Swimmers came from all over.  It really was a great day, and a great event to be a part of.  And one I plan to do again.

Plan.  I need to make my own plan.  I need to trust my own plan.  

I need to not be distracted by anyone else’s idea of what my plan should be, or if I should do something at all.  I do not ask anyone to take on open water swimming who has no interest- I encourage people to try if they show any interest, but don’t feel confident in their abilities.  I do not need anyone to look at me with a face that almost seems angry or offended that I would dare swim near the Statue of Liberty, as if it were a stew of sewage- it was NOT.  I don’t need people telling me that cold water is cold, or implying that because they can’t imaging doing it, that it is somehow stupid.  If I get a chance to do some mileage in open water over the next few weeks, I will take it.  I have a wetsuit, but am not obliged to use it.  I prefer to NOT use it.  

Did I do my best swimming today?  No.  It has been an up and down summer for my swimming.  Swim for Life was a great 5 mile race in which everything worked as hoped, even in the super warm water.  I felt I had prepared properly, both with training and breakfast.  Lady Liberty Sharkfest was a treat by the nature of the course— The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the skyline of the NYC Financial District, and great water.  Getting to Misquamicut for a training swim was a good day- swimming the length of the beach in rough water several times in any amount of time is priceless.  

Lake Placid was disappointing, because while I was swimming both the 1 and 2 mile races, I could feel that I wasn’t swimming to my potential.  I managed to improve my times from last year, but did not achieve what was possible.  Honestly, if I had swum slower than last year in Lake Placid, but felt like the effort of the day was everything I had to offer, I would have been happy with my swims.  Every race is unique, each day is different, and water conditions vary.  

Even with a qualifying swim of 5 miles in under 3 hours, the 10K today (6.2 miles) was a risk.  Given the range of my mile swims over the summer, I could have taken anywhere from 3.6 to 4.10 hours.  Knowing the risk, I needed to pick up my pace and stay focused.  The pace I need to maintain is very manageable if I stay focused, stay on course, and have good weather.  No excuses.  

So now what?  I am where I am, and I’m here for a while, so I have to continue to train and make progress to meet my goals.  I have a lot of swimming to do, and taking another crack at that 10K is part of it.  Not all of it.  I’ve swum greater distances, and will again.  I’ve swum faster, and while I may not recapture the speed I had 17 years ago, I’m not ruling it out.  I may not have a job giving me access to many indoor and outdoor pools to train in year round, but I am a coach and a personal trainer, and I have many other people I can tap for training ideas and feedback who are like-minded.  

I’m listening to the positive- and thank you to everyone who has offered good wishes and moral support, and to everyone who has shared the water during training swims.  Anyone with a negative comment can save it— I really do look at all aspects of what I do when I swim.  I’m aware that the local lakes freeze in the winter.  I know I have to go to work.  I know how far away races are.  I know what they cost.  I know I get cold when the air temperature is low, and I keep a leather jacket in my office for after a morning swim, even if everyone else is sweating.  

When I pay attention and do the work, swimming is powerful.  I had some moments of that today, and was glad to see so many other swimmers having great swims.  I have plenty to build on.  And I’ll be back in Lake George in the morning with anyone who wants to start the day with The One True Sport.  

Enough is Enough!

That's not a complaint, or a rant- it's a fact.  

And it can be a very good thing to recognize and even celebrate. 

What brought this on?  A salad with dressing on the side.  Well, that was my order, but the waitress brought me a salad with dressing all over it.  Smothered in it.  I could make out some lettuce peeking out.  Fortunately, she realized that the whole order was wrong- I had asked for a different dressing on the side.  The creamy mound was whisked away with a smile, and her assurance that she would be right back.

  

The salad she brought me to go with my lovely soup was the sort of colorful explosion of vegetables that you dream of all winter when the produce in the store looks limp and picked over, and the garden is in stunted disarray.  The tomatoes were firm, red-orange wedges, the cucumber slices were crisp, and an array of greens were an actual array of greens!  Peppers, onions, tissue thin shavings of parmesan cheese.  This salad was out of control.  The dish of dressing looked like it held a full 1/2 cup of dressing.  It was delicious, but I didn't use much.  Dipping the salad into the dressing, or dipping my fork in first before digging into the salad, offered plenty of flavor- more flavors than just the dressing.

How many "combination" foods do you regularly enjoy?  Do you automatically reach for a topping or companion food?  Are you "elevating" one food with the other (as they encourage on Food Network shows), or are you using something like salad dressing to hide the taste of the salad?  Do you actually enjoy pasta, or is it a vehicle for the sauce?  This is not a judgement, this is a reality check.  What are you selecting to eat based on enjoyment, and what is based on habit?  And are you selecting foods you think are good for you, but that need to be disguised to be palatable to you?  Your choices should have value in terms of nutrition, but also in terms of your own appreciation for them.  

Having the opportunity to ransack a garden for foods fresh in the sun, without taking the time to add the usual salad components renewed my appreciation for each flavor.  And lest this seem like the wholesome philosophy of healthy food zealot, I have come to realize than in many cases, when I have an urge for an ice cream sundae, what I really want is a mix of toppings.  A little whipped cream, some sauce of some kind, maybe sprinkles.  Yum.  In many cases, the ice cream itself isn't needed.  Sometimes, it absolutely is, and sometimes it is great on its own.  

So, when is enough enough?  When more than enough is too much.  Enough is when you still have the JOY of enjoying something without guilt or discomfort.  Enough is also not going to leave you feeling deprived or punished.  Enough can be challenging in terms of overall fitness and wellness.  It is fine to have plenty to reach for, just as it is fine to have salad dressing available to make your salad just the way you want it.  It is also fine to stop when you have had enough, whether that is food or exercise.  Enough is when the workout lets you know that your body has done good work and will still function in the morning.  More is not always better.  We may know that on some level, but it is hard to find the balance which will keep enthusiasm from morphing into burn-out.  Even when we strive to meet goals, it is good to know that at some point, we may achieve those goals and have to reassess how we maintain our fitness, or if that level is even what we want long term.  For some of us, training for a marathon may be a goal, but it is rarely something even serious runners think of as a daily routine.  At some point, enough is enough, even if we love it.  Changing our workout routine can mean adding a class or workout, and dropping another to achieve balance and avoid burnout.  More is not the only path to progress.  

When should you stop and appreciate enough?  When you eat enough to savor the flavor and still feel wonderful.  When you exercise enough to feel invigorated and powerful, but not beaten into the ground.  When you do enough laundry to not run out of underwear, but not so much laundry that you don't have time to get outside before the clouds gather and dump rain. 

Enough takes less time.  

Enough may cost less.

Enough may allow for more another time and less stress now.

Enough is enough- Enjoy it!

(Published in AKWA December, 2016/ January, 2017)

Chronic Conditions: Just Add (to) Water

For submission to the AKWA April/May 2016 issue: Chronic Disease & Aquatic Applications

I have dealt with sporadic bouts of low back pain for over 30 years.  During that time, I have taught swimming, led aqua group fitness, and competed in open water swimming and triathlon.  For me, being in the water is ideal when I am coping with pain.  Sitting makes me feel like my spine is compressing, resting my hands on railings or a cane makes my spine feel stretched, and there is no happy medium.  In the water, I am able to maintain in-line stabilization and take a break from the frustration of full gravity.

Although I have taught specialty classes for people with Multiple Sclerosis and Arthritis. I have led classes which included participants dealing with Diabetes, pre and post- joint replacement, pregnancy, cardiovascular conditions and a range of other challenges.  Some conditions are chronic, some are periodic, and some are short term; but for the people dealing with the conditions, aqua is great on many levels.  Being in the water offers the physical support of the water around us and the the chance to build strength, endurance, and range of motion.  

The huge factor in aqua aerobics which allows it to serve such a range of participants is exactly that:  the participants.  In specialty classes, there is a sense of community and the ability to share strategies for daily life, but the social aspect itself is what I have always heard participants rave about.  In a general classes, people with unique needs are able to connect with a larger community and share goals. Everyone is able to celebrate being in the pool together, either sharing a good day or looking forward to a better day.  

 As an instructor, my low back pain experiences have helped me relate to many people with mobility issues stemming from a range of causes.  Having something in common reduces a feeling of isolation to which impaired mobility can contribute.  At some point, we all experience some degree of pain, lack of mobility, or feeling somehow removed from those around us.  Whether it is from a chronic condition or overdoing a workout, use that experience in your classes.  Pay attention when you are having a difficult day, and notice how your motions are impacted, and how your attitude may struggle to carry you forward.  Especially, notice what helps you get through difficulties.  

I love it when people leave class feeling better than when they arrived.  Sometimes it is because of the physical activities, but sometimes it is because of the emotional support.  I am willing to accept that my personal contribution may be direct or indirect-  I just want people to feel better and move forward.

People Power

Monitor Your Progress And Meet Your Goals

By 

Bridget M.M. Simpson

ACE Personal Trainer

Masters of Health Services Management

Health care in our nation is a complex industry that attempts to meet the needs of a diverse population with a full spectrum of services.  In addition to general practitioners, specialists are available to offer additional care in the form of diagnostics, treatment plans, and most importantly, information.  Often, a visit to the doctor generates more questions on a range of issues, not just of the medical issue at hand, but the administrative concerns relating to how the care will be covered, what it will ultimately cost the consumer, and how the process will be navigated.

I once read Dr. Spock’s seminal work, Baby and Child Care, and remember one bit of reassurance that has stayed with me:  “Trust yourself.  You know more than you think you do.”  That applies to all of us, even in matters of health care.  If we are attentive, we will realize that there are many times when information will be presented to us that will cause us to think, “Wait a minute, I already knew that.”  One thing we need is a way to compile information in a way that reminds us of what we know, and enables us to be proactive in matters of our own health care, even as we consult with medical personnel.  Our priority is twofold:  We need to become a healthier nation and we need to spend less on our medical care whenever it is possible and appropriate. 

We are already seeing an increased awareness of the impact of lifestyle changes on health.  While some choices may contribute to risk factors, other choices may reduce risk factors.  When people become proactive regarding their wellness, it is helpful to do so within a framework of goals and rewards.  Goals can be as basic as being able to navigate from the car to the living-room with a bag of groceries, or a grandiose as participating in an IronMan triathlon.  In each case, people will have moments of progress, which I call Personal Best.  Your Personal Best is unique.  Many workplaces are incorporating workplace wellness programs in order to capitalize on the potential for healthier employees to qualify for lower priced premiums, which benefit both the employee and the employer.    

The Columbia Association in Columbia, Maryland, has what they call the WINN Program, which stands for When If Not Now.  It is aimed at new fitness center members who are interested in being introduced to the facilities with the help of a WINN coach who evaluates the WINNer’s medical limitations (based on a doctor’s input), possible impact prescription drugs may have on workouts, and interests.  The WINNer is informed about various group fitness activities appropriate to her level of expertise, and encouraged to try new things.  All WINNers are personally educated in the weight rooms to ensure proper posture and a workout is tailored to their needs and abilities.   WINNers use a low-tech chart to keep track of what machines they use, how many sets, and how many repetitions per set.  This chart allows a WINNer or coach to quickly scan weeks of work to see progress.  Being able to see clear evidence of progress can be motivating when a WINNer feels that she has not been making progress.  

My People Power goal is to introduce non-medical professionals and non-professional support groups into the lifestyle of a person interested in addressing the following general health concerns:  prevention, awareness of treatment options, and cost containment.  Health care is too important to take on faith, even if that faith is invested in a trusted doctor.  People need to be aware of options, but also, people need to be mindful of the importance of their own contribution and progress.  Culturally, we are conditioned to always see a fault that needs correction and to seek help to improve ourselves, and this can mean we overlook important accomplishments.  I would like people to look at their efforts and see accomplishments within the context of their own situations.  

No, Thank You!

The holiday season is drawing to a close.  Anyone overindulge?  

If you had a bit more of the holiday goodies than you wanted, was it because they were calling your name and you decided to indulge, or did you cave to pressure from a friend or family member who really wanted you to have something?  

Do we need to wear a pin to parties which says, “Please don’t subject me to peer pressure for (insert occasion of your choice)”?  

How should the following exchange progress:
How are you?
Fine, how are you?
Great!  Have you tried these cookies?
No, but they are cute.
Here, have one!
No, thank you.

At this point, the conversation could take many turns:
Ok, what have you been up to all week?
Why not?
What about this small one?

Do we need to resort to excuses which may or may not be considered sufficient?
I’m allergic.  (Can’t you take something?)
I’m diabetic. (Oh, but they are sugar free!)
I hate them.  (But they are so yummy!  What about those?)
I just don’t want one.  Nothing personal. (But it’s [insert occasion here]!)
So-and-so licked them.  (Save me- I’m grasping at straws!) 

Has anyone considered that not accepting no thank you is essentially starting an argument, and do we really want to do that at a party?  
Is there anyone who has not felt coerced into accepting something we didn’t want, just to keep someone else happy?  (Oh, this sweater is just perfect for you!)
Has anyone said no thank you without the instant worry that there is going to be an uncomfortable expectation of justification?  Do you really need to offer a graphic, medical reason to say no thank you?  Because even if there is one, are we obliged to share at parties?  
Do we need to admit to taking a handful of candy off every desk in the building from Halloween until New Year's Eve, every hour, and that this final cookie will set off an internal ticking time bomb which is primed to explode and coat everyone on our side of the room with icky guts?  (To which we hear, one more cookie after all that is no big deal?)

How about when we hear people say no, thank you, we accept it?  Imagine the relief we could generate!  A true gift.

It is so easy to say yes.  It is so easy to go along with things.  It is called giving in to peer pressure.  When the pressure is applied strongly enough, it is called bullying.  It adds stress to any occasion.  It makes people wonder why they aren’t worthy of consideration.  It leads to regret.  

How about we don’t ask questions if we don’t want to hear the answers?  

Real friends believe you when you say no, thank you. 

No questions asked.  

Time Travel- Elementary Information

In 2013, I had the occasion to be recognized by a former classmate after swimming in a two mile open water event.  The only thing I can imagine is that my hair, recently confined to a swim cap, was reminiscent of the lack of style I had in the sixth grade.  The woman asking me if I was Bridget T. was not at all familiar.  I no longer have the skill of placing people out of context, and she was not in a classroom (or about 11 years old).  I replied, “I used to be.”  She introduced herself, and I recalled being in class with her for three years, once upon a time.  The encounter was pleasant enough.  We had grown well past sixth grade angst in the approximately 35 years since our last encounter.  We compared notes on professions, children, and where we lived now.  

After this encounter, I made the pro forma searches through social media to see if we might keep in touch, but I didn’t see that happening.  We hadn’t really been friends, and I hadn’t given her a passing thought since we were in school together.  As pleasant as the visit was, I had no interest in going back to find other classmates in order to cultivate anything with any of them.  I don't wish to relive that time, but if I could go back, I would want to see me.  I have nothing to say to my former classmates, beyond the conversation that strikes up from a chance encounter.  I have plenty to say to my sixth grade self.  

I would say (although I really knew it at the time) 

that zits go away and braces will work.  

There would be many times of feeling like I looked good, 

and even times of feeling truly beautiful.   

I would say that for all the times I was picked last in gym, 

I would offer encouragement to beginning swimmers of all ages 

and take on endurance events like triathlon and open water swimming.  

I would encounter champions, including a few Olympians- 

one of whom was astonished by my ability (and willingness) to swim up to eight miles.  

I would say that although French class was never the path to fluency I hoped, 

I would one day walk through Paris.  

I would travel through many countries, 

and make myself understood with limited language skills and unlimited smiles.  

Marla says she and her friends asked, “What ever became of Bridget?”  Perhaps the greater question is to ask, “Did I ever think I’d be where I am?”  Fortunately, my younger self managed to muddle through without the wisdom or encouragement of hindsight.  It has been quite an adventure, with more to come.