I Left My Heart...in Aquatic Park*

Wow-what a great way to end Spring Break 2015! 

We had a quick trip to San Francisco after Yosemite before heading home. Lunch at the Ferry Building, a tour around the old haunts on Russian Hill and Chestnut Street capped off by dinner at Trattoria Contadina and a walk through North Beach.  

With less than 24 hours in San Francisco there was only one thing left to do to make the trip complete and that was a swim in legendary Aquautic Park. 

Shannon and I got up at a respectable 7:00am and took a short walk from our hotel to Aquatic Park for a swim (well actually-I did). As expected it was foggy and a bit cool with the bay breeze. I did a quick deck change on the beach and headed to the water. Getting in the water wasn't so quick...it was a chilly 55 degrees! It was pretty cold at first but within a couple minutes it felt great! I swam the buoy line and then out past the breakwall to get a good view of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. 

Looking back at the Dolphin Club, the Balcutha and Ghiradelli Square it was absolutely magical!  I swam back towards shore and did the buoy line another time as I waited for Shannon to finish her walk. When we met up I took my iPhone back to the water with me for some water pics  hoping my new waterproof case really worked.

Just as I lingered getting in the water, for some reason I did the same with getting out and getting dressed again. Mistake! By the time nurse Shannon and I made it to the Starbucks for a warm beverage a block away I was shivering uncontrollably. I couldn't will my hands to stop shaking as I checked out my photos. Ten minutes later after a cup of tea I was a bit chilled but in good shape.

It was perfect morning and great thing to do before the long flight back to Boston. 

I only wish when we were living in San Francisco and going by Aquatic Park nearly everyday I would have taken more advantage of it.  Maybe in the future...

*Below is a short tribute to Aquatic Park sung to the tune of I Left My Heart In San Francisco

I Left My Heart In Aquatic Park*

The loveliness of Seattle seems somehow sadly 

gray

The glory that was LA is of another day

I've been terribly alone and forgotten in 

"Bahsthan"

I'm going home to my swimming place by the Bay.

I left my heart in Aquatic Park 

Off Hyde Street hill, it calls to me

To be where open water swimmers go to swim in the 

great Bay

The morning fog may chill the sea, I don't care

My love waits there in Aquatic Park 

At the Dolphin Club we start each day

When I come home to you, Aquatic Park

Your open shores will make my day.

#65 Orange County, #66 Los Angeles County, #67 San Diego County

Such an awesome week!!! I was able to hit three outdoor pools (in three legendary swimming counties) and an open water swim in Southern California and see some dear old friends to boot-all in three days.

#65 Laguna Beach Community Pool:

Went back to the old stomping grounds of Laguna Beach and swam in the high school pool. It's set up on the hill overlook the Pacific. It's a fairly busy pool with people coming and going and a $2.00 admission. I did have a lane to myself. The night before I had Mexican food and margaritas with my good old friends Mason and Dean. We laughed and told stories for a long time. A few hours post swim I had lunch (Mexican) with my old friends Mike and Gina and reminisced about starting our careers in Laguna in the mid-80's.  Laguna Beach is beautiful with such great life long memories!

Laguna Beach Community Pool

Main Beach 

The Laguna Greeter-Eijler Larson

#66 UCLA Park Pool:

After having dinner in Venice at a fantastic  Italian spot with some great work friends my intent was to swim with the Bruin Masters.  I got up in time to hit their second practice. After walking around the campus going from pool to pool (yup there are three pools on campus) looking for the masters team I realized I had read the schedule wrong. With two pools closed I was able to sweet talk my way into the Park Pool for a short 2000 yard swim. It's a small pool just behind the newly remodeled Kaufman Hall. 

Park Pool

John Wooden quote above the Spieker competition pool

#67 Coogan Aquatic Complex

The final stop of this three county swim adventure was La Jolla. My initial intent was to skip a pool swim and just swim in La Jolla Cove. When I got to the Cove at 7:00am there were two people swimming in and one person heading out. Normally, I would have jumped right in but...there were seals everywhere! On the beach and playing in the water...there were no fewer than 15 seals. I observed it was ok to swim but you just had to work your way around them. Realizing that I was going to be swimming alone I decided not to swim there much to my chagrin and disappointment--basically I chickened out!

I then headed to La Jolla High School and the Coogan Aquatic Complex. Due to my cove detour I missed the Wind n' Sea masters workout.  I hear it's a good group and hope to swim with them someday. I swam on my own during public lap swimming in the 25ydx50m outdoor pool.  A really nice pool for a high school. 

On my way back to the hotel I was drawn back to the Cove realizing that it would put me in a quandary again-to swim or not?!  The seal population hadn't changed a bit but there were more swimmers coming and going. When I realized that many of them were 20+ years older than me I knew what I needed to do. I put back on my speedo!!! I made my way through the seals on the beach and stared at the ocean trying to figure out dodge a couple of seals to get passed the break.  Finally, I decided just to follow three older men into the water. I swam with them to the first buoy and realized timing wise I needed to swim back.  I swam pretty quickly back through the sea grass and kelp with all sorts of crazy thoughts racing through my head. I'll let the reader decide what I may have been thinking... I swam a half mile. The water was 61degrees not to bad and I got acclimated quickly (maybe it was the adrenaline). Standing on the bluff looking at the cove and the swimmers a couple of things went through my head; I wish I would have swam longer with the old timers and most importantly I could look myself in the mirror knowing I didn't chicken out!!!!

La Jolla Cove

Swimming friends

Such a great week! Truly a highlight so far in 2015 seeing lifelong friends in Southern California and getting a few swims in along the way.

Off to Seattle for a couple of days to meet up with the family and then to Yosemite for spring break.

Swim Around Lido Key & Pool #64 Lido Beach Pool

It's not too often in sport you can say, "I participated in the first ever...". Yesterday, I had the chance to swim in the inaugural Swim Around Lido Key swim (7 miles) in Sarasota, Florida.  The beaches are beautiful white sand and turquoise blue warm waters. I stayed with my old friend and former boss,Bob that lives on Bird Key very nearby.

Due to the distance everyone was required to have a kayak support to supply nutrition and to guide the way. I met my volunteer kayaker Pat the night before at  pre-registration at the Daiquiri Deck. He swims on the local masters team and he was great.

Things kicked off pretty early in the morning with body marking and getting our supplies organized in the kayak. The nice sunrise was a good omen for the day.

It was a mass start of 100 people. The first goal was to swim out to find our kayakers.  I found Pat pretty easily amongst the swam of kayakers and we settled in a nice groove.  At about 2-2.5 miles we hit the channel between Lido and Longboat Key. The water was moving pretty good and I picked up the pace a bit with the favorable current. 

The plan was to feed after the first 45 minutes and then every 30 minutes thereafter. We made the turn around Lido Key and began heading south toward the Bird Key bridge and the deeper waters (kinda) between Lido and Bird Key. 

It was on this back side around 5.0 miles I felt my shoulders begin to feel a bit sore (wish I had taken Aleve before-oh well). The fine white sand beaches approaching the turn back to the Gulf of Mexico were busy and at this point my shoulders were for sure sore.

With 1.5 miles to go there was never any doubt I would make it but I would have to count strokes to keep my mind off the shoulders. Eventually the last tetrahedron buoy to the finish was in sight and I was able to catch the swimmer ahead of me and beat him at the finish.

It was great to be finished and standing vertical on terra firma drinking fresh water. I was greeted at the finish by my kayaker, Pat and my friend Bob.

I swam a bit quicker than I had thought I would. I swam the course in 3:06-I'm happy with that as I was thinking it would be around 3:20-3:30ish. I placed 20th overall.

There was the post race after party with beer donated by a local micro-brew and Mexican food by Chipolte.  All in all, it was a great day! The event organizers should feel very good about the turnout and how well run the event was-top notch. I would recommend the swim for sure to others. 

Pool #64 Lido Beach Public Pool

Between the parking lot and the start of the swim I had spied and five lane 25 yard pool. Pre-race I thought I would hit the pool on the way out. Post race I wasn't thinking that was such a good I idea! I walked by the pool on my way to the car to leave...and then turned around back to the pool. I'm glad I did as it was a refreshing 150 yard swim and I got to check off another pool.