Angie Swims

On October 11th at 9:30 a.m. I began my 6-hour sub-60° Fahrenheit English Channel qualifier at Sellwood Park on the banks of the Willamette river. The day before I checked the conditions at the English Channel finding the weather better, the water and air warmer.  I had not prepared all my feeds in advance so that there was a little to do that morning. I used oat milk, oat milk with espresso, cluster dextrin with maple syrup and electrolytes, and Tailwind for my feeds. Amanda came over and helped me with my feeds before taking me to Sellwood, I would definitely have been late to the start without her. A note on the feeds: Of all the feeds the cluster dextrin was the least irritating to my stomach and then the oat milk. The oat milk with coffee did not settle so well but stayed down. (You might be wondering why I'm adding this part in, if you have read this blog for any kind of time you know that I frequently do not keep my feeds down.) I did have...

Standing on the beach at Broughton at 6:15 sun is already well above the horizon and the Delta jets overhead are flying north west, probably to Seattle. Yesterday was the first hot day of the season, it reached 85 here in the afternoon. the beach is evidenced to the late afternoon andrr rr evening revellers. Like every year, I simultaneously look forward to and dread warmer water and warmer weather. The return of warmer conditions means more dumped/left trash on the beach, clogged toilets at the boat ramp, and likely higher bacterial counts in the water. This morning while picking up trash I found Santa Barbara on the beach among an odd sacrament of shot glasses and discarded clothing. (Turns out she is the patron saint of armourers, mathematicians, and the Italian Navy, I'd like to think there were a bunch of hot Italians on the beach last night, but unlikely. She was gracious enough to hang out overnight and bless our swim this morning.)  At this point I do not have any ...

This morning was a special morning. It is the morning I realized I am sincerely looking forward to in a kappa and the English Channel.  This morning I got up in Astoria Oregon, went downstairs to the continental breakfast of the Holiday inn, got a cup of coffee, and some standard hotel continental breakfast items. I went back upstairs change into my swimsuit, grabbed my accoutrements, and headed back to the hotel lobby. There was a group of folk having breakfast at the table by the door leading to the Riverwalk and the small sandy beach I was planning to swim from. I asked if they could let me back in when I'm done with my swim. They double checked that I met swimming in the river, yes, I didn't fact mean swimming in the river, and then agreed to let me back in the building. I walked down to the small beach, stripped out of my clothes, folded my towel poncho, and arranged my needed items for my post to swim routine. If you have ever swam with me you know how elabora...