Swimming for Hope
1/2 Marathon Swim and 113 Mile Bike
July 21, 1995
I am off to raise money for JDRFI. This year I am attempting to swim a half marathon and ride the bike the Ironman Distance. (The biking is in response to all the bike riding I have been doing with Jim Cornell. The plan is to ride first, then swim second.
Biking: Fairfield, Westchester and Putnam Counties
I went from 202 Dan’s Highway to West Road, down to Oenoke to Luke’s Woods, (the Michigan Road cut-off), to West Lane, to Route 123, north towards Richfield. I took the first cutoff and up to Route 35 West towards 684. I then took Route 22 to Brewster and through, past Trinity Pawling and Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center (where some people felt I should stop in and stay for a long time) and on to Route 55. I then got lost in Wingdale, NY where I went down the wrong road and promptly broke a valve. I was as far as I could be from home. I went to a car repair shop and called up Trina. She picked me up about ninety minutes later.
While I did my swim, she was going to get my bike fixed so I could finish the biking after the swim.
The average for this part of the ride was 65 Miles at 15.6 MPH (and that was with 2 miles of very slow riding)
Swimming:
Country Club of New Canaan – Outdoors – 25 meters
1 X 1000 Swim: {200 Free, 100 Back, 3 times plus reverse 100 IM} 1,000 mtrs
1 X 1000 Kick with fins 1,000 mtrs
1 X 2000 Pull with tube and paddles 2,000 mtrs
1 X 1000 Kick with fins 1,000 mtrs
1 X 1000 Swim: {200 Free, 100 Back, 3 times plus reverse 100 IM} 1,000 mtrs
1 X 1000 Kick with fins 1,000 mtrs
1 X 2000 Pull with tube and paddles 2,000 mtrs
1 X 1000 Kick with fins 1,000 mtrs
1 X 1000 Swim: {200 Free, 100 Back, 3 times plus reverse 100 IM} 1,000 mtrs
1 X 1000 Kick with fins 1,000 mtrs
1 X 2000 Pull with tube and paddles 2,000 mtrs
1 X 1000 Kick with fins 1,000 mtrs
1 X 1000 Swim: {200 Free, 100 Back, 3 times plus reverse 100 IM} 1,000 mtrs
1 X 1000 Kick with fins 1,000 mtrs
1 X 2000 Pull with tube and paddles 2,000 mtrs
1 X 1000 Kick with fins 1,000 mtrs
1 X 1000 Swim: {200 Free, 100 Back, 3 times plus reverse 100 IM} 1,000 mtrs
TOTAL 21,000 mtrs
Comments
The swimming was quite easy compared to last year. I did the same pattern as last year where I did 1000 Swim, 1000 Kick with fins, 1000 Pull with tube and paddles, twice, 1000 Kick with fins, and repeat the pattern. The only difference in the swimming was that last year I alternated 200s freestyle and backstroke. This year, I did more freestyle than stroke.
Biking:
I left the Country Club and took Country Club to Lambert Road to Oenoke to West Road, Dan’s Highway and Home. I pick up reflective gear and set off again. I took Dan’s Highway to West Road, to Oenoke to Luke’s Wood (the Michigan Road cut off) to West Lane, to Route 123, north towards Richfield. I then took the first cutoff and up to Route 35, right into Richfield and on Route 35 I headed south towards Wilton. Next, I followed North Wilton Road to Deforest (North Wilton Road in New Canaan) to Valley Road to Route 106 to Carter Street to Route 123 next to the Merritt Parkway, and back to the Country Club; at this point I have completed 95.5 miles.
I said hello to those leaving the movie being shown at the pool and went off to complete another 17.5 miles.
From Country Club Road I rode to Route 123 to Heritage Hill to Oenoke to Pinny to Westchester Road (really 1 road) to Trinity Pass to Ponus Ridge to Lost District Road and on to West Road. This route took me by Dan’s Highway, which was 104.4 miles. At the end of West Road I went on to Oenoke towards town. I made my final turn in front of the Historical Society Library, a fitting place as that is where I think of my mother most as she was librarian, historian and then president of the society before she died of breast cancer. I rode back up Oenoke to West Road, turned onto Dan’s Highway and home at midnight after completing exactly 113 miles.
Comments
I felt great all the way. I became lost in Wingdale NY. If I had stayed on Route 55 all would have been well. I would have made it over to Route 7 in Connecticut, added another county to my route and been home in time to do the marathon before the movie. However, I was at the farthest point away from New Canaan and probably at the highest elevation when I broke a valve and had to wait for Trina to come to get me. I lost four hours. Of getting lost and waiting for Trina to pick me up. I swam very well. I felt good in the water and could have gone all day. My shoulders were a bit numb when I got out of the pool but that did not slow me down. Within 10 minutes. I climbed on my bike in order to compete my fundraising task. I did a lot more stroke work this summer and it felt good doing the strokes.
The night biking was difficult. I could not go fast down the hills because I couldn’t see very well as I would like, especially in the canopy-covered roads of Fairfield and Westchester counties. I felt good on the bike; I just had to go slowly. The left shoulder felt very sore when I finished but that was probably due to the tension of trying to ride in a humid and dark night. Needless to say, it was also stupid to ride at night without the proper lights. No one tried to kill me, but . . . there were some close calls. There were a few times I felt as if I was back in Bloomington, IN with local kids trying to run me off the road when I was running. However, I set out and did what I set out to do. It may not the brightest thing in the world but very satisfying.
This may be my last pool and/or bike fundraiser as there are not a lot more combinations that I can do. Perhaps I will attempt open water swims.