Training update:
I did the 75% of the distance swim 3 weeks ago and the split swim this weekend. Both are on track for a 15 to 17 hours Lake Tahoe swim.
The best news is that my 60 year old joints seem to have held up OK.
Now I start winding down the training and start packing.
Sunday, 30 July 2017
Monday, 24 July 2017
Publicity news
Exciting news. Sashbear has been sending out my press release. The Hamilton Spectator just published an article July 24 about me and Sashbear
https://www.thespec.com/living-story/7463360-hamilton-psychiatrist-marilyn-korzekwa-to-swim-lake-tahoe/?s=e
And Lynn Courey and I will be filmed by CHCH TV today, July 25, for the 6 pm news.
The link is http://www.chch.com/swimming-lake-tahoe/
https://www.thespec.com/living-story/7463360-hamilton-psychiatrist-marilyn-korzekwa-to-swim-lake-tahoe/?s=e
And Lynn Courey and I will be filmed by CHCH TV today, July 25, for the 6 pm news.
The link is http://www.chch.com/swimming-lake-tahoe/
Friday, 14 July 2017
A month to departure
In addition to putting in the most mileage per week of the season in the last 4 weeks before departure, I am busy with a lot of swim organization. There is a lot to do.
First of all, I am working on the fundraising by sending out my flyer and blog address far and wide and helping Sashbear with the publicity.
I have been ordering swim suits from a variety of places. I finally found the perfect suit - the Speedo aquablade record breaker. It is made of a durable polyester lycra blend that is slicker than skin and significantly reduces drag and it has water-channeling stripes that streamline water away from your body. The best part is the fit.
I am helping my crew understand their roles and get organized for the trip.
I am ordering my high tech feeds from a variety of places. I have to have new sealed containers for the border. (You wouldn't want them trying to guess the identity of the mystery white powder in the baggie). This year I am going with Waxy Maize for calories, Maxim electrolyte-maltodextrin for electrolytes, Hammer's Perpetuem for energy and electrolytes, and Boost, which has more nutrition than I need but never upsets my stomach. I also have to order a special easily absorbed Magesium supplement to prevent muscle cramping.
I am updating the maps on my GPS and getting road maps from CAA.
I am searching the websites for Walgreens and Rite Aid, which are drugstores that are nearby, to make sure they have the medications my crew and I need for emergencies, so I don't have to pack them. This includes nausea, pain, acid reflux, sunburn, and skin abrasion remedies. Fortunately I don't have to shop for jellyfish remedies this time.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that the physiotherapist and my trainer have given me a total of 15 different exercises to do daily to keep my joints balanced and pain-free.
Finally, I am updating my packing list.
First of all, I am working on the fundraising by sending out my flyer and blog address far and wide and helping Sashbear with the publicity.
I have been ordering swim suits from a variety of places. I finally found the perfect suit - the Speedo aquablade record breaker. It is made of a durable polyester lycra blend that is slicker than skin and significantly reduces drag and it has water-channeling stripes that streamline water away from your body. The best part is the fit.
I am helping my crew understand their roles and get organized for the trip.
I am ordering my high tech feeds from a variety of places. I have to have new sealed containers for the border. (You wouldn't want them trying to guess the identity of the mystery white powder in the baggie). This year I am going with Waxy Maize for calories, Maxim electrolyte-maltodextrin for electrolytes, Hammer's Perpetuem for energy and electrolytes, and Boost, which has more nutrition than I need but never upsets my stomach. I also have to order a special easily absorbed Magesium supplement to prevent muscle cramping.
I am updating the maps on my GPS and getting road maps from CAA.
I am searching the websites for Walgreens and Rite Aid, which are drugstores that are nearby, to make sure they have the medications my crew and I need for emergencies, so I don't have to pack them. This includes nausea, pain, acid reflux, sunburn, and skin abrasion remedies. Fortunately I don't have to shop for jellyfish remedies this time.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that the physiotherapist and my trainer have given me a total of 15 different exercises to do daily to keep my joints balanced and pain-free.
Finally, I am updating my packing list.
Wednesday, 5 July 2017
Lake Tahoe information
On August 20 or 21,
2017 I am planning on swimming the length of Lake Tahoe from Camp Richardson, California
in the south to Hyatt Beach, Nevada in the north a distance of 34 kilometers. The
major challenge is the altitude of the lake, at 6200 feet or 1897 m. The water
will be cool at 15.5 to 20 degrees Celsius because the lake is in the Sierra
Nevada Mountains and it is 500 m deep. Only the top 3 to 10 m warm up and a
strong wind can cause 4 degree water to well up. The mountain winds can also be
quite strong and have been known to push swimmers backwards. But there are no
sharks! The length of Lake Tahoe has been
swum 43 times, which includes 2 double crossings, 39 crossings by Americans and
one each from the UK, New Zealand, Australia and Serbia. It has never been swum
by a Canadian!
I will be swimming with Tom, nicknamed "Reptile" and his boat, Ghostrider.
There is also a new link with updates about this year's Lake Tahoe swims:
http://marathonswimmers.org/forum/discussion/1582/lake-tahoe-swims-2017/p1
I will be swimming with Tom, nicknamed "Reptile" and his boat, Ghostrider.
There is also a new link with updates about this year's Lake Tahoe swims:
http://marathonswimmers.org/forum/discussion/1582/lake-tahoe-swims-2017/p1
Sunday, 25 June 2017
July training swims
Many people ask about my training.
Once the water warms up and I can do longer open water swims, there are 2 key swims that are important to prove a swimmer can do the distance.
In 2 weeks I will be doing the long swim, which will be 75% of the distance of Lake Tahoe. This year, I will do 3 laps of an 8.5 km circuit. In past years, for the long swim I have swum a lake, such as Lake Muskoka, Lake Joseph or Lake of Bays. In 2011, for the long swim, I swam Lake Simcoe, which was 34 km, the same distance as the English Channel, This was to prove to myself that I could still do it because it was my first year out of retirement. In 2015, I swam the 3 Provinces, which was actually 4 km further than the Cook Strait, but the point was to prove I could swim for a long time in 15-16 degree C. water.
Towards the end of the month, I will do the split swim, which is an English Channel training concept. The goal is to do the distance of Lake Tahoe in 2 to 3 days.
Another swim that I will also do in July is the Swim for the Cure. I have swum it 10 of the last 16 years. This swim is organized by a nurse friend from St. Joseph's Hospital, Debbie Bang, to raise money for breast cancer research. Over the last 16 years, this swim has raised over $238,000. The swim is 12.8 km down the Trent-Severn waterway. For more information: www.swimforthecure.ca If you are interested in supporting breast cancer research, the link for my donation page is: http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR/Thirdpartyevent/IFE_ON_CommunityPartnerships_?px=6939560&pg=personal&fr_id=23019#.WVCCHPkrLIV
Once the water warms up and I can do longer open water swims, there are 2 key swims that are important to prove a swimmer can do the distance.
In 2 weeks I will be doing the long swim, which will be 75% of the distance of Lake Tahoe. This year, I will do 3 laps of an 8.5 km circuit. In past years, for the long swim I have swum a lake, such as Lake Muskoka, Lake Joseph or Lake of Bays. In 2011, for the long swim, I swam Lake Simcoe, which was 34 km, the same distance as the English Channel, This was to prove to myself that I could still do it because it was my first year out of retirement. In 2015, I swam the 3 Provinces, which was actually 4 km further than the Cook Strait, but the point was to prove I could swim for a long time in 15-16 degree C. water.
Towards the end of the month, I will do the split swim, which is an English Channel training concept. The goal is to do the distance of Lake Tahoe in 2 to 3 days.
Another swim that I will also do in July is the Swim for the Cure. I have swum it 10 of the last 16 years. This swim is organized by a nurse friend from St. Joseph's Hospital, Debbie Bang, to raise money for breast cancer research. Over the last 16 years, this swim has raised over $238,000. The swim is 12.8 km down the Trent-Severn waterway. For more information: www.swimforthecure.ca If you are interested in supporting breast cancer research, the link for my donation page is: http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR/Thirdpartyevent/IFE_ON_CommunityPartnerships_?px=6939560&pg=personal&fr_id=23019#.WVCCHPkrLIV
Monday, 5 June 2017
Gulliver's Lake Park
I am excited to report that Gulliver's Lake in Flamborough is supporting my training again this year, the 5th year in a row! Thank you Gulliver's for my free pass!
Gulliver's is a beautiful spring fed quarry that warms up way before any of the other larger lakes and is perfect for early season open water training. Lots of triathletes and scuba divers use the lake for their training and lessons.
It's an awesome place for a picnic, too.
http://www.gulliverslake.com
Gulliver's is a beautiful spring fed quarry that warms up way before any of the other larger lakes and is perfect for early season open water training. Lots of triathletes and scuba divers use the lake for their training and lessons.
It's an awesome place for a picnic, too.
http://www.gulliverslake.com
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