The Big Lake

I had an exciting and unexpected experience yesterday that I thought I would pass along.

I was planning to go to Pewaukee Lake for a long swim after work. Tri-Wisconsin (a local tri club) holds a regular Monday night open swim on a pretty well measured course and I wanted to get in a 2.5 mile swim and check my heart rate to be sure what I think is a "smooth and easy" swim for me is in fact one. So I emailed my friend Joel to see if he would be there.

Joel replied that he was meeting another group from Tri Wisconsin at Klode Park in Whitefish Bay for a swim in Lake Michigan. I decided to join them as I thought the conditions may be a little rougher (waves etc) and I need the open water experience. Last years race was very rough and windy and wavy; you don't get to choose the conditions on race day.

When I mentioned at the office what I was doing that evening (which I generally don't do because people already thing I'm crazy enough without talking about 100 mile bike rides or swimming for any reasons other than to cool off) I got a general howling about the condition of that lake, all the reports of sewage dumping etc etc etc. Gross, gross and gross were the 3 most common terms.

For the most part I agreed while recognizing that with the amount of weeds I swim through at Pewaukee or the amount of goose poop I walk through on the way to Pike Lake that it is all pretty relative. Besides, I grew up on Lake Winnebago swimming all the time and look how I turned out (oh yeah....bad example.....)

Drove to the park after work and met Joel and headed down to the Lake (the park is up on a bluff). There were about 10-15 people there, some already swimming etc etc. I proceeded to don my wetsuit only to find I was the only one who was wearing one........tough crowd........ Some of the regulars pointed north and various houses along the shore (hint: there aren't many of them visible because the parcels of land they sit on are large, and they are pretty easy to pick out when you are swimming toward them as each is it's own unique looking 10,000 sq foot shack) and gave us estimated distances to each (round trip). 4 of us headed into the water for the longer swim (far house) with a 2.5 mile estimate in total.

We warmed up a few minutes (the other 3 at least originally conceeded the lack of a wetsuit may have been a mistake for them) and starting about 30 feet out from shore headed on a straight line course (at an angle) for the far house.

I have been in the big lake many times over the years. Mostly at the shore or knee deep; a few times swimming for a few minutes with my head above water; even did a sprint triathlon once in college. Never for a long swim workout.

It was gourgeous......the only experience I have had like it was snorkeling in Jamaica on our honeymoon....

The water is a clear blue green. You can fully see all the way to the bottom and you can see all the people swimming around you. We were in about 15 feet of water although it doesn't seem like it when you are swimming. You almost feel like you can touch the bottom until you try to stand only to find you can't touch the bottom. The first 20 minutes of swimming was in a bay that was a pure sand bottom. So I swam for 20 minutes looking at a sand bottom and the people around me. Next as you came out of the bay it began to be a rocky bottom with lots of minnows and small fish below; and it got shallower and more waves. After the small rocks was a section of big rock plates under you. Huge slabs of bedrock with little fissures carved by sand and water over the years. Unbelievable to see clearly what lies under the surface.

We stopped at the big house after 36 minutes of swimming. I had checked my watch and heart rate monitor regularly and was staying under 140 bpm (beats per minute) which is perfect for me on race day. We chatted and rested for a minute noting we had just gone about 1.4 mile (consensus estimate based on what we all know about our abilities) all with the wind and current and now we needed to go back against it. We set off and took another 45 ish minutes to make it back. All the while the sun was setting on the bluff above us.

I haven't felt that alive in a long time. When you are in a new environment like that all your senses are firing. I looked around at the 3 swimmers I was keeping up with (all very strong guys, though in fairness my wet suit helped me vs. them) and the beauty below me and the sun setting above me and I was very thankful.

3 years ago (which is shortly before I began this journey) I would have laughed and rolled my eyes like those at my office today. I couldn't have imagined swimming in Lake Michigan......or swimming anywhere for almost 3 miles straight.....or finishing a swim like that without feeling any fatigue or even breathing hard.

It was a magical moment and a great opportunity for Mr. All of Nothing to reflect on the positives of how far I have come in 3 years. In less than 6 weeks I will be on course going way slower than many of the people there. If you don't put things in perspective you can get discouraged by that. Too often triathletes are always looking forward and chasing a faster time etc etc. Lots of Type A's in this sport. It is amazing sometimes to listen to them get down on themselves while in the process of doing something that most people cant (and wouldn't want to) do.

After my swim everyone else packed up and headed home. Mr. All or Nothing got a night off from duties at home and I don't take that lightly so I used the time to go for a run after. 5 miles around my old neighboorhoods in Whitefish Bay (where I lived '92-98). Not much has changed though it is amazing to see all the activity (walkers, runners and bikers) out vs. in Jackson.

I ran by my old house and a lady was out watering the plants. I wasn't going to say anything to her but she spotted me and asked me if I wanted her to spray me with the hose (it was hot and humid out). I passed but stopped to talk and her husband joined us for a few minutes. The people who bought from me in 98 didn't stay long (though long enough to replace the roof I should have done before leaving :-) ) and this couple from Seattle bought it in 2000. They seem to be happy with it.

In closing it was a great training day and a great day. In part because I took the time to realize that it was. There is a lesson in there regardless of where you find yourself

"Life moves pretty fast; if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it" - Ferris Buehler