How Best to Simulate Drowning

Been hitting the pool a lot with the West Side Swim group. Always an adventure that most often simulates what it might be like in the early stages of drowning. Wikipedia says that 44% of drowning incidents are related to swimming.  I can see that.  Breathing every 5 or 7 strokes. No breathing in the ‘red zone’ (from flags to the wall and back for the uninitiated). Underwater flip turns (again no breathing in the red zone). No breathing from center of the pool to the wall. Or just plain no breathing. All great fun. Holding one’s breath is not a problem. But for some reason, immerse your face in water and try it, and the game changes. Something primal where your brain goes, “Hey dumba$$, get your head out of the water and breath.” To which you say, “No brain, we are not going to breath. We are going to not breath for LONGER!” In case people are in need of being revived, there is always the crack team of lifeguards ready to apply the newest methods is rescue (see right).

Easthampton Cross was an adventure.  Technical course in below freezing conditions.  Fun stuff given that it had an old school feel.  Of course, not that I know what old school is given that I have only been doing this for about three years. But, this is what I imagine old school would be like if I myself was old school.  I raced okay.  Should have been a few spots up, but that’s alright. Got to work on some things I need work on, pushed myself to try things I wouldn’t normally (with the expected results), and had a good time. This is definitely a race to check out in the future.  Too bad it is a bit of a trek to Western Mass.

This weekend is Sterling, which is a heck-of-a-time.  But, not before the Stow Turkey Trot tomorrow, which should be mildly amusing given I haven’t been doing much running.  Just going to go out and have some fun.  I have decided to enjoy my downtime from running and not fret about it.  Soon enough I’ll be doing tempo runs in pitch black and long runs in snow squals.  All in good time.  I’ll just enjoy cross season now that we are in our last month of it and get primed for the holidays when I can start to build that run base again, as well as continue my adventures in near death in the pool three times a week (hopefully to increase to four at some point).