It's Official...

My season is over.

The calf/ soleus problem I've been having is getting worse. It's progressed from painful anfd tight to cramping and spasm-ing.

I'm sad to have to pull the plug on my season (teared up when I e-mailed my coach), but I'm afraid of causing permanent damage. If I haven't already.

So my off-season starts now. I might do the "Le Tour de Tryptophan": 24 hours at the Fullerton Loop Thanksgiving weekend, but no more "racing" until 2009.

This weekend, Holly and I are heading out to Idyllwild to watch Luke race the 24 Hours of Adrenaline. We're trying to get a cowbell.

E.

Distractions

My name is Eric, and I am easily distracted...

They say the first step to conquering an addiction is acknowledging you have a problem.

Frequently, when I'm faced with a task that I find stressful or unpleasant, I look for something else to occupy myself with until the deadline for the task has passed. OR I wait until the last minute such that the quality of my work suffers. This applies to school, training, coaching ( I have a few people I'm helping on the side for free) and whatever else I'm doing with myself at the present.

Lately, I've been looking for ways to sabotage my Tahoe race so that I'll have an excuse for a poor result.

If you're familiar with what's been going on with the surf recently, you know exactly why it's so easy to blow off training: a big West swell last week followed by a South swell this week. How can I be expected to swim at work when the waves are coming in with 7-8' faces? Seriously, my boogie board has taken up permanent residence in the back of my Jeep. At least I'm getting in a killer leg workout I've been doing so much kicking with fins...

I also need to confess that I'm a chronic snooze-bar abuser. I love sleeping in and getting my ass up at 5 to make it to the pool by 6 so I can get in 2 workouts before work and then be in my tower by 10 isn't happening right now. It's so much easier to get workouts in during the school year; I just skip class. See what I mean about being easily distracted? Sheesh! That explains my less-than-stellar GPA.

Back to the awesome surf: I boogied the Cardiff Reef yesterday. A very popular and crowded surf break where Professional surfers hone their skills when they're in town. I felt a little out of place as the only "sponger" there (surf slang for boogie boarder) but I now see why it's as popular as it is. Great waves.

Returning from the surf tangent (see how easily distracted I am!?). My hobbies tend to run a 5-year course. I find something that interests me, I go way overboard and become obsessed with something and then I get tired of it and find something else to obsess over. Right now I'm conflicted about what to do about triathlon. I like being fit and fast, but I keep finding excuses to skip workouts; mostly swimming and hard running workouts.

I need motivation.

The closer Tahoe gets, the less likely it seems like Holly and I will be going. When you tally it all up, it's going to cost around $1K and we simply don't have that kind of disposable income lying around.

We are planning on heading up to Hurkey Creek for Luke's 24 Hours of Adrenaline race. I'm trying to get a campsite for us, but the race promoter rented all 100+ campsites so he can hand them out to racers. I'm trying to see if there will be any extras, but the word, so far, is "ask me later". If we can't get a site, we (or just me) will be heading up just for the day. Camping would be nice, though; I love camping.

Still waiting to hear from the State about the results from my interview.

E.

Mmmmmmmm...

I was coming back from checking the mail just as one of my neighbors was pulling into his garage. I gave him the noncommittal head nod. Just as I passed him, he asked if I like fish; "Uhh...I guess". Him: "I just caught this Yellowfin and I have a bunch if you want some" Hell yeah!

I went back to my place and gave him time to clean up before I went back to is place and hit him up for the goods. I've never even met the guy and he gives me three huge steaks.
Then he mentions he's going to try canning the rest and said he'd give me some if he got it right. San Diego is so awesome. These babies were swimming a few hours ago.
A little garlic, some butter, salt and pepper is all you need. So fresh it didn't stink up the condo. Awesome.
Hands down, the BEST fish I've ever had. Threw in a little salad for good measure and Holly's tummy and mine are way happy...

...and we only cooked up 1/3 of what our neighbor gave us. We're totally ruined for store bought or restaurant fish from now on. How can it get better?

Changes

Some changes to the 'blog and just in general. I'm still trying to find that guy in the the photo up top. He's here somewhere, either hiding or taking a nap, but I'll find him eventually.

So the beach season is OVER! The Tuesday after Labor Day felt like the morning after a raging party: quiet, a few people passed out on the floor and you sneak out so you don't wake anyone up.

Labor Day weekend was absolute chaos on the beaches; crowded and some huge tidal swings that caused "flash" rip currents on the outgoing tide. Kept me "on edge" all weekend. I had a few rescues, but I didn't keep track...too busy.

Speaking of busy, this post is a few days late because I've been working so much: I jst finished a 7-day straight stretch and finally get a couple days off. I'm still working 40-hour weeks, but the low beach attendance makes it less physically challenging than the busy season.

I'm trying to get back into training, it's going slowly and it's still difficult getting workouts in around a full work schedule.

Tahoe: still can't decide. If I do it, it'll be more so I don't kick myself for not going to a Naional Championship than out of any real desire to do well. I'm still working out the finances; if Holly and I determine we can't afford it, I might crash a local Olympic Road Tri on the same day and call it a season.

This week, my best friend for 20+ years texts me that he and his fiancee are splitting up after 7 years of being together. All 3 of us used to hang out together and I consider her a good friend and them breaking up maks me wonder what the heck is going to happen between all 3 of us. Messy. I hope they can work things out.

My Lifeguard/Ranger interview went very well. My district supervisor wound up on the interview panel, which should be a big help. I should hear back in 4-6 weeks and next up is the Physical Agility, which should be a piece of cake. I just hope they do the ocean swimming part before the water cools down too much.

E.

Sick and Tired?

I've been experiencing some very strange symptoms recently that don't seem to point toward any specific illness.

Nausea, headache, lightheaded, fatigue, extreme hunger and jaw soreness/stiffness.

Sounds like dehydration, but my urine color is normal (TMI?) and what explains the jaw symptoms? I dunno what to do beside drink lots of fluids make sure I'm eating enough of the right kinds of foods and take some extra rest.

Extra rest means my training is almost completely non-existent. I'm down to about half my normal training, meaning my race at Tahoe is likley shot.

Seriously, halfway through my shift on Saturday AND Sunday I almost asked if I coudl go home I felt so bad. Turning my head side-to-side while scanning my water makes me nauseaus; even though it takes me 30-60 seconds to complete one scan.

I'm considering scrapping Tahoe and saving the money instead of going up and tanking the race. Suck.

I'm sure it's work: 40 hours a week in the sun, running up and down the beach and pulling people out of the water is likely taking a toll on my body. I'd love to have my electrolytes and hydration tested just to see how out of whack things are.

Monday and Wednesday are my normal days off and, by the time Wednesday comes around, I feel close to normal. By Saturday, I feel like ass all over again; and the cycle repeats.

Lifeguard/Park Ranger update: Written test passed and I'm going in for an interview Thursday.

I'm looking forward to school starting up next month just so I don't have to work so much. Seriously, they have me working 6 and 7 days in a row; which I won't get overtime for because of how the pay periods are set up. Buzzards are sqeezing every hour of work out of me they can get. Yes I get paid, but I'd rather be training and NOT feeling like crap all day at work.

Bah.

E.

Bad Day at Work

No pics. Sorry.

Training remains lackluster with all the hours I'm putting in at work. While I realize many people work 40 hours a week and still get in more training than I do, the physical demands of my job take a lot out of me. Saturday was one such day.

When I arrived to work I saw that the surf picked up considerably compared to the day before and hen I climbed onto the tower deck, I immediately noticed rip currents popping up in different locations than usual. With no established "bad spots" to keep people out of, I'd have to be on my toes all day and react quickly to whatever developed. Crap.

When rip currents develop quickly in random locations, we call them "flash rips".

It was a very trying day and I feel fortunate that no one was seriously injured on my beach. One woman had to be taken away in an ambulance after being thrown head first into the sand. Luckily, that happened in front of the Tower next to me. Cover your head with your arms if you get tossed...

I rescued 9 people that day.

Doesn't sound like much over the course of 8 hours, but sprinting down the beach, charging out into the surf and then towing people back in is tough work. Now think about the size of the "average American" and you get the idea. Several rescues were actually multpile victim; without the help of lifeguards Brammer and Puckett, life would have been considerably more challenging.

On two such "multiple victim" rescues, we wound up with 3 lifeguards in the water all rescuing several people at once; the unit (the Jeep the drives up and down the beach) actually stopped and jumped into the water to help me with a 5-person rescue.

Worst one? 10-15 people all in a HUGE rip current. I saw it develop and cursed under my breath (...oh shit...) as I reached for the phone, notifying dispatch where I was going and what I was doing. While running down the beach to the location, the rip increased in size and strength; I accelerated into a sprint, adrenaline rushing into my system. As I reach the location I meet Brammer who'd come over from the unit parked at Tower 1 to help me out. We ran into the water, yelling at people "Get out of the water!" and noticing the 4 people in need of rescue 25 yards out. We sprint out. Matt picks up the 2 people on boogie boards and yells at me to "Get that kid!" farther out. I reach him and he's breathing hard from swimming against the current...me too. I catch my breath and begin towing him in; at which point I notice the guard from tower 1 (Puckett) had also helped out.

Holly came down to the beach to relax for the day and commented it looked like something you'd see on T.V. Surreal to be sure.

Later, I'd rescue a little girl and her grandpa out of the same location; she was too small to get out of the current and he was too weak. He was so tired, in fact, he was unable to get on top of the boogie board she had been using. Towing both of them in took a lot of effort. My arms ached and my lungs burned by the time I pulled them in to shore.

Towards the end of the day, I had a 3-person rescure in a different location. Since two victims were on boogie boards (are we noticing a trend here?) I simply grabbed the front of the boards and kicked with my feet, pulling all 3 in.

Needless to say, I got no training done that day.

Bottom line:
1) Stay the f*ck out of the water on big surf days unless you know what you're doing.
2) DO NOT go out on a Boogie Board without fins. PERIOD
3) Ask the Lifeguard where it's safe to swim or STAY OUT of areas they keep running to and rescuing people out of.
4) Can't swim? Stay out of the freaking ocean!

Eric

Shrug...

ap·a·thy
–noun, plural -thies.
1. absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.
2. lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting.
3. Stoicism. freedom from emotion of any kind.

fa·tigue
–noun
1. weariness from bodily or mental exertion.
2. a cause of weariness; slow ordeal; exertion: the fatigue of driving for many hours

You get the idea...