swimming

Hey John, are these the dog days?

Yes, I'd say so.  "My ever-lastin' summer I can see it fading fast." ... coming to the end of an epic 4 month vacation.  

The past 4 days have been exactly the same.  Hot, humid, sunny, low 90ºs with a heat index over 100º.   I've done almost the exact same thing everyday.  Morning, split a little firewood.  Noon, watch the World Athletics Championships on USA network or Peacock til 3pm, and then go to the lake on the cycle and swim across and back.  4 or 5 pm, home for afternoon tea and play guitar.   It haven't seen it rain since the day I left for Canada on 2 weeks ago today.   So, it's a good time to deal with firewood.  Same weather for tomorrow.  No possibility of rain til Sun/Mon.  Just got a new roof and gutters so it would be good to see how they do.

My V02 max and sprint endurance is in the shitter by now.  I can tell just by my swimming and water running.  It goes away fast, some say in 9 days or so.  Especially fast for me because I've never been an endurance athlete.  It takes about 90-95 strokes to cross the lake.  I can get about 75-80 in usually, but now I tire by 44-50.   So, I think I'll try to run a little by next weekend, as my aches and pains are going away.  Knee and feet feel better already.   Maybe I can start like I did last August with 1 running session/ week.  I'm not even biking yet.  

It's astonishing that I have had this lake totally to myself for an hour or so, 4 days in a row.  

This photo was taken by a photography student who I met at the lake just before I left for Nationals in July.  He just texted me this photo, (a rare film photo, not digital).  I've probably gained about 4 to 5 lbs since then.   

Not eating badly but not great since I'm back from ATL.  Generally plant based, beans, corn, seed crackers w/ almond butter and preserves, protein ice cream, chocolate, tomato sandwiches on bread, watermelon.  

144.5 lbs after my swim.