As of this morning the weather is not looking to  be in my favor for my Tahoe crossing on Wednesday.

Wednesday…Breezy. Partly cloudy in the morning then becoming mostly cloudy. Highs 67 to 77. Light winds becoming southwest 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph in the afternoon. Ridge gusts up to 50 mph.

Wednesday Night…Breezy. Mostly cloudy. Lows 40 to 50. Southwest winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph decreasing to around 10 mph after midnight.

At first it hurt, I felt really bummed. Then I remembered that in every disappointment there is an opportunity. I am not sure what the opportunity is at this moment but it will become clear at some point.  I am glad that I am not in a hotel room in Dover waiting to swim the English Channel. I will still be sleeping in my own bed while I wait.

So, the window is open now and I play the waiting game. I will reorganize, refocus and reenergize. My time will come.

Stay tuned!

As I am closing in on the date for my Tahoe crossing, I began to think about the who, what, where, why and how I got here. On a swim last week, I took the entire time  to reflect on this journey. This is many, many years in the making. When I was 7 years old, my Dad took me for a bike ride on my lemon yellow Schwinn Stingray from Tahoe Keys to Camp Richardson. There was an old fashion soda fountain at the camp. Of course  he could get me to ride anywhere for ice cream, still true today. After we had our root beer float we walked down to the lake to take a look. I remember standing on the edge of the lake and making a promise to myself that I would someday return and swim across. I have lived in Tahoe now for almost 20 years. During my time here, there have been years that I think about that promise to myself constantly and years in which I never thought about it once. In that time I have married, raised two boys, lived in 9 different houses, had 2 dogs, 4 cars, battled cancer, owned a business, many jobs, many ups and many downs. The one constant in that equation is my promise to myself to attempt this feat.
Three years ago, as my boys became teenagers, I started to think about life with an empty nest. What was I going to do with myself when no one needed me to feed them, drive them, help them, guide them. What did I do with my time before I had kids? Then I remembered my dreams. Dreams of swimming Lake Tahoe, the English Channel, Catalina Channel… Dreams that I had put on hold to focus on raising two boys that quickly became young men. All of sudden I became very excited about the prospects of following these dreams.
I started out slow at first. I had an opportunity to swim while raising the boys but not on a consistent schedule. I did some open water swimming in Donner and Tahoe during the past 20 years but not to the extent that I do now. I saw an ad in our local paper about a masters group that practiced in Truckee. I went to check it out and the coach started me out on the first day in the slow lane. As soon as we started the set she moved me to the next lane over and then finally into the fast lane and made me lead. I had forgot how much fun it was to workout in the pool. I was hooked and my dreams started to become even clearer to me. The first year of training, I went to the pool 3 days per week and my goal was to complete the Trans Tahoe relay with a team of 5 people. The second year my goal was to swim the width of Lake Tahoe. I went to the pool 4 days per week and as soon as I could swim the lakes I swam everyday. My third year of training has been the most eventful. I joined the South End Rowing Club in San Francisco because my friend Trudy told me that there were other people at the club who had the same type of goals that I did. I figured that I would be able to meet people that could answer some of the questions that I had about how to accomplish this goal. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the South End felt like coming home. In the past year I have learned to swim in the bay, did an Alcatraz crossing on New Year’s day, learned that I have the ability to swim very cold water, swam under and around the Golden Gate and Bay Bridge, accomplished a swim from the Golden Gate Bridge to the San Mateo Bridge and have learned so much about myself.
On my swim last week I came to a surprising conclusion that it doesn’t matter what happens on August 5th as I am attempting to swim the length of Tahoe. It is all about the journey!

Rob and I about to start lap 2

Yesterday I successfully did a quad crossing of Donner Lake. I am wondering if anyone else has done that. It was a great training swim for me. The gps read 11.04 miles, 5 hr 24 min. I think of that swim as the equivalent to half the length of Tahoe or the equal to the width of Tahoe.
I felt strong the entire swim. I started out with my swim partner, Rob, who did a double crossing. He was on a mission to move along as fast as he could. I stuck with him but was a little concerned about expending to much energy on the first two lengths. On the first lap we took a slightly longer course because we swam over to the south shore and had originally planned to hug the shore. Once we realized that there was only one boat on the lake we cut into the middle of the lake and swam straight down. First lap took us 1 hr 20 min. I had stopped to feed only once on the first lap. I should have stopped twice but Rob was moving quickly and wasn’t stopping to feed at all. We both took a quick feeding at the other end and started back. On the second lap I stopped to feed twice and we finished the lap at 1 hr 16 min. Way to negative split! I dropped Rob off, took in some nutrition and pushed off. For the first two laps the lake was so smooth, now the wind started to pick up. The wind was to my back so it wasn’t bad but I would be turning and swimming back into it for lap 4. A few times in my mind I started to think that 3 laps would be good but the car was at the other end. It was probably faster for me to swim back than to wait for Dan to kayak back and come back with the car. I swam the 3rd lap in 1 hr 22 min. I shoved off for the last lap and figured I would use it as a cool down. Really stretch it out and focus on using the larger muscles in my back. The wind was coming straight at us and Dan had to put on his dry jacket and gloves. I just imagined that I was a a large ship cutting through the water and it worked. The wind started to let up about 3/4 of the way back. I finished out lap 4 at 1 hr 26 min.
I am very happy with my performance yesterday. I do have some soreness in my deltoids but with a little more rest and some stretching today it should subside quickly. Thanks so much to Dan for his patience and support. Thank you and congratulations to Rob for his strong double crossing. He said next time he will go for a three!

On this Father’s day I would like to tell you what my Dad has done for me in regards to swimming. First and foremost I would like to thank my entire family for the sacrifices that were made in order to have me swim at the level that I did. Sacrifices that included hardly ever taking a family vacation except if it involved a swim meet, my Mother’s endless hours in the car, either driving to swim practice or waiting for me during, my brother who cooked dinner for us nightly because my Mother was in the car. For all of this I am forever grateful.

My Father’s role during my swimming career was that of “the organizer”. He made sure that I was entered into every swim meet that I needed to attend, in a timely fashion. He dictated all of the pertinent information to my Mother, who would type all of my consolidated entry forms to be submitted. This was very unusual. When it was time for a race, you would stand at the board where the meet director would post all of these entry forms for you to take to the timers at the beginning of the race. I always felt so lucky. My consolidated entry form was always easy to spot because it was the only one typed, not handwritten. This is one small advantage I had because of the help of my Dad. I thank him for this.

When I out grew the team that I was swimming on. My Dad researched another team that would better suit my swimming ambitions. The team that they chose for me was over an hour drive from where we lived. I remember the first day that my Mother was going to drive me to my new team to try it out. My Dad had left a map that he had made for us. Similar to what you would find on Google maps today. Except he had hand drawn it, highlighted the proper path, left us notes of points of interest along the way and had given us a second course we could take home to see which one we liked best. I thank him for this.

My Dad was my archivist during my time age group swimming. To this day I still have the countless books, logs, and scrapbooks that he made in order to organize all of the information. Can you believe that I have data for every single swim I did starting at age 4. The data contains my time, place, who I swam against, where it was… it is unbelievable. He never gave up on collecting this data. My scrapbooks are complete from the time I started swimming to my last race. I thank him for this.

Recently he sent me a book that he had made for me recounting my swim from the Golden Gate Bridge to the San Mateo Bridge. It contained photos chronicling the swim, my time, who was on my crew…once again exemplifying his amazing skill at keeping track of my swimming. Most of all it showed how proud he was of me. I thank him for this.

These are just a few examples of what my Dad has done for me and my swimming. So, on this Father’s day I am thankful to my Dad for all that he has done, shown me and taught me. I only wish I was as organized as him!

I have decided to postpone my Donner Lake x 4 swim until Tuesday.  The weather forecast for Sunday is calling for winds earlier in the day up to 25-30 mph. This training swim is so that I can get my arms going around for approximately 6 hours. I feel as though I have had enough wind training lately. I don’t want to have to struggle through the swim. I am looking for a smooth training session.

I will spend 2 or 3 hours in Tahoe instead today and tomorrow. I will rest on Monday and be ready for Tuesday. I am really looking forward to a bit of warmer weather that will be visiting us next week.

The new format for my blog is a work in progress. I will be  including a twitter link to my site so that during any big swim, anyone can follow me via twitter.  Ultimately I am setting up this site so that it will include my sponsors and links to photo galleries. I am having a great time figuring out how to put it all together. I hope you enjoy it.

Rob and I at Donner Lake swim 2008

This Sunday I will be doing a quadruple crossing of Donner Lake. Lake Tahoe doesn’t seem to be warming up as quickly as I had hoped. So, I will be doing my training in Donner. I am thinking that it will take me 6+ hours to do the 11+ mile swim. I will be accompanied for 2 of the lengths by my friend and one of my favorite swim partners Rob. I think this will be Rob’s longest swim to date.  Rob, my friend Jen and I have been meeting every Tuesday morning during the summer months at Donner Lake for the past 3 years. We met last Tuesday for our first swim of the year.  I always know that summer is just around the corner when we are standing at the lakes edge getting ready to dive in.

I feel physically and mentally prepared to accomplish this swim. I will be trying a new addition to my feeding regimen. On my last multi- hour swim I battled hunger. The type of hunger that only solid food could satisfy. At the advice of an accomplished marathon swimmer, Laura advised me that I might try liquid oatmeal to satisfy that hungry feeling. I have decided to take her advice and with the additional advice of my sports nutritionist, I will be adding a little fruit juice to the oatmeal. My plan is to take in this liquid concoction at about hour 3. I am hoping that this will get rid of the hunger pangs and give me a little extra boost in energy.

I am looking forward to this swim and since the weather is suppose to be really nice, I will be enjoying a beautiful day in the lake.  Our crew will be Dan in the kayak. It will be quite an accomplishment for him also to be out for the 6 or more hours. Great practice for my big swim in August.

Foggy Golden Gate in the background

A week has passed and I am still unable to put my Golden Gate Bridge to San Mateo bridge swim into words. It was my first experience with marathon swimming. I consider marathon swimming any swim over 6 hours or 16 miles. Neither of which I had accomplished prior to this swim. So, there is something very special about it that makes me feel like keeping it to myself. You know like your first time…

The only idea that I would like to share is that I went some place inside me that I knew existed but had never been to.  I have always known that deep down inside I have a place that is strong, self confident and stubborn. A mindset that just won’t take no for an answer. I have fluttered past this place from time to time during a crisis but to be able to tap in for enjoyment, I have never been there. Roper said that I have a “passion” and he is right. There are many times in ones life in which you have an opportunity to have a “good trip” or a “bad trip”. I was presented that opportunity during this swim and I decided, without reservation, to have a good trip.  Once I realized that the bay was not going to cooperate and I would be battling the wind and waves for many hours, I just put the biggest smile on my face and swam on. When I was being tossed around in the “Aqua Rodeo” , I would laugh.  I realized from this happy place, I can be very comfortable being uncomfortable. The power of happiness is unbelievable.

Many thanks to my incredible team. Bob Roper, how do I love thee…let me count the ways! Jim Bock you are a super star. When I think endurance, I see your face. Jim was always ready with a joke, a riddle, a song and yes even a show tune, to get stuck in my head. He made the time pass quickly. We have a very similar sense of humor and our connection is now concrete. Dewey and Tom were unbelievable.  I am still in awe of why they all would dedicate their Saturday to me.  I could not have done it with out them and it was a true team effort.

Thank you to everyone who contacted me this week with their “hoorays” and “hoorahs”  I appreciate all of the accolade.

So for now it is time to get back to work. I swam 2+ hours in Lake Tahoe this morning and I am moving on towards my next goal.

Under the San Mateo Bridge with Bob Roper

From the Desk of Bob Roper

(Written by Jon Meyer)

Karen Rogers completed the world record fastest ever time from the Golden Gate to the San Mateo Bridge at 7h 58m 17sec! (The only other swimmer to make it, Drew Downs, finished in 11h.): 23 miles! She started  out swimming against the ebb, and finished fighting the ebb. Water temp at the South Bay was 63. Winds at the South Bay were 21 knots, making waves 3 1/2 – 4 feet high (“Victory at Sea” – Bob). she averaged over 3 mph in these conditions – a “herculean accomplishment” (Bob: he also told me Karen has a “passion for challenge”: “the tougher it gets, the more she digs in: she loves it” She crashed “out cold” in a sleeping bag on the boat ride home!).
Jim Bock was alongside her in a kayak feeding her the whole time: he “can’t lift his arms” today! (Bob said ‘never again’ only one kayaker for a swim that long!)
The main boat was “changes of Attitude” captained by Dewey chambers, with Tom Posey on as first mate.
(Sue Petro assisted: when Sue had to leave the SE before Karen got back, she turned on the sauna so it would be hot for Karen!)
Bob called Karen “so amazing”!

I am still trying to process my story from my  swim. I have started to write about it but find myself overcome with emotion each time I try to put it into words. Check back soon to see if I can pull it all together.

On the East Shore

I have been constantly thinking about the GG Bridge to the San Mateo Bridge swim this Saturday. I think , 22+ miles, 6+ hours and then I feel a little sick to my stomach. Rob asked me today why I was so nervous about this swim. I think it is because it is the next BIG step in my training. I know that if I can just make it past the 6 hour mark, then I am really moving in the right direction. To qualify for the English Channel you have to do a 6 hour swim prior to your swim date. I will just use this swim as my Lake Tahoe qualifier. I am looking forward to getting back in the bay. I have learned to really love the salt water this year.

I called Roper on Monday but he was battling a bad cold and didn’t want to talk. I guess I will just have to wait until Friday to see who he has recruited to be a part of my crew. I am really excited for this swim. It is a big deal. Roper said only 1 other person has accomplished it. I know I can do it!

In Big Blue

Yesterday was my first swim of the season in Lake Tahoe. I took a dip in January but that doesn’t really count.

I have been obsessed with checking the water temperature of the lake on the UC Davis website ( http://remote.ucdavis.edu/tahoe_location.asp) for the past few weeks. I mean really obsessed. I know the exact times that it updates  and I check it within a few minutes to see how much it had increased/decreased since I last checked. So, yesterday at 6am the temperature was showing in the high 40’s on the north shore. The water on the east shore tends to be a little bit warmer this time of year. That meant that it could be as warm as the mid to upper 50’s during the height of the day. It was time to test the waters.

We drove over to the Hyatt beach in Incline Village to check out the lake. This is the beach that I will be swimming into to end my Tahoe crossing. It felt great to stand there and look across the lake. I waded into the water and felt the pain of the cold in my ankles and knees. Really freakin’ cold! This was not the place to start my swim today. Plan B was to drive a little further down the east shore to Sand Harbor and start from the boat launch. I tested the temperature of the water and it seemed a little warmer. Okay let’s do it.

We unloaded the kayak and I started to get myself ready. I was really nervous. I know the pain of fresh cold water and I wasn’t looking forward to it. It is the kind of pain that goes deep into all of your joints. Cold salt water doesn’t seem to do that to me. I stood there half submerged and I couldn’t quite get myself to push off. I kept thinking, you will be numb soon just get going. I finally pushed off and starting turning over as fast as I could. I couldn’t catch my breath, I couldn’t get a rhythmn, I couldn’t relax. My head felt like it was in a vice and my cap was slowly tightening. Then all of a sudden I realized that I was okay. I looked at the the first point that jutted out in front of me and decided that I would swim to it and turn around. Then I reached the point and rounded the corner and looked at the next one and thought I will go to it. I kept thinking, remember you have to swim back so make sure you have enough energy. Then I was just doing it. I was swimming in Tahoe. I have been waiting many months for this day. Everything I have been working towards all had to do with that very moment. Now my training was going to move into a new phase. I am ready.

I was able to swim for 1 hour 10 minutes and covered just over 2 miles. Not too bad. A little slower pace than I usually swim but great considering  the temperature. I learned on the way back that I still need to hug the shore.  I took a straight line back and found out that just a little off shore the temperature had to be at least 5 degrees colder. I had a moment of panic when I felt a slight tightening of my chest. I popped my head up and said to Dano to keep a good eye on me.  I could feel my core temperature dropping quickly. I just kept turning over and before I knew it I was rounding the corner of the point and I could see the golden sand below me.  Well done!

Of course I am going back today. Same plan except I will swim off to the south instead of the north. Maybe even a little warmer going that way. I will let you know how it goes…