Eileen Swanson's Tales

Beautiful Noosa Beach, Oz!

I read some quotes a couple of days ago that pro triathlete Belinda Granger wrote post victory at IM China. This pretty much sums up all that I have been trying to focus on these past couple of months. Belinda is an awesome athlete and person. I met her a couple of years ago at IM Canada and had exchanged many emails with her. It was not until my Oz trip that I really got to experience her inspiring enthusiasm and warm heart! She is too funny. I will never forget my very first day in Oz at swim practice when I just arrived fresh off the plane (yes Coach said to come straight to the pool), and I was put in Belinda’s lane. I was so excited to see her and she was so sweet and welcoming. The funny part of this story is that we were about to miss an interval on a 100m set and Belinda kept talking to me and I said “go, you’re going to miss the interval.” She replied “oh well, we will get it on the next one.” HA! She is so easy going and fun…..

“I discovered at the end of this race that as human beings we are capable of so much more than we think – the survival skills installed in us as athletes far surpass what I ever thought possible.”

“My coach often talks about the fact that there is no such thing as the ‘ideal training venue’, only the ‘ideal attitude’. Well I was thinking about this on the run and the same can be applied to a race. There is no such thing as the ‘ideal race condition’ – it is all about your attitude on the day and how you can best cope with what is thrown at you on any given day.” – Belinda Granger

BG is amazing!

Cheers,

E

This is our Camp group pic!

We coached another Alcatraz camp this past weekend and I have to say we were all blessed with gorgeous weather once again!! It was a beautiful day in SF. The Bay was relatively calm, but the current was still fast and furious.

Everyone had an amazing time and made it safely through all parts of the Escape course and we were especially happy with the fun and safe Bay crossing. There was a whale sighting a few days prior to our swim, so that made it even more eventful! But we were not lucky enough to witness a whale yesterday. Hopefully next time.

This was my 57th Alcatraz to shore swim. It was a really fun one as one of our participants that I swam with was a breastroker and IM’er at Cal. He was flying through the water and I had to hold him up a couple of times so that we both were not swimming across the Bay solo HA! It was kind of spooky, looking around while I was in the middle of the bay and seeing our instructor boats hundreds of yards away. We were in fact swimming this solo. Yikes! But so very cool too……

Have a spectacular day!

XO,

E

Ok, so here you have it, here are my 2 favorite swim training partners! I love these 2. They never complain about the set and they just keep on going and going…..Ok, just kidding, not really! But thought this pic was super cute, so I had to post it and it is true that Belle swims with us sometimes

Another great sunny day in CA and a very fun swim today at the Oracle pool. It is pretty nice to have a 25 meter pool at work. Oracle has a huge workout facility, complete with an outdoor beach volleyball court and a 25 meter pool. Yes, we are a bit spoiled here!

I try to swim during my lunch break several times a week. Today I had a tough 300, 600, 900, etc…workout provided by the infamous Coach P. I was feeling great during the first round and then fellow pro triathlete Jeff Piland shows up and decides to jump in my lane. Yikes! I am scared to swim with him, as he is an ex-collegiate swimmer and a 23-24 min 1/2 IM swimmer. He is awesome. I told him that I was nervous to swim with him and he kindly said “Don’t be, you shouldn’t be.” Yeah right! HA! Ok, well it was not so bad…..

It was actually really good for me. I pushed hard, swam great, felt smooth and in control and had my fastest times ever for my 300s and 900. YEEHAWW! Super cool to swim with SUPER fast people. Lesson learned – do not be afraid to train with ANYONE, it will only make you stronger and faster! I know, I learned this in OZ, but I needed a little reminder

Have an awesome day!

E

Pic of Edwin, my niece Julia, and I post Disney half marathon last year.

Best wishes for an awesome day to all of those running the Boston Marathon. I especially wish positive thoughts for my big brother Edwin who is out there running his first Boston Marathon ever. He is my biggest inspiration. I wish I would have told him that before he started today, but I hope he knows it. I have always looked up to him….

Edwin is 6 1/2 years older than me and I have always looked up to him with great respect. He is that one person who is incredibly talented all around. Super smart, very athletic, sweet, and has a great sense of humor. We grew up playing lots of different sports and always loved to be super active. He and my other brother and I would always love to race each other everywhere, whether it be to a friend’s house down the street, to the bathroom to brush our teeth, or from the car to the front of the grocery store. It was a race always! I loved it.

It was not until this past year that Edwin decided that he wanted to run a marathon. He has done several triathlons, but has never formally trained for any. So, this past summer, he decided that he would train for a marathon. His idea of training for anything is to cram in several hard sessions 2-3 weeks prior to an event. Things all come very easy for him. So he thought a long endurance event should come easy as well. I was so hoping that he would learn that it would take more than a couple of weeks to train for something of this magnitude. Well, he proved me wrong. Again, his natural ability shined and he finished a hilly SF marathon in 3.26. His first attempt ever. Fast forward to October of 07. Edwin decided that he wanted to qualify for Boston. So, he signed up for Cal International marathon in December. This time, I adamentally told him that he HAS to train starting that day. He did and he put in a good 8 weeks of training. He finished Cal Int’l marathon in 3.06. WOW! Amazing, we were all so impressed.

Today, I have been tracking him at Boston and he ran the first 5, 10, and 15K with Lance Armstrong. 6.26-6.30 pace. So sweet and cool! I am praying for him and sending him all of my positive energy for an awesome time today. I know he will do AMAZING!

FAST, STRONG, POSITIVE thoughts Bro…….

P.S. I love my Big Bro…..He even sent me a text message while he was on the bus to the starting line today wishing me a Happy Birthday!

E

Today Coach had me scheduled on the “fast ride” followed by a short run. The “fast ride” is led by local pro cyclists, as well as pro triathlete Chris Lieto, among others. It is what many athletes in our area call the “heinously fast” ride. It is known for its blistering speeds over rolling terrain as well as some crashes from time to time. Most triathletes in this area avoid the ride. I too am scared of this ride but I “try” it from time to time, since Reid loves it. Today was going to be my day to HANG ON!

The ride started at a good pace as the wind kicked up. I knew it was going to be a tough day no matter what, but the winds through the canyon would make it even tougher. As soon as we turned onto the major road, the wind was in our face. Normally I would freak out and think that I was going to get dropped, but not today. I had a much better attitude and felt strong. I was able to ignore the 30 mph headwind and just stay on Reid’s wheel. I was hurting, but I was so happy to be feeling strong. I stayed on and just kept pedaling and thinking about everything positive other than my legs being on fire. I made it further than I had made it on this ride in a long, long time. I evntually fell off, but not for too long. I put my head down and worked super hard and caught a group of men that had just fallen off the main pack.

It took me a while to catch them but I was so stoked that I did it all on my own into the nasty head/cross wind. We worked hard together and eventually got back with the main group as they were at the regroup point. I said a few words to Chris, asked where Reid was and he said up ahead. Reid likes to keep going and not stop. So, I took off a minute before Chris and the other guys did and again put my head down and killed myself so that I could either catch Reid (yea right) or stay away from the main pack for at least a bit. I did just that! I stayed away from the main pack for at least 3 miles. It felt so good. First Chris and 6 guys flew by me at speeds I could not comprehend! Then a couple of the others caught me and I was able to stay with them for the rest of the ride. I even took some pulls. It was awesome. I needed this ride as a confidence builder! I am super happy!

Oh and I was the only girl on the ride AND Coach sent me an email that said “Great ride, you rode strong…….”

Have a great weekend!

E

April 16th, 2005 is our wedding anniversary and this year it was our 3rd! It’s always a super special day to celebrate! 3 years ago on this day, we had a magical time and it was even more sweet after what we had endured in the months leading up to this day!

In March of 2005, Reid and I were living in our first home that we had purchased together just a year prior. We had decided to upgrade and move just 10 minutes away. At this time, the housing market was amazing and we had to wait in line and grab a number as all the new homes were going by lottery. Crazy, huh? (I sure hope the market rebounds) We were excited for this move and everything seemed to be working out smoothly. Well at the beginning of March, Reid had been inteviewing for new jobs. So by chance he landed a new job, accepted and began working 1 week prior to our move. Yikes! Things were still ok, and I would just have to do more of the packing. Two days into his new job, his boss tells him that training will be taking place the following week and he will have to travel. WHAT? Yes, this is where things get even crazier. Oh and I forgot to mention that I was in training for IM Arizona

We moved into our home at the end of March, and everything went as planned. Well, pretty close. All I had to do was unpack a bit, rest, and train a bit. Luckily I had taken 2 weeks off of work for this busy time. It was an awesome feeling to be in our first brand new house. We had picked out everything from the carpet, tile, granite, etc. Fun stuff and exciting time for sure.

Four days later, we were on a flight to Arizona. This was my first IM. I was super excited, nervous, and of course all I could think about was a week later I would be Mrs. Swanson Race day arrived and I was ready to rock n roll. Of course going into this race I had the usual aches and pains of taper week, so I thought no big deal. The swim was awesome I felt great and came out in just over 55 mins. The bike was tough and windy and I was not as prepared as I thought I was. So that was a tough, long time out there in the wind. The run was painful. I felt great until mile 10 where I had a serious strong pain in the outside of my left knee. I thought it was my IT band, so I stopped and stretched and walked a bit hoping that the pain would at least subside. It did not and I was panicking. But I was darn certain that I was going to finish my first IM. As the miles went by and the pain increased to the point that I was throwing up from it, I finally saw Reid and my old coach out there on the course. They were there for me at just the right time. They saw the pain in my face and my seriously noticeable limp or gallop. I was basically dragging my left leg along. I’m sure they wanted me to stop, but I didn’t tell them how bad it was as I knew better. I saw the pain on Reid’s face as he was cringing for me. But he knew that I would not give up. I suffered like I have never suffered before, throwing up, crying, not knowing what was wrong with my leg. I eventually finished in an hour and 20 mins over my goal time, but I did it!

I could not walk for the next several days, well I did with a major hobble and limp. I did not go to the Doctor just yet because we had to fly to San Diego and get ready for our wedding, which took place 6 days after IM. I attended all of the parties that we had scheduled, including our favorite surf party. We decided to forgo the normal bachelor/bacherlorette parties and have a surf party with all of our close friends and family, a day before our wedding. It was so amazing, but I have to admit that I was in so much pain. I was still hobbling around, but I was trying so hard not to show or talk about my pain. Our wedding day was incredible with perfect 72 degree weather and beautiful blue skies. We did it! We did it all – Reid got a new job, travelled, moved into our new house, raced IM AZ, hosted a cool surf party, rehearsal dinners, and we got married – all in 2 1/2 weeks time!!

The only bad news was that I had a stress fracture in my femur all throughout the run at IM AZ. Yup, I finally got it checked out after our wedding…..but that was the past……..moving on…..

Stay healthy!

E

Picture of Phil and I “suitin’ up” pre-Alcatraz swim clinic.

This past weekend, Reid and I coached the Escape from Alcatraz Swim Clinics for Tri California. These clinics are comprised of a Friday night Aquatic park test swim, followed by a Saturday early morning boat trip to Alcatraz island for a drop off to swim back to shore (or to St Francis Yacht Club). And then we repeat again with new participants on Saturday night and Sunday morning. The swim can be anywhere from 1.5 miles to 2.3 miles, depending on the line you take. Yes, there is a HUGE difference.

I have been coaching these clinics for the past 4 years and absolutely love to see all of the athletes overcome a huge fear of swimming in the bay and wondering if they are capable of finishing the swim. It is an awesome feeling to be able to share my experiences with them and lead them through the entire swim. I have swum across the Bay 55 times now and each time it is a unique experience. The currents, tides, and swells are never the same. The weather is never the same either, so where you sight is always different as well. Some landmarks are only visible on clear days. This weekend was incredible. We had a heat wave come through the Bay Area and it was in the 80s in SF. Everyone in the city strolled around in their bathing suits or close to it, I’m serious! Absolutley amazing weather!

Saturday morning’s swim across the Bay went well. We had 3 boats take 15 athletes plus 5 coaches out to the island. 3 coaches stay on the boats overseeing each group, while 2 coaches are in the water making sure the groups stay very close together. I am always one of the coaches in the water, as I love to be able to swim back and forth and all around regrouping the athletes and telling them how awesome they are doing and how amazing it is that they are able to experience this. It was the most calm we have ever seen the Bay, in terms of choppiness and swells. The Bay looked like a lake. BUT as soon as we jumped in and started swimming towards our first landmark, we noticed that the current was very strong. It was pulling us West very quickly. So, the coaches on the boats yelled to me to sight towards a different landmark, one that was further east. I quickly got a hold of my 6 athletes and had them follow me in the right direction.

As we got closer to shore, I noticed how quickly the current was moving towards the Golden Gate Bridge. I quickly rounded up my swimmers and had them swim as hard as they could to shore so that we would not be swept away from our target landing. They all landed on shore, a bit further down stream than expected but still pretty awesome with that STRONG current. They were ecstatic! They officially completed their first Alcatraz – SF Bay crossing.

On Sunday, it was pretty much the same story, except alot more athletes. Beautiful weather, cool water, strong currents and another succeful Bay crossing for all of our participants. Awesome times! Everyone was VERY HAPPY!

Happy Monday!

E

Yesterday, I had the awesome opportunity to run on the Escape from Alcatraz run course. It is a nice rolling to hilly run, with some AMAZING views of the San Francisco Bay Area. I have run on this course many times as part of the race as well as while coaching the clinics for the race. So, I know the course very well, but every time I run here I AM TRULY AMAZED at the beauty of where I live.

Sometimes we forget to stop, look around and realize how lucky we are to live in the cities of our choice. I live a short 40 mins inland from SF where I have nice rolling hills, wide open roads, and gorgeous Mt Diablo a short 7 mile bike ride from my house. I can have the peace and quiet of San Ramon, CA or drive 40 mins to the awesome city where people from all over the world dream to visit. It is truly amazing! I love it here and will always live here.

During my run, I ran along the water where I could see Alcatraz island on my right, the Golden Gate Bridge in front of me and the beautiful Palace of Fine Arts to my left. As I climbed onto the trail and asceneded to the top, I was in awe of how beautiful the entire Bay Area looked. I was overcome with happiness and joy! I was smiling so BIG and thinking of how lucky I am. This is my home sweet home

Enjoy your surroundings, smile BIG, live it up……..

E