The SAA Baltimore Open Water Swim Cap!

At yoga class, my teachers always encourage us to set an intention for our practice.  I've found this to be a really powerful process and have begun adapt it for days I know will be really busy or challenging.

In swimming, intention can be a powerful thing as well.  That's why swimmers develop race plans. So for the Swim Across America Baltimore 3 mile Open Water Swim I decided to try my hand at a race plan for the first time.  It was a simple one--goal of swimming in 1 hour and 45 minutes (or less).  Fast first mile, try and maintain for the second mile, stick with it for mile three, and dig in for the last bit.

So, how'd the day go?

As I wrote earlier this weekend, my mom came into town for the swim, and we drove out to Annapolis so we'd have a shorter ride to the swim with such an early start.  And an early start it was.  We were up and at'em at 5 am.  But if you are going to have to get motivated at 5 am, the Original Goldfish are really good at doing it.  My dad, who is home in Illinois with a cold, emailed the photo below (left), and my mom was pumped up and ready to go!

The Original Goldfish on Big Swim Day!

So after getting my pep, my nutrition, and some stretching in at the hotel, we hit the road to the swim!  Weather wise, we lucked out 100%.  They had been calling for rain, but it was a beautiful sunny morning.

It was still dark when we pulled into the farm where the swim was taking place.  And even from that, it was clear that this was no ordinary swim.  It was a beautiful horse farm, and there were people to direct us for parking.  When we walked down to near the water, there were tents for registration and gear and for first time participants to get "rookie" temporary tattoos.  There was a a stage and music playing, and tables covered in red, white and blue cloths.  It was Swim Across America land!

Red House Cove was a beautiful, flat body of water with lots of boats anchored there.  The water was about 72 degrees (so I opted to wear my wet suit) and SALTY!  Also, no one mentioned the jellyfish.

There were about 200 swimmers at the event, and about 50 of us were doing the three mile course.  The loaded us into the start pen, and Theresa Andrews, a Baltimore native who won a gold in the 100 m backstroke in the 1984 Olympics, started the race.

Clockwise (starting top left): Sporting my rookie tattoo, the Red Cove Course, Swim Across America flag, Mom and I pre-race, and me running up on the beach between the first and second miles.

I'd told myself that I wasn't going to get caught up in the start and over-swim.  And I didn't!  I let the group from Towson University Swimming and the gold-medal winning Paralympian Ian Silverman and the other speed demons go for it.  By the way, Silverman "won" the race, swimming it in 48 minutes. Crazy!

I swam my race, finishing the first mile in under 31 minutes, and the second in under 32 minutes.  I felt great, during both those laps (though the standing up and running along the beach part was difficult (it's hard to go from horizontal to vertical).  On my second loop, I met the jellyfish for the first time, and got some prickly stings on my right arm.

The third, 1-mile loop was the tough one.  I was tiring and a bit of chop had picked up on the water, and unfortunately, I was starting to cramp in my calves. My pace slowed to about 35 minutes, and despite another run-in with the jellys, I was able to stick with my race plan and push the last 200 meters.

Only problem was that when I reached the beach, with my cramped up calves, I stood up, tripped and fell over.  Yup, I was that girl!  Needless to say, I crossed the finish line with a time of ~1 hour and 41 minutes.  Which included the little runs up onto the beach.

And I was really excited to finish the swim, and do it faster than my goal time as I represented the 60+ individuals and families who supported me and the amazing work of the Swim Across America Laboratory at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Listening to Dr. Luis Diaz, the director of the Swim Across America Laboratory, it was amazing to hear how the $425,000 that was raised through the event (and $4,063 that Team Goldfish members contributed) will fund cutting edge research, cancer support services for couples, and shaping of a new generation of medical researchers.  Here's what the sign outside the lab looks like!





Read an example of the Lab's cutting edge research here!

Thanks again to all the members of Team Goldfish, and to everyone who emailed, texted, and called leading up to and following the race.  Your support means so much to me!

The Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim is finally here!

On June 23, 2013 I signed up to take on the longest open water swim of my life!  91 days later, it's finally here.  I feel excited and nervous, grateful and supported, and most of all ready! 

While I don't aspire to be a top ten finisher in the swim (seriously, there will be Olympians in the field), I am excited to report that from the looks of it, Team Goldfish will be a top 10 fundraiser for cancer research at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Check back soon for the full report on how the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim goes!  

We're on the road to Pasadena (Maryland) for Swim Across America!

We're?  Yes we're!  Because Team Goldfish has a support team for this Sunday's Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim!  You may recognize her, you may know her, you may even be married to her! (I know my readership.) Yup it's my awesome mom, Joan!

The best support team a girl could ask for!  My mom sporting her Team Goldfish swimcap.

My mom will be in town for ~32 hours. Because she's awesome!  I'm going to pick her up and we'll head out to Annapolis for the night, since it's closer to the race.  Then it'll be an early start on Sunday--since registration is open from 6-7, and there will be a half hour drive to get to Red House Cove--looking like a 5 am start.  Some visit!

As of Thursday, the water temperature was 76, so I'm debating doing the swim sans wetsuit.  Likely going to decide on Sunday morning.  But, the weather forecast is looking like rain, light wind and 73 degrees for the high.  So send your good energies toward Pasadena, MD for clear weather on Sunday (though overcast wouldn't be so bad--it makes it easier to site) so my mom doesn't have to get as wet as I do!

Challenge Grant: Let's get to $4000, and I'll match up to $200 in contributions!

It's hard to believe that after a long summer of training and fundraising, we're heading into the last week before the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim.  I'm feeling ready and excited about swimming 3 miles on Sunday, September 22.

But, before the race, there's one last challenge I want to push for!  Back in June, I set my initial fundraising goal was to raise $1500 for the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine. and supporters smashed it in two weeks. 

Then I doubled down on my goal and said let's go for $3000, and supporters smashed that one too!

As of today, Team Goldfish members have contributed $3,545 to cancer research.  Which is amazing!

But, all this swim training has made me competitive in service of a good cause.  So I'm really hoping that there are some additional Team Goldfish supporters out there who will help us get to $4,000.  And here's the incentive--I will match up to $200 in contributions. 

So make a contribution through my SAA Fundraising Page between now and September 21, 2013 (I get an email when you donate), I'll add up everything that gets donated this week, and making a contribution to match it (up to $200) before the big race! 

Thanks to all who have contributed thus far!  I'm honored to have you support me as I make waves to fight cancer.

Can't Hardly Wait!

 

 

until

I think the Replacements said it best...

Monday Morning Video: Swim Across America Baltimore 2012

Only three weeks until the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim.  So it seems fitting to draw some inspiration from last year's event!  Check out the beautiful course, the energized swimmers, and how the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center uses the funds raised through the event. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't mention that there's still time to donate through my fundraising page.



Swim Across America Baltimore 2012 from Coyle Studios on Vimeo.

Team Goldfish Supporter Snaps #4

As of Monday morning, I had gotten thank you notes in the mail to everyone who has supported me and cancer research through the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim. All of the "official" Team Goldfish swimcaps have been claimed, but there are more fun little incentives in the works.

As I mentioned in previous posts, I'm asking all team members to snap photos of themselves sporting their "official" team swim caps or stickers my team will be with me on race day, September 22. 

As past editions of Supporters Snaps attest, the members of Team Goldfish are a creative and fun bunch, and this week's edition is no exception!

Today's supporter snaps features two people I met when I worked at the Greater Washington Board of Trade.  On the left is my old boss, and current friendtor (friend + mentor) Caroline who is giving us all a virtual high five while sporting a chic black sheath dress.  And on the right is my friend Roxanne--a triathlete and all-around wonderful person--who's already getting me pumped to swim, swim, swim!  Thanks for the support and the good humor ladies!

What will Team Goldfish members think up next?

Team Goldfish Sunday Fundraising Upate: Doubling Down & Swim Caps are here!

Thanks to all the members of Team Goldfish for your amazing support of me and cancer research. You've helped me shatter my $1500 fundraising goal for the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim!  And as of this morning, together we've contributed $2300 for cancer research at The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) at Johns Hopkins.

But, with 2 months until the big event, I've gotten a bit competitive (see previous fundraising posts and my fictional rivalry with Pegg Brennecke).  So I'm "unofficially" doubling my goal, and hoping that I can raise at least $3000 for this important cause!

In addition to contributing to support me and  cancer research at a leading institution, there's also a perk for the first 50 contributors for Team Goldfish--a team swimcap.  The caps have arrived from the printers and they look awesome.  I'll be sending them out of the next week.

I'd love for all the members of Team Goldfish to snap a pic of them modeling their cap and send it my way.  I hope to feature it on my blog (if you don't want that, let me know).  But, I'd really like to have  pics of all my supporters with me on race day, since my hunch is that very few, if any, of you will be in Pasadena, MD at 8:30 am on Sunday, September 22.

My awesome colleague Eileen models her Team Goldfish swim cap!

While 38 of the caps have been claimed, the next 12 contributors can still get one.  To make a contribution visit my fundraising page located here! Go Team Goldfish!

Amazing first week of fundraising for Team Goldfish!

Last weekend, I took the plunge and signed up for the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim 3 miler.  The swim will take place on September 22 and I committed to raising $1500 for cancer research at Johns Hopkins Medical. 

Six days into these efforts, I'm blown away by the support and generosity of my friends, family and co-workers.  Through an email and Facebook/twitter updates thanking contributors, I've already been able to raise over $1300!  

Because of this I decided we needed a team name.  And for a swimmer who's last name is Gold, what better name could there be than Team Goldfish?  I'll be posting short updates on my training, fundraising and other swim-related stuff on this blog over the next couple of months.  You can also tap into them, if you follow me on Twitter or checkout #TeamGoldfish!

And don't forget, there's 85 days to become a member of Team Goldfish by contributing to cancer research here: http://www.swimacrossamerica.org/goto/AlisonGold.