T. Scott Coleman, another Pine Crest alum, and his Gibraltar Strait Swim Sucess!!!

I am pleased to announce that T. Scott Coleman, age 57 with Insulin Dependant Diabetes, has added another major swim to his already impressive resume!!

He crossed the Gibraltar Strait on Monday morning, 08 August 2011, in 4 hrs, 2 minutes and 58 seconds.

He had stellar conditions for the first 1/2 of the swim with escorts of dolphin pods, Pilot whales, sun fish and even some 30' "other" whales below him.

The wind kicked up the 2nd half of the swim (today it was back up to gusts of 25-30 knots with terrible chop),but he powered through to become what appears to be the fastest time for an Insulin Dependant Diabetic person to swim Gibraltar.

This adds to his past succsses of the English Channel, Catalina Channel, MIMS, Cook Strait (New Zealand), Tampa Bay 24 mile swim, Long Island Sound, around Key West and Masters open water national champhionship(and others I'm certain that I've omitted).

At age 57 and with his medical issues, he is a true and "real" testimony that age is just a number.

I was honored to be the MD and crew member for Scott's swim yesterday, but he needed no assistance or care as he truly knows his body and diabetes..His blood sugars were spot on at the end of his swim.

He was bummed that he didn't break 4 hrs, but the last hour proved to be a challenge as the wind kicked up and at the end, the current off the Coast of Africa was running at 2.5 knots/hr and he really showed grit powering through to Morocco.

It was full circle for this year as he was crew (along with my brother Dan Richards)for my 24 mile Tampa swim this past April and then he and I crewed for my brother's recent MIMS swim in June. This time Dan (my bro) and I were able to provide the support as crew. We all are graduates of Pine Crest Prep High School(Ft. Lauderdale, FLA-T. Scott Coleman '72, Dan Richards'74 and Scott Richards '77)and are proud to carry on the school's swimming tradition into our 50's!!!

His preparation was obvious from the start.

Way to go T. Scott Coleman!!!

On to new adventures for the future!

"At the end of the day, it's what you DO, not what you say" (and what you learn along the way)

A new Richards Triple Crowner!!!

News Flash!!!!
My brother Dan completed the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim on 18 June 2011 in a very fast 8 hours 5 minutes to become the 42nd person in history to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming!!!!
He executed his swim plan perfectly and at 54+ years old, was the only person in the top 10 of the race (out of 35) who was over the age of 50.

With this accomplishment, we are now the only siblings in history to complete the Triple.

GREAT JOB DAN!!!!

Tampa Bay-mission completed, albeit with a wounded right shoulder!!!

An excruciating swim was the result on 23 April 2011 in the Tampa Bay Marathon swim with water temperatures ranging from in the low to the mid 80's for the entire swim. Added to it was a right sided wave chop and wind from the right for the first 5 hours and it was apparent very quickly that a fast swim was not to be in the cards...10 hours and 35 minutes after the starting wistle, I climbed onto the Ben T. Davis beach to add the American Triple Crown (Tampa, Manhattan, Catalina) to the list of swims over the years.....in some ways, this was the most difficult due the heat, the waves and especially over the last 6 miles when my right shoulder began to "give out".....it was like dragging a broken log every time I tried to breathe to the right, and the first time in many years that I was not able to respond to my crew's cries of "now pick it up and catch some people"....I could see the boats in front of me, but had NOTHING left in the tank!!!
I was 6th overall despite my "broken right wing"!!!!
And with a busy 10 days of travel, reunions and 1000 miles of driving up and down the state of Florida the week earlier, I can now, 4 days later, feel a sense of accopmlishment and relief.....

This was a swim that I feel "validates" my past 45 year swimming career. Being a success in the hot conditions, my past pool and water polo successs as youth and then my adult masters and cold marathons makes me feel that I can say with veracity.....I AM A COMPLETE SWIMMER!!!!

Who knows if there will be more swims in the future?????

But for today, I look forward to the relaxation of being a "pleasure swimmer", support crew and "coach" Richards......A well earned "vacation" from the high intensity is now in place.

I came "home" to Florida and added the longest USMS swim to the list.....

Mission completed.....

Blessings to All!!!

Now on to some summer Yes concerts and a new CD!!!!

Tampa Bay Marathon is here!!!!

Less than 24 hours till the start of the 24 miles of swimming up the Tampa Bay...got here a few days ago after being in South Florida visiting family/friends and it is HOT!!!! It's been 10 degrees above the average for April.....conditions for Saturday are water temp at 78, air will be 85-88!!!!! Hydrate, hydrate and the more hydration are the key......Will be very glas to have this chapter of swims in the rear view mirror...Happy Easter to all!!!!
Wish me the best with prayers for a safe swim...

Mid February and the miles are building

It's now 10 weeks till the 24 mile Tampa swim and training going better than expected, although my body is reminding me that I'm 51 and not 30 anymore...more recovery time is required after 25-30 mile weeks!!!
Speed is increasing and the Endless pool is getting its' own workout as I'm getting in an average of 3.75-4 miles at leat 4 days a week and sometimes an extra 3 in the evening after work..
I've even added some "wall bouncing" (swimming in a regular 25 yard or meter pool) to the regime this time and it's nice to see that I can still hold some good intervals...albeit, my legs hurt the next day from pushing off the walls!!!!
Recent shark sighting at La Jolla Cove will not stop this marathon swimmer.
One recent development was my "Swimman" MP3 player crashing and burning, and I had 2 weeks of no music whilst swimming...suprisingly, the workouts went by quickly as I had no reference to time...when I hear songs, I have an idea of how long I'm swimming...but I did get the new 3rd generation Swimman last week and have loaded up 10 hours of music.

Finally, I've made the ULTIMATE sacrifice for the swim....I'm NOT going to see YES on the mini tour in March....to worried of missing training days and getting sick from airplane air......Just hope they are out West some time after the swim.....88 YESSHOWS and counting...was hoping to see 100 before they end...but a new YES CD is due this summer...

And may head over to Gibraltar to help my fellow marathoner and crew mate, Scott Coleman, this summer in his quest to swim the Gibraltar Strait...

Float your climb!!!

Scott "the Yesdoc" Richards, MD

January has been productive

It's the end of January and today, (Saturday 29 January 2011, )I did my first 10 mile day in the water in many years.....7.5 in the 55 degree water off La Jolla-no wetsuit (wetsuits are for wimps!!!) and then 2.5 in the 68 degree Endless Pool at home in the afternoon. The longest full day workouts since completing England in 2007!!! Maybe I'm not a "has been" afterall..it's been nice to lose the channel weight and feel stronger the past few months...really looking forward to the Tampa swim...
Brother Dan in training well for his Manhattan Marathon in June...
With God's blessings, we'll become the only siblings in history to complete the "World" triple crwon (England, Manhattan, Catalina) and the "American" triple crown (Tampa, Manhattan, Catalina) in history..
Nice to feel strong again....
Especially nice to lose 28 of the 35 lbs I gained for England...I feel like "Scott" again!!!!!!

The training is progressing

Less than 3 weeks into January and the grind time is here!!! Learned a valuabe lesson last week.....had not been to a "regular" pool in over 4 years.....moral of the story....CONFIRM THE LENGTH OF THE POOL...METERS OR YARDS!!!!! I went to see how slow/fast I am and left sooooo depressed until the guard said "oh that's 25 meters"....suddenly I didn't feel so slow and lethargic after all.....Went back this week with the knowledge that it was METERS and not Yards.....now the clock made sense.....
6+ mile days are becomming a 2x/week occurence...now to see if I can make it 3......
Feeling stronger than I recall from 4 years ago....maybe, maybe not...but the loss of weight has made a difference in the feel in the water.....and I am starting to get some definition in my shoulder muscles...not bad for an old, middle aged swimmer...best to all!!!

Tampa Training has stepped up!!

The past 2 weeks has seen the onset of a new year and the onset of "amping up" the miles/yardage and time in the water in preparation for the upcoming Tampa Bay 24 mile swim.
It's been a bit of a suprise that I had not accurately recalled how tired/sore/fatigued my shoulders get when past the 20 mile + per week range...What's been a postive for the mind and body is the loss of a significant amount of my "channel weight" since August of 2010 (when Dan and I returned from his wonderful EC crossing!!)
I am a bit faster, but the down side is some struggle at La Jolla Cove with no wetsuit!! (Wetuits are for wimps!!!)

The goal is to maintain an average of about 35-45K yards (20-25 miles) per week for the next month, with the majority in the Endless pool, and then it's a bit more "speed" and "power" work, since Tampa is race, and now that I know I can do the distance, it's a chance to see if I can still compete with speed.

Let's hope that the recent warm San Diego weather gives us the summer we missed this past year.
98 days (14 weeks) until the gun goes off for the Tampa swim.