So….tomorrow I head up to Chelan! I am getting really tired of “resting” and I am ready to get going! I am also tired of eating. Real carbo loading is hard work! (Ashley-I’m doing my best, but 1000 grams of carbs is a lot!).
Yesterday I got in a really nice 1 mile swim in at Vantage in the Columbia River (its calm there don’t worry). The main purpose was a loosen up swim and to test my new Garmin forerunner (thanks to a group effort from Snappys, Runner’s Edge and KS). There are many reviews out there on the forerunner and there are complaints that it doesn’t track swim distance accurately. My review of it is that it does. I don’t believe the “pace” function works properly, but the tracking function appears to, at least by my estimates.
We seem to be very covered in terms of GPS devices. We’ve got the Forerunner, which will be on me. Then on the boat we will have Daren’s SPOT GPS, which (once it’s turned on Wednesday) will show my progress at the following map:
(Again there will be no data appearing on this map until Wednesday). Additionally, we will have Paul’s handheld GPS which will keep us on track based on the pre-plotted “way points.” So in this regard we are WAY more prepared than last year.
Today mom and I packed all of my food for the swim. I’ve got about 20 or so different options of things to eat during the swim, so again as opposed to last year, I will probably not be eating anything enough to get sick of any one single thing.
Everything seems to be in order. Weather appears to be working in my favor! And…one other exciting piece of news today. Jaime text messaged me today and told me that Katelyn and family WILL be at the swim! I don’t know the particulars on why that changed but I imagine it had to do with hurricane Irene and their inability to get to New York this week. But I am very happy they will be there! KK’s dad Brian will be filling the last vacant crew position I needed filled as well! So we are all set.
Tonight’s an important sleep night (even more so than tomorrow night). I will probably get at least one post in tomorrow but in case I forget to tell you….during my swim my brother Paul will be updating my blog and my facebook sites with as much information as he can. During the early parts of the swim information may be limited to the SPOT map, as cell coverage on the north part of the lake is nonexistent and although we did rent some satellite phones, they cost 1.98 a minute for calls-they will be used for emergencies only. As we get further down the lake and cell coverage gets better updates will be more frequent. But I will address that in a post tomorrow again!
Well I should get to bed here pretty soon! Good night!
~Emily
FYI: I have been using my Garmin Forerunner for swimming. It is more accurate when I attach it to my swim goggle strap. It estimates a longer distance than actual, when it is on my wrist. (It must measure my arm strokes when on my wrist)
ReplyDeleteEVJ, you are amazing. I will be online stalking you during the swim. :)
ReplyDelete--Julie M