So I got 4 emails this morning and I thought I’d share them with you:
1) BMSC at Masters Nationals…
2) Sue Lucas wins her age group at the World 24 hour Ultra Championships in Paris…
3) Meagan McGrath climbs Lhotse…
4) Marcy MacDonald will be doing some serious swimming this summer…
1) Here are the results from all my winter training buddies at Burlington Masters Swim Club at the Nationals in Nanaimo… they did really well:
Here’s a recap of BMSC’s performance at the Canadian Nationals in Nanaimo May 21st – 24th:
~ Division 3 Canadian National Champions!!!
~ 5th overall (only teams with more swimmers were ahead of us)
~ 1,895 points, beating the host club Nanaimo!!!
~ Only behind Technosport, Aurora, Edmonton and Victoria – all with more swimmers
~ 2 Canadian Records
~ 6 Provincial Records
~ 25 Gold Medals (including 2 Relay’s)
~ 23 Silver Medals
~ 16 Bronze (including 3 Relay’s)
~ 103 Individual Top 16 places (Top 16 all earn points), with everyone on the team generating points!!!
~ Everyone earning multiple Lifetime PB’s and/or Masters PB’s
2) My running buddy (yes, I used to know how to run!), Sue Lucas, whom I ran the Marathon des Sables with (7 day ultra-marathon across the Sahara Desert) set a Canadian record for her age group at the World 24 Hour Ultra Championships in Paris… running 197.638 km on an 1150 meter track in Brive, France… in 24 hours! Here’s the email she sent me:
“I got back from France last Sat. am had an amazing 24 hr race at the Worlds and then 5 days in Paris. Ended up running 197.638 km in the 24 hours, came out top Canadian woman and have the new Canadian Record for 24hrs distance in my age group with the ACU. My secret goal going into the race was to run 200k and be top Canadian woman, 1 out of 2 isn’t bad I guess. Should have run faster…would have, should have, could have. Next year I’m gunning for over 200k as the World’s is going to be in Switzerland.”
3) Meagan McGrath climbs Lhotse (why Lhotse?…well she’s already climbed the 7 summits!). Oddly right after my email from Sue, I got this email from another tent-mate from Marathon des Sables:
On 23 March 2010, 1030hrs Nepal time, I successfully summitted Lhotse (8516m , 4th highest mtn in the world). I made my initial, no oxygen, attempt on 22 March, but just below the main couloir, my collegues and I decided that we should not proceed without proper climing protection (fixed lines) in place, and we turned around. For them, it was their only attempt, as they had available only a limited supply of oxygen. For me, I was able to consider another attempt.
The following evening, I departed Camp 4 (approx 7600m), without oxygen, on my second attempt. However, I immediately discovered that 2 days at high altitude, without supplemental oxygen, does, in fact, severely fatigue the human body. My Sherpa, Pemba, encouraged me to use oxygen, and I accepted his advice. Therefore, from Camp 4 to the summit of Lhotse, I did use oxygen – but it was worth it – the view from the summit was magnificent, and looking at Mount Everest from across the way was extraordinary.
I’m now in Kathmandu ( not resting at all! LOL!) And being very busy assessing the status of my next expedition. I’m planning on heading to Pakistan, and sussing out the requirements for a proper attempt on K2, and potentially climbing Broad Peak. We’ll see how things turn out …! In the Fall, I’m still planning on returning to Kathmandu and carrying on to Cho Oyu and Shishapangma (both, 8000m peaks). www.meaganmcgrathadventurer.com
4) Okay, claiming to be tight with Marcy might be a bit of a stretch, even for my “associated glory” theory, but I’ve spoken with her on email numerous times and know her from the English Channel chat group… and am looking forward to meeting her at MIMS in two weeks… she’s a big name in the world of Open Water Swimming… she done all kinds of things… like a double crossing of the English Channel… amongst her 10 crossings! I got an email from her this morning too and this is what she’s up to this summer:
“The 2010 season starts June 12th, with a relay around Manhattan, NY, www.nycswim.org. Five Channel swimming friends and I also have a goal to raise $10,000 for St. Vincent’s and we hope you will be part of our success. The relay consists of Liz Fry, Marcia Cleveland, Bonnie Schwartz, Elaine Kornbau Howley and Meryem Tangoren and me. We have all done solo crossings of the English Channel, and have a friendly challenge against a team of male channel crossers. Come follow us and meet my ‘sisters of the water’ on our blog, www.channelingcare.blogspot.com . There is a link to St. Vincent’s for easy online donations, or you can go directly to: http://give.stvincents.org/ChannelingCARE , and click on donation above ‘my photos’.
I will also be dedicating my other swims to the Foundation. I’m heading back to Jersey, UK (an E.Channel island) in late June, hoping to complete my swim that the weather blew out 2 years ago. July will be a training month, with a 10K swim in Long Island and lots of miles done at Hammonasset State Park. On August 7th, the ChannelingCare relay will join up again at the Swim Across the Sound, a race across Long Island Sound, from Port Jefferson, NY to Captain’s Cove in Bridgeport, CT. Bonnie and Marcia have prior commitments, while Liz will be running the swim, so Meryem, Elaine and I will be joining up with Margaret Peterson for the challenge.
I have a big swim scheduled in August, hopefully, circling Manhattan, NY 3 times and finishing up the swim season with a 10 mile crossing of the Maui Channel, Hawaii. Don’t be surprised if I sneak in a crossing of the English Channel somewhere in the summer. You can follow me and link up to St. Vincent’s through my personal swim blog at: www.cuttingwater.blogspot.com
So there we are: lots of swimming, lots of caring with friends. We’re taking one swim at a time and I hope you can join online, comments are welcome.”
I suppose, if there is a point to all this, it is that I love to do all these “crazy” events for the athletic challenge… but also because of all the amazing people you meet from all over the world… or down by the pier on Saturday mornings!
Cheers,
Rob