Destinations

Is it where you go, or how you get there, that really matters?

I have my own little destination debate going on, regarding my Lake Ontario swim crossing: Destination Oakville or Toronto.
The "traditional" swim is into Toronto.  Legend, Marilyn Bell, the 1st to swim across Lake Ontario, swam to Toronto in 1954, and this finishing point is now named Marilyn Bell Park (MBP).  In the last few years, Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) to MBP have been the typical route.  But oddly enough, if the argument is to follow in Marilyn Bell's footsteps (or armstrokes) the starting point would actually need to be Youngstown, NY.
Marilyn Bell is pretty amazing, and swimming into MBP would be pretty cool!, so why change tradition?
Answer: Oakville. Swimming in Lake Ontario in Oakville is where the idea for my Lake Onatrio crossing was born.  It is where I fell in love with Lake Ontario.  It is also closer to home and where the Lake Ontario Swim Team (LOST) base is so it has a home team advantage feeling to it.  I will love looking up and seeing the old familiar lighthouse, and hopefully lots of team-mates and friends!
Coincidentally, Port Dalhousie to Oakville measures in at 42.2k, "marathon" distance.  Now I just have to swim in a perfectly straight line - lol. 
The neat thing about open water swimming, there is the traditional swim (like the English Channel - from Dover to Calais) and there is finding a new challenge/adventure/swim.  Most swimmers do both types, one is no higher prestige than the other in the world of marathon swimming, just different.
Well, it was determined a long time ago that I'm different, and maybe even a non-traditionalist...
So, I'm 99% distination Oakville.
And the FUN will be in the "getting there".

World Water Day - March 22

Yesterday was world water day, which aims to highlight the importance of freshwater and the sustainable management of freshwater resources. 
In appreciation, I went for a swim (naturally). 
Then in the evening I watched Big River Man about Martin Strel, who has swum in some of the most dangerous and dirty waters of the world, raising awareness for clean water!
This guy is funny!, crazy! and not your typical endurance athlete!  And the movie, was better than I thought, even non-swimmers would like it.
Happy World Water Day!  Appreciate, celebrate, conserve, & respect!

Update

Well it has been awhile,,, I've been pretty busy...

Training update:

After Cadence's regional meet, I got sick.  I was out of the water for over 2 weeks.  I'm back, but I feel that I lost some of the advancement I had been making, but that's life, and I keep plugging away.  In fact last week was an increase in the number of meters for the week  upto 28k.  I got a good longish swim (over 2 hours) in mid week, thanks to Hamilton Aquatic Club letting me have a lane in with the Provincial group (after I finish assistant coaching) directly followed by lap swim; and doing about a 10k swim on Saturday with Christine, who is also planning to swim Lake Ontario.  I took Sunday off because my arms felt supper heavy; looking forward to 10k getting easier, and then doing them back to back, Saturday/Sunday (well not exactly looking forward to doing them back to back, but being able to).

Update on other crossing details:

• My friend and BMSC team mate, Fiona Lowden has agreed to be my Lake Ontario Crossing manager.  She is awesome and has already been working on finding boats.

• I went to a Lake Ontario Waterkeepers (LOW) party and met my contact Allie.  LOW is a registered charity working to restore and maintain the ability to swim, drink and fish in Lake Ontario. Their goal to protect Lake Ontario’s natural resources, is dear to my heart, as I love swimming in the Lake! My giving page is almost ready to start raising funds for the LOW work, so we can all benefit and appreciate our Great Lake!

• I've been working on the site and I made up a logo too.  I hope to have shirts made up that will have the logo on the front and the Helping put the Great back into the Lake on the back with a list of major supporters/sponsors.

Update on a few other things in my life:

• I took Cadence and 2 of her friends to the indoor waterpark.  It was a blast!
• Cadence has been moved up to the Junior group for swimming.  Only a slight adjustment to our schedule (including a mid-week morning practice), and I am proud of her for the move up!
• Dahlia is almost completely potty trained - yeah!
• My overtime requirement at work has begun, so I am going to be a walking zombie for the next 2 months...
• Bill is getting close to his next Ironman race, his training is going good!  Looking forward to going to Utah and watching him kicking butt on what looks to be a very tough course!