Hot weather, ride and swim

Yesterday was another record breaking day, today will be no different. For anyone who doubts climate change, please come and visit us. This is our second week of new records here in Northern California. Every year we come closer to having a San Diego climate.

Once again, the heat came as a result of strong North-Easterly winds on Wednesday night. All night long winds were howling and thrashing everything in their path. I went on a 40 mile bike ride Thursday morning and for the first time in my life I thought the wind was actually going to blow me over. When I came down from Marlborough Terrace onto Norfolk I got hit by a strong side-blast that almost blew my bike from under me. The Griffen has two substantial "wing" surfaces and it is quite sensitive to such crosswinds, but this blast was stronger and more powerful than I had ever experienced.

Today it is warm but far less windy. I went swimming this morning and for the first time in my life I swam 4,000 yards, all free-style, non-stop. Furthermore, I felt fine afterwards. Earlier whenever I would swim 1.5 miles I would feel trashed. Clearly something is improving. These long swims do help and I should have known this. It is what I do in biking and running. Only it never occurred to me to try to swim long.

Sometimes it is difficult to see things that are too obvious. In previous years I would feel good when I swam 3/4 -1 1/4 miles freestyle, and many times I would take a break after every 1/2 a mile. No more. 

I am not sure if I swam faster, but I certainly swam easier. And I felt better too.