Out of the loop

I have returned from an educational conference and am now getting back on the ball. I didn't eat much at that thing, but did have one pretty big meal every day, and then just a few all-bran bars and pop-tarts in between. I lost a little more weight. I went to the pool this evening with Fi and one of her friends where I swam with paddles and fins for an hour straight. I have no idea how fast I'm going, but with those hand paddles I can really motor. I showed them to the lifeguard and he was like "Those are huge!" In reality, they are only about the size of a piece of paper. Anyway, the problem in the pool is that it literally takes about 5 or 6 strokes with my arms before I hit the other end, so I can never really get into any kind of rhythm before having to coast or turn around. I have to be vigilant because if I hit my head on the wall right after a two-handed thrust, I will have a serious concussion. I can't tell how long I will be able to maintain any kind of form or how often I will have to switch from arms to legs or really anything! But when I have both arms and legs going, I can go faster than I ever have...which still may not be saying much (Hah). I can tell you that I will not struggle in this event. I will simply swim until I am there, and it shouldn't take that long. I hope to be faster than average, unless it is really longer than Thad says, as Casey proposed. We can probably tell by looking at the online maps at somewhere like http://www.topozone.com
It looks more like 2.6 miles or so to me, but I am not "orienteering," and I am trying to measure over multiple screens rather than printing them out and checking correctly. This site might be useful for the orienteerers to use as a preparatory tool, though, unless someone has found a better alternative. Whatever the case, I am going to do my best, and I feel pretty good about my ability to persevere. I hope I am not deluding myself.

If we come in second, I will buy a round of beverages for everyone that evening.

Matt, what are we supposed to do for your Dad? Is there a way to e-mail the forms?

Okay everybody...get one more good week in, then we have to taper!