Wednesday, April 15th, 2026

My 2026 Birthday Swim - 

Five years ago I decided to swim 100M X my age for my birthday. That was a drought year so I was able to do the swim on my birthday; 1/27/21. Since then there has been both too much rain (equals high bacteria in the water at Avila Beach) and water that was too cold (50° +/- ) in January, so I have been doing this swim once the water temperature and quality will allow it. 

Conditions have been favorable so I set out this morning to do 7,600M+.        

I had a good swim. The water was 57° when I got in and came up to 59° once the sun warmed things up.

The wind came up during the middle of the swim but fortunately it died down for the last 2,000M.

My plan was to do four big triangles. After the 4th triangle I was short some distance so I swam over to the 3rd buoy and back to #1. That just barley go me to my goal so I decided to buy some insurance by swimming to the end of the Avila Pier and back, which put me well over my number.       

Done, at the #1 buoy

This was a tough swim. I didn't have any equipment issues but I had felt really good last week and swam 6,000M last Thursday, leaving me not completely recovered by today.

I spoke to Tom Lorish at the end of the Avila Pier and met up with Duke at the showers. 

 

I'll swim with the group on Saturday at 7. 

niel