Sunday 7/8/07 - Farewell Giulianotti Family

SCY Workout:

500 w/u

12 X 25s S-M-F on :30

8 X 100s pull on 1:20, descend 1-4, 5-8.

8 X 50s drill down/build back

8 X 75s IM on 1:10

4 X 50s fly drills

500 half fly

Total 3300 yards



The pull set was solid. 1:15, 1:08, 1:04, 1:00 for both rounds. The 75s IM were tough but I worked them. I ranged from :53s to :59s ( I think ). The 500 fly was fun. But boy my shoulders got a workout.



After workout, I enjoyed a fun Grunion breakfast at Hof's Hut, returned my stretch cord and headed to San Diego. One of my best friends, Marc and his family (Elaine, Owen and Ryan) are moving to Florida. A swimming friend of Elaine's hosted a going away party for them, and in fear that I won't see them again for awhile, I really wanted to say good bye in person. Marc was my friend who I had the rematch back in April 2007 in the 200 IM. I have now known him since the summer of 1988, so 19 years. We became fast friends and always kept in touch, sometimes far less than other times. But one thing can be for sure. Ever since college, we both have called each other on our birthdays. His is April 1st, mine May 2nd. There were years that we hardly spoke, but I could always look forward to a call from Marc. 10 years ago he married the best possible person I could ever think of for him. Elaine is probably one of the coolest girls I have ever known. She keeps Marc in line, but at the same time, seeing them together is really something special.

About 4-5 years ago we both started to get back into swimming. Marc was already an incredible triathlete. It was then that he introduced me to the blogging world and I haven't really left it since. We would be each other's inspiration/motivation to keep on training, for whatever event we were going for. Two years ago, I met up with Marc, Elaine and their two beautiful children at the LB Marathon. Elaine (we'll call her Pea), was running the full marathon. As I waited at the finish line, I experienced that incredible rush runners say they get with doing marathons. I wanted to do one. I had always said I wanted to, but this time I was serious. I can honestly say, had Pea not ran the marathon, I wouldn't be running as much as I am now. That was the fall of 2005. I still hadn't really gotten to know Pea or their kids, but after that meeting, things changed. I got to see why Marc fell in love with this incredible woman. I really can't see Marc with anyone else.

I'm going to miss this family. Although they were in San Diego, and me in Long Beach, they were always 90 minutes away. Even if we didn't see each other too frequently, they always felt close. I wish them the best of luck out in Florida, and I know that they will all return soon to sunny Southern California.