Christmas Eve 2010: Last Minute Shopping OR Last Minute Swimming... Which Would Be More Popular?

Well, I'm gonna have to say that it looks fairly obvious that virtually ALL Huntington area swimmers were extremely efficient in their Christmas Shopping this year! 


December 24, 2010 turned out to be one of the biggest swim turn-out days we've had in a LONG, long time! The group pictured below is but a fraction of the swimmers who graced Norton Pool with their presence this morning, (I suppose because they had taken care of all their "presents" well before Christmas Eve Morn). 


The Christmas Eve Swim started at 5:30AM and was still going strong, (although with longer "chat" breaks), when I shot these pictures around 8:20AM! A few potential swimmers, who will remain nameless, on peering in the windows at the pool and seeing the crowd, turned around and headed for home -- perhaps for some last-minute shopping! 


So, non-swimming spouses and significant others who are reading this and seeing the smiles on the faces of the swimmers below can rest easy that all the last-minute shopping has already been done -- for who among us would put swimming ahead of Christmas shopping? Merry Christmas to All

A Saturday Morning Swim Winds Down

This iPhone photo was taken Saturday, December 18, 2010 looking thru the water-splattered window of the hallway door just outside the lifeguard office. Not too many swimmers left... and those that are still in the pool seem to be doing more talking than swimming!

Morning Workout? Should You Eat Breakfast BEFORE or AFTER Exercise?

The Benefits of Exercising Before Breakfast
Click the link above to go to the New York Times 12/15/2010 news story.

Cold Weather Cure 2: Open Water Swim "Art" From West Neck Beach

Can't you just feel the warm Summer sun on your shoulders? 

Cold Weather Cure -- Open Water Summer Swim Pictures (Brooklyn Bridge)

If I was an artist, above is how I'd like to paint the "Pre-Race Instructions". 

Above: Swimming under the Brooklyn Bridge and past the Coast Guard Cutter.

Below: The first wave lines up, ready to start the race.

Editors Note: Photoshop is a lot faster than actually doing the painting!

Christmas Brunch 2010 Edition: Best Ever?

Some people say that the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is the "kick-off" to the Christmas Holiday Season. Some say that its the lighting of the tree in Rockefeller Center. (Some stores seem to think that the Christmas Season starts right after Labor Day!) But for the last 25 years or so, if you were a Huntington area Swimmer, (or married to one!), the REAL "kick-off" to the Christmas Holiday Season was, is and hopefully always will be the Annual Swimmer's Christmas Brunch.


Was 2010 the Best One Ever? Based on turn-out and calories consumed, maybe it was. 

Plates were piled high and many went back for seconds... some for thirds!

Carole is the artist... and she, along with everyone else, enjoyed how the light shone through on her original stained-glass "To The Sailboat And Beyond" work of art.

Before the food and during the drinks, there was a lot of ernest conversations going on. Some of us get together nearly every day but for many others, the brunch is a great time to get caught up in what has been happening with friends not seen on a daily basis. Facebook is good but it's no substitute for "face-to-face"!

And sometimes, the "Fast" Lane and the "Slow" Lane never get to talk to one another... but at a brunch, swim speed is never an issue -- talk is king! And, if we didn't have these occasional "out-of-the-water" get-togethers, when would we ever get to use the ever popular "I didn't recognize you with your clothes on" line!

Y Parking Lot Is Open For Business... Including the Jackson Avenue Entrance!

Mark this day well -- Friday, December 3, 2010 -- the day that the new upper parking lot was opened and we were able to park in peace. So, Bring on your rain. Bring on your snow. We won't be walking through mud, mush and gravel -- we've got ASPHALT!

Happy days are here again. And, oh yeah, I can stop taking pictures of construction and concentrate on parties and swimming! See you in the pool... and Sunday at Black & Blue Restaurant for our annual Swimmer's Brunch (a yearly tradition since the 1980's!).

Asphalt is DOWN -- Jackson Ave. Entrance Gate Is Still UP!

It's true. As of 8AM Thursday, December 2, 2010 the asphalt in the Huntington Y parking lot(s) and driveways was totally down and looking good. I guess we're lucky that it didn't all wash away in yesterday's rain! Though cars still couldn't get in via Jackson Ave, pedestrian traffic was "clean & green" walking into the Y from Jackson Ave on our nice, new sidewalks! Sunshine is supposed to rule the weather for the next few days so we should be parking in style real soon. We can't wait! 

Huntington Y: The Gift of Asphalt! -- Tuesday, Nov. 30 2010 Progress

The weathermen are all predicting rain for tonight and even heavier rain for tomorrow, (Wednesday). What will this mean for the "pouring" of the asphalt? Only time will tell but, progress is obvious!

Huntington Y: The Gift of Asphalt!

Monday, November 30th THRU Wednesday, December 1, 2010 the soon-to-be-completed "upper" Main Parking Lot for the Huntington Y is scheduled to be closed including both entrances to the "upper" Main Parking Lot from Jackson Ave and the driveway from lower lot. The lower lot (entrance on 25A) will remain open but there will be NO Access to the Y from Jackson Ave -- including pedestrian access!

"Without Asphalt... it's been a Jungle!"

Huntington Y: Work on the Jackson Ave Entrance Continues

While the inside construction at the Huntington Y is pretty much done, (it seems like we've been using the new 7,500 square foot strength training center forever -- and happy we are about that!), work on the outside sidewalks, driveways and parking areas continues.  Asphalt is scheduled to be applied to the roadways and parking lots on November 30th so those of us who normally enter from Jackson Avenue should be able to resume doing so in early December -- just in time for Winter weather!

Bob's Trip to Hawaii: Pictures to savor on a cold Winter's Day!

I just received the following 4 pictures from Bob along with this note: 


"Here are a few shots of out trip to Kaua'i.  Went off Bali hai in about 70 feet of water and got a couple of shots of a 12 foot monk seal...he came up about a foot away from me, but...figures, that shot was out of the frame.  The last shot is one of me I took body surfing at Hanalei Bay...such a beautiful island!"


Perfect pictures for a cold winter's day -- of course today in Huntington, it is already up to 61 degrees, the sky is a beautiful blue and I know that a few of you are secretly thinking of "just one more open water swim at West Neck Beach". Alas, even on it's very best days, the water around Long Island doesn't quite look like this! Enjoy and THANKS BOB!

The Little Apple Run: Lloyd Neck, New York

Thanks to Rich Huminski for the pictures and the following "eyewitness" report from the Little Apple Run on Lloyd Neck this past weekend.


"I took my son to a run last Sunday called the Little Apple Run.  It was in Lloyd Neck.  Saw Don Bond, Liz Pearlman, and Scott.(pictures attached)...what was fun for me is that my son has kept a race shirt I got at the Southampton Tri in September of 1988...(see picture)...he was born on June 11 of the same year and was at the race..If us old guys can't relive the past on the roads we can at least relive it in our T-shirts.."

Thanks again Rich! And, BTW if anyone else is sitting on a good story -- hopefully WITH pictures or video... send it in... the BLOG is ever hungry!

Harry Finishes Florida Ironman in 10:58

On Saturday, November 6, 2010 2,500 athletes took part in the 12th edition of Ford Ironman Florida in Panama City Beach. One of those athletes was our very own Harry Slutter. Here's Harry's race story in his own words:

 
"Florida was fun I went 10:58 The conditions were good 15 to 20 wind but a cool start @ 38 Brrr. There is nothing more enjoyable then swimming with 2500 friends, It's a Full Contact Sport. I had a great Bike 21.4 mph and was thinking of 10:30 time. Then came the run had a 8:45 pace for the first 7 and Stomach woes so from mile 8 to 11 things were tough, got it back together around 11 and ran the rest of the away."

Way to go Harry!

Open Water Halloween Swim: West Neck Beach 10/31/2010

 Sunday: October 31, 2010


Wow, the summer is long gone... Labor Day is but a distant memory. 


It's Halloween already! Can Thanksgiving and even Christmas be far away? They're not! And yet, a few hardy Long Island Open Water Swimmers are still hearing the pull of the salt and braving the cold, the wind, the chop and assorted other hazards to get in yet one more Open Water Swim before the season really freezes over. So, here they are, around 12:30pm Sunday afternoon -- Halloween no less -- getting that one last swim in -- though rumors are already flying for an Election Day swim!

I told you that it was Halloween. This must be Superman getting out of the water!

"Superman" was heard to mutter; "Guess I finally swam all that Kryptonite off my hands!"

"This darn cape never stays where it's supposed to be once it gets wet!"

Bloodied but un-defeated, Rob shows the results of his too-close encounter with a wave tossed buoy!

"I swear that buoy had JAWS THIS BIG!"

Carol and I get in some "dueling photos"! Which is OK with me as long as I could do it from the shoreline!

"Nurse" Joye does what she can to patch Rob up.

Carol can't resist getting a close-up shot!