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2018 Zapata Ironman’s Last Personal Record

Pace 3.818 mi/hr

2 Hours each Discipline (IM Swimming)

Fly

Back

Breast

Free

Altitude

7,342 ft. (2,237.8416 m.)

Sunday July 22th 2018

Starts 5 a.m.

Ends 1 p.m.

Diamond Series (60+).

Debbie’s Memories

Debbie’s Story

To tell the absolute truth, I was not very excited about the 8 Hour Swim this year. I was away from home when Marco began arranging a site for the event, and it seemed like every time he called the day itself was being changed. The traditional date is July 26, Marco’s birthday. That fell on a Thursday this year, which conflicted with the pool’s class schedules, so the swim was moved to the Monday before that, and then to Sunday the 22nd.

When I let myself think about what the day would mean for me, I admit I panicked. The pool would be closed that day, but Marco would be allowed to go in and have his 8 hour swim. All alone. With no other swimmers in the water, not anyone but me in the building with him. That was something he has not experienced since we came to Mexico, so I was happy for him, but…..

I have always been crew for Marco during his events, even when I was participating and trying to set my own personal records. So I tend to fuss and worry. I never worry that he might not be able to do what he plans to do, I worry about the What Ifs that could come up. I need to feel prepared to handle anything that might happen. During our walking events that was no problem but in the swimming it is because I do not know how to swim myself.

So I spent the last couple of weeks before the 22nd fretting. What do I do if there is a freak accident and we need help? What if I am off in a far corner of the building and I see Marco suddenly sink to the bottom of the pool? What if there are sharks in the water?! (I get more than a little silly about these things sometimes, you see.)

By the Friday before the swim I was petrified of the whole idea. And then Marco came home from his final training and told me The Bad News. The pump at the pool had burned out and they weren’t sure if it would be able to be fixed right away. This was hitting the panic button for Marco (not to mention the people at the pool, who had just begun their summer courses) but for me it was a relief. I told him he could change to a triathlon like the one he had done in 2017, and do that on his actual birthday as usual. Finally this idea sunk in and he liked it so we changed our plans accordingly.

Then that Saturday night we got a call. The pump had been fixed, the water was fine, Marco could go ahead and swim his 8 hours as planned. He was ecstatic. I was not. But I promised I would do my job, so I stayed awake most of that night so that I would not hurt myself in my sleep. I have a chronic health condition that affects my joints and spine, and there are many times when I go to sleep feeling okay and wake up all in knots unable to move. Having any activity planned along the lines of ‘I MUST GO’ can be intimidating to say the least. So I stayed awake.

We left the house around 4 a.m. to walk to the pool. He had his bike along to carry his backpack with his gear, and I had my backpack with my gear: my old camera, a book and some fruit for after the swim. The walk was fun and we arrived at the pool about twenty minutes till five. Marco immediately went to change, then folded back the pool covers enough to give himself a fairly wide lane to swim in. By the time he was done it was just a few minutes before five and he decided to start on the hour instead of waiting until 6.

I filmed the first ten minutes or so with my old camera. Then I roamed around the pool looking at everything and took a few random pictures. I had a catnap on one of the sofas in the office, and roamed some more, and read my book. That was pretty much how my eight hours went. When the sun came up, I saw the volcanoes through the windows, and a healthy looking cornfield across the road from the pool. It all seemed so peaceful, with the trees lining the river stretching away on the left as I watched birds waking up and looking for breakfast.

I stopped Marco at 8 so he could have a drink, which he did without getting out of the pool. Then off he went again and I continued my walking, my reading, and my watching out the windows. At 11 he had another drink break, and then I realized that in another two hours we would be done. It had all gone so fast, and none of my What Ifs happened at all. Not even the sharks!

I had been taking still pictures every so often and I recorded the final ten minutes using Marco’s camera. I gave him a ’10 minutes’ signal, then what I thought was a clear ‘5 more’ at the proper time, but he thought I was telling him to stop so he slowed down and coasted to the end of the pool and I had to tell him to keep going. I will have to be more careful with my signals in the future, I guess.

When he was all done with the swim, he folded the tarps back over the water and went off for a shower. His goggles had been bothering him the whole time, so his eyes were red and puffy, but after the shower they looked better and after a couple of days they were fine. We had lunch on the way home, then walked back to the house and that was the end of the eight hour swim for another year.

We looked at the pictures and videos later, and as usual I got a few good ones, lots of mediocre ones, and a few really bad ones. The videos made us laugh at many things that showed up unexpectedly. When I used my old camera, it picked up all the noises the pool was making. All those gurgles, blarts and splashes in the water from just one swimmer! No wonder a pool full of people is extra noisy!

But Marco’s camera did not pick up those noises. What it did catch was the way he took his breath while swimming the breast stroke. I had never heard him breathe before (remember I usually see him swimming in a crowded pool) and when I was walking around the pool during the first hours I heard him take in air but it took me more than a few laps to realize that noise was him and not a shark. The only shark in sight was my watch whenever I would slowly raise it into camera range while making the videos. Maybe we can use the Jaws theme music in those scenes.

On the way to lunch after the swim, I had a question for Marco. Now that he had been able to do the 8 hours after all, would he still go on Thursday to do a nine hour triathlon? I am no fool, I know my husband and I knew he would say yes, which he did. So on Thursday July 26, I woke up just enough to wish him a Happy 62nd Birthday. Then I went back to sleep, since I was not going to be crew this time around.

And that is the story of Marco’s traditional birthday celebration, slightly adapted for the unusual conditions of year 2018. May you have just as much fun next year, mi amor!

The Last Record

Since 2008 I have the unconditional support of Debbie,
my main inspiration to break and improve my personal records,
her love has been fundamental to realize this odyssey,
especially in México because she adores it,
for its wealth in roots, culture, gastronomy, principles, customs, etc.

Training routines and preparation for a new personal record
are very rude and start from an early hour usually 3 a.m.
During my sports life, I have been supported by “Senseis” of different disciplines,
I have strictly followed their advice and wisdom
to overcome my physical, mental and spiritual limitations.

The physical limit has reached the maximum and from now on I will follow a dream,
which is to share experiences with small children of limited resources with great enthusiasm.

Life has 180 degrees and at this moment Debbie and I have a great personal challenge
and we have planned together to face it with decision.

Thanks a lot Debbie for your support, I love you deeply

Sincerely

Zapata Ironman
Marco Antonio Zapata Rosales
“Piloncillo”

A Million Thanks

With all my Heart I Appreciate the Moral and Sincere Support of

My Mother-in-law
Beverly Sweazy,

My Parents
Reyna Rosales García
José Margarito Zapata Santacruz,

My Daughter
Yael Zapata

My Son
Rasham Zapata.

Sincerely

Zapata Team

“Mistreat Your Body, Shatter Your Mind, but Your Spirit Never”

Certified by Advanced Sport Engineering

Ultra Performance &

Ultra Endurance.

Map

Special Thanks to Alfa & Omega Aquatic Center for having given us the facilities and to achieve this event.

Our Events are Dedicated to The Real Heroes Of México

Since 2010 Our Events are Dedicated to All People in México, Who Work From Dawn To Dusk
Without Receiving Benefits From The Government Welfare System
Despite Working 12 Hours Or More Per Day.

A Quiet Dignity That Deserves Our Respect,
These Warriors Have No Access To or Time for Sports, With Workdays Often Beginning At 3 a.m.
In All Types of Weather: Rain, Cold, Heat, Wind. Each Day Is Spent In a Battle for Survival,
With No Energy for Dreams Of The Future, No Desire to Remember the Past.
There Is Only The Present: Always Demanding Attention, Always Attempting To Drain the Spirit.

& Avoid Selling My Country

Se Vende mi País por todos lados
La tripa, el corazón y sus costados
Se Vende mi País a 4 vientos
Su sangre, su sabor, sus alimentos
Se Vende mi País cada momento
Su hambre, su dolor, su sentimiento
Se Vende mi País con todo y gente
Se vende la palabra independiente
Yo no lo vendo no, porque lo quiero
Yo no lo vendo no, mejor me muero
Yo no lo vendo no, porque lo quiero
Yo no lo vendo no, mejor me muero ….