1 Mile Open Water Swim
The Lake Erie 1 Mile Open Water Swim was last Saturday. This was my first swim meet that was an open water swim. The fact that open water swimming is a VERY DIFFERENT animal than swimming in a pool is really hitting home with me. I got to the swim site in plenty of time to scout out the scene, grab my stuff, and get situated. Those swimming the 2 mile race were in the first wave, and the 1 milers were divided into age groups after that. We same out about a hundred yards to the start area, and waited until we heard the bullhorn go off. Going out to the turnaround buoy was HARD! I think there was a current going directly against us, so it seemed really choppy and rough. I started to fall behind those in my wave, and the 1/2 out seemed way more than half a mile. The way back was a little easier as the current must have been propelling us instead of going against us. Again, as in my Olympic tri, I had a very hard time sighting. There were 3 buoys set up, but far apart, and due to glare on the lake, I had a hard time seeing them. My course was definitely not a straight line. I think I zigged and zagged my way back. We had to swim back to our starting position, pass through a couple of buoys, and then swim the other 100 yards to the beach, and run up and through a finish chute.
Due to my excitement before the finish, I forgot to hit my watch, and therefore, my chronograph read 00:00 upon finishing, and I didn't hear my time being called out. I waited around towards the end for the results, but it took FOREVER! I snuck behind the result ladies who were feverishly typing on a laptop, to try to see my name somewhere in the excel spreadsheet that held the results. After some sleuthing, I thought I saw my name. I didn't see the time - my eyesight isn't that good - but I saw that I was in second to last place! WTH? I thought for sure I did better than that! And I couldn't believe that there were that many fast swimmers in my age group.
Oh well. Better luck next year, I guess. Official results have not yet been posted, so my sidebar is not updated yet.
Up next, my favorite tri of the season, the Huntington Beach Triathlon on Sunday. Any bloggers out there partaking?
Heading out to the start buoys
Finishing
12 Comments:
i am so impressed way to get out there in the open water and swim it! i'm so proud of you
I know how u feel about zig zagging. I do the same thing too.
I tend to swim right wards b/c my left stroke is weak. Definitely something to work on and fix.
My coach suggest to swim with your eyes close like 10-20 strokes. ...i do that sometimes in the pool.
Great job! An open water swim would scare me to death.
Yeah, I can't swim that far Buckeye. Open water swimming scares me to death as well, but someday I will do it. Great job braving the open water.
Wow. Open water swimming scares me too! Well done; great effort. You will only get stronger!
I won't ever even attempt toi smil 1 mile, so forget the placement, I'm mightily impressed by the sheer fact that you managed to finish it!
Congrats on your open water swim! I have been wanting to swim that race for the past 2 years but other obligations prevented me. Maybe next next.
Huntington is a great race but I have to run 20 miles this weekend and I will race the Greater Cleveland Triathlon next weekend.
Have a great race this weekend!
Wow--you've been up to so much! Congrats!
Swimming scares me period. Good job getting it done! (I like this song.)
00:00! Damn that's fast!
It IS a different beast. New you will be great! Good luck racing this weekend.
When I knew I was going back to Ohio this summer, I was looking for events to do. This sounded like a great one...but didn't work out date-wise! Congrats! It looked fun!
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