6/13/2011 -Open Water Swim

When I woke up this morning I knew that at some point I would have to put on my big-boy pants.

I left work at 11:30 to head down to Idylwood Park on Lake Sammamish.


By the time I got there, the sun was out, but the wind was picking up quite a bit.  I figured it would be an easy swim down-wind but a lot of work up-wind.

I learned that isn't really the case.  No matter what it was difficult because breathing was sparatic.  When I got back, I was actually surprised that it took me 43 minutes to complete.  I was expecting about 10 minutes less.

I need to figure out how to pace myself in a wetsuit.  The wetsuit feels so fast that I just want to pound through the whole swim but that is not how it works.  I need to pace myself and ensure that I am moving at a pace that I can sustain for 2/3 of a mile and then start pounding after that.

Swimming in waves is quite difficult.  I was feeling pushed around a little bit.  I stopped to get my bearings and I was still getting pushed around and I started to feel sick.  The only way to not get sick was to keep my head in the water and keep on stroking.

It was a good swim.  Overall, I am bummed out about the time, however that is why I did this practice...to find out what my baseline OWS time would be.  Now I need to improve it.


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