Race plan was to try to swim harder than IM effort more like Oly and start picking up pace at 1000 yards to go. Practice sighting, contact, and see where my swimming is currently.

Course is an oval squished a bit diagonally and we swam counter clockwise.

Swim start off we go, contact, feeling calm, all is good. Get behind a guy doing what I guess is military survival stroke. Wondered if drafting off him might be good as he was making a lot of drag but his kicking was wide and hard so decided to get around him.

Saw another guy who seemed to be swimming TI sweet spot..on his side doing wide whip kick really hard.

First loop was uneventful and stayed in good place mentally. Tempo Trainer at 1.07 I was able to keep up with. The top of the oval felt the current pushing me along and on the way back current was pushing everyone towards the wall where the park was. I figured next loop I'd aim left of the buoy to use current to help me.

At far buoy the 1 miler lead racers caught me as they start 10' after we did. I did some math and figured I was slower than I hoped...as the fastest folks do ~22' and started 10' after me guessing I was about 21-22'+ for half of the first loop.

End of the first loop came upon a man who I was able to draft off of. He was a violent kicker so he made a lot of bubbles and was easy to find. Issue was I kept swimming up on him. Obviously we swim basically the same speed as we did first loop in same time. I tried to get around him but it was hard...lost him on the turn to second buoy...but should have stayed on his feet as he finished 3' ahead of me. Lesson learned ideally draft someone a little faster is better but drafting off someone my exact speed will save energy.

Two guys doing military swim style caught me at the turn. I was a bit discouraged that folks that didn't "swim" were as fast as I was.

I hit my lap button on my Garmin as I wanted the data to see how first and second loop compared. I didn't want to see my time as I swam but I did...43:?? which just hit me in the gut..disappointed with my performance again. It through me into a mental spot I struggled to get out of.

Next 20' I had a mental dialogue that went some thing like this...trying to get in neutral or positive place again

Not again...why can't I get better
2 years ago you would never have done this race look you are doing it and are comfortable and calm
Those military guys that don't swim are faster than you
Why can't I finally figure out the swim thing
I'm going to have as much fun as possible and forget time
Am I last?
Why are the kayaks following us?
I don't think I'm last and I'm not stopping to ask or look
Swimming is so frustrating
I'm bored
Am I having fun?
This needs to be fun to do this
Try to negative split the swim
That non swimmer guy keeps zig zagging in front of me
At far turn buoy I'll try to pick up the pace, should I adjust my tempo trainer or just ignore it, if I adjust it how should I do that?
It's Libby's birthday why are we here? Have fun your family is here for you.

Once I got to the far buoy I could enjoy the current's help and started to pick it up and my mental demons were overcome and the mental shit was over for the most part.

Made the last turn towards home and slower, zig zag non swimmer, other military guy,passed me. Dang can't let that guy beat me, tried hard to catch him...push push and see what I can do....last 1/2 of loop claves felt funny like they might cramp but didn't.

Libby's is waiting for me to finish..I'm the swimmer in front



Swam hard and got to swim exit...saw the clock 1:29...ran to the finish to cross the mat under 1:30...looked back and saw 2 swimmers in the water. My goal was come in better than 3rd from last...after looking at last year's results.

Fitness wise I felt good...I have done more consistent swimming for months than in past years.

Draft off that man I caught end of lap 1 as he finished just about 3' faster than I did.

Swimming and I have this thing..hard to put it into words. I don't dislike swimming as many think, I dislike that I work at it and don't improve. Last night I finally came up with a thought that helps explains it.

I'm a bad swimmer for a triathlete. I have had 4 swim coaches; TI swim coach took private lessons winter '04-'05; triathlete swim coach '06-'07; professional triathlete couple '07; National Master's record holder '08-'10. All have helped me improve my technique, but none have made me really get faster especially the last 3-4 years. Most folks swimming slower than 1:40/100 yds have technique flaw. Now with videotaping coaches say my stroke is relatively good ie no major flaws but I don't get any oomph from my stroke. I'm done with paying lots of money for coaching that doesn't help. After having some probably 30+ private swim lessons, if I was going to get it, I would have been by now.

Here is the thing..I'm not good at swimming. Most things in life that I work at over time I get better and I enjoy the challenge of improving. This is why swimming is so frustrating for me, I work on it but don't improve, it's annoying, I'm embarrassed & it bugs me deep down that don't improve after trying many different things/approaches. I work hard and take it seriously. In my life I don't recall anything I have done for 7 years and still am bad at it..normally I improve or lose interest and I'd stop doing it. With tris if I want to participate in them I have to continue to swim.

I had thought I had been swimming faster based on my Garmin and ows I've done last month even though Garmin is a bit inconsistent. I was optimistic that maybe I'd do better than my normal but yet again I was disappointed.

I wish I could just accept I'm slow and very BOP for triathlete and move on but it isn't the way I work. I could say my goal for IMFL is just sub 2 hours but that would be a lie as even with my track record of swimming over 7 years it is hard to give up the idea that maybe next race I maybe I'll be better or somehow something will click and I'll get the ahhh moment but my optimism is waning.

I'm not sure if my Garmin distance is right. Was course long? Did I swim off course? Or both factors true? I wish I knew someone else that had a Garmin to see what their distance measured to compare.

Difference in pace based on race distance or Garmin distance is quite a bit...if 2.0 miles means 2:33/100 yds within seconds of my last two IMs and if it was 2.19 I swam 2:20/100 yds. I try to look at it that 2.5 months out from IM and this was training. First and second loop were pretty close in time for me as I tend to fade. Second loop had to swim to shore beyond the last buoy so would be slightly longer.

loop 1 43:06, 1.08 miles
loop 2 46:40, 1.1 miles

I wish I could get it....folks who started learning to swim 6 months ago to do tris mostly swim faster than me....argh!

Ate a banana, drank some water to get salt water taste out of my mouth, talked with family & friends



Poor natural swim ability and yes I have missed some of my long swims over the last 6 weeks.

I did it which is progress..as I don't really like cold or ocean swims


Great venue, super tech shirts and string bag

If you enjoy ows races this is a good one