Gecko Hagg Lake Open Water Swim - Swim

Oh god, this was so much worse than I had anticipated. While I'm glad that I did this before my first OW triathlon (because I couldn't imagine biking and running after this), I'm also a little upset that I did it, because I'm now seriously freaked out by the thought of an OW tri.

So, I used to be a swimmer, and in high school we used to do open water swims several times in the season and usually for two or three miles. So I thought, 800 meters, that will be a piece of cake. Of course, it is not like I have been training like I did in high school, so I didn't have the fitness going for me. And I grew up in California, so I had never used a wetsuit in a swim. I don't know if my wetsuit was too tight, or if it was supposed to feel like this, but I didn't like it. And finally, none of the swims I did before had people literally swimming over the top of me.

So as the swim started out, I was nervous, because the race distance seemed to be a lot farther than I had imagined. I was thankful that I had not signed up for the 2000 meter swim, no way I would have made that. I positioned myself at what I thought would be the best line, so that I would have less distance to swim overall. The minute the race started though, people started swimming over me. I kept getting kicked in the face, and it seemed like I could only swim a few strokes before I would stop, readjust, catch my breath, and try to get out of someone's way.

I started to feel tired really quickly, and started to panic. I just kept thinking that there was absolutely no way I was going to make it, because I hadn't even rounded the bouy yet. I felt like I was having a difficult time breathing. I decided that I had to get into the rescue boat and go back to shore, but I felt terrible doing that.

Finally made it to the rescue boat and got on with a couple other people who had a tough time out there. I felt terrible because I hadn't quit a race before, and because I just didn't want to do it, but didn't know what else to do. So we sat around for several minutes just hanging out in the boat waiting for other people. I started thinking that maybe I should get back in and finish the swim. I thought that I would regret it if I didn't . By this point I wouldn't get an official time because I had gotten in the boat (I didn't know that I could hang onto the boat and still get an official time), but I just felt like I had to finish the swim.

So I hopped out of the boat and very slowly made my way past the first bouy. And then I very slowly made my way past the second bouy, and then I knew that I could finish it. By this point, that was all that mattered, finishing. I didn't yet know that DFL>DNF>DNS, but somehow that knowledge was hidden inside me. Just finish I thought. And I did.

But boy, do I have some things to figure out before doing open water triathlons. I've got to figure out how to train in the open water, and to learn to get comfortable in a wetsuit, and just to build my swim fitness overall.

Train in open water. Try not to freak out when people are kicking me in the face. Learn how to sight better and swim in a straight line. Maybe not start right in the line front line. Fortunately, I am scheduled to do a workshop on open water swimming next week, which will be really good, because I'm sure that there are a million other things that I should do differently.

OMG, I was just seriously exhausted. Cried after getting out of the water and telling the boyfriend what happened. Went and ate some food with the boyfriend. Went home and took a nap.


Not having swum in open water in fifteen years. First time in a wetsuit for an OWS. Poor swim fitness. Freaked myself out after getting swum over and kicked in the face. My spirit collapsed and I really doubted myself.


I think that this would be a great event to do with more practice. People were friendly, and it seemed like everyone besides me was having a good time. I had a horrible time, but I think that I learned some important lessons. So I guess it was worth it.