Ironman 70.3 Racine : Official Thread (Page 26)

if you want an entertaining read (though admittedly very long), read about my epic experience from last year.... I'm most definitely coming back next year for a redo!  I missed not being in Racine this year

Just read a lot... still have more to read.  What fun to get so many different perspectives!  I love this board

Hi everyone!  Not sure if everyone get the email from Racine but registration for 2013 opens today at NOON EST!  $225 today then it goes up to $250 on the 22nd, super short window to save a few bucks if next year is in your plans!  Hope everyone is doing great!!!

Amy

 Hey 70.3 Family!

I’m new to this and thinking about doing Racine HIM, however I was wondering if anyone could tell me about the swim please? it is my weak point and I was wondering if anyone has any advice or can give me some details on it please.

Thanks in advance!!

I’m new to this and thinking about doing Racine HIM, however I was wondering if anyone could tell me about the swim please? it is my weak point and I was wondering if anyone has any advice or can give me some details on it please.

Thanks in advance!!

This past year was my first time doing an HIM and my first time swimming in lake michigan. (although i did go to the course to practice). For the water, you swim straight out (east) about 200 meters (totally guessing) to the first buoy. Then you head south along the shore line. I don't believe I could touch at all along the way.

on race day, the water was awesome. great temperature and very calm. you could see great also. but one time i went to practice at North Beach and it was a bear. I was getting thrown all over the place, it was FREEZING, and nearly felt sea sick while swimming. (this was only 1-2 weeks before race day)

so as stated previously, you never know what you are going to get. hope this helps.

I am located in MN the land of 10,000 lakes. I have already done some open water swims. I am just a newbie so how to approach the swim is totally new to me. Any advice is welcomed advice. It is a personal goal that I have set for myself and just want to make sure I am not crazy with trying to reach this life goal for myself.

This year was my first HIM too.  If you can, do the Olympic distance triathlon in Fairmont Minnesota in June.  (http://www.fairmonttriathlon.org/)  They do a .93 mile open water swim and it was the best practice I had to prepare for Lake MI.   They do the event between two lakes and pick which lake you swim in based on wind direction that morning.  So you have a chance to get a few waves, but not so much that it freaks you out.  It's a low key event so wetsuits are allowed no matter what the temp is.  Great practice all around.

Between Fairmont, Mankato and Jackson Minnesota, there are Triathlon clubs that all do open water swimming practice days.  They all have their own facebook pages, check them out if you are close enough to them.

You will wear your tri shorts, bra and tri top (or whatever you choose to wear) underneath the wetsuit.  When you are done with the swim, you run back into transition to your bike, take the wet suit off (in HIM races, a lot of times, there will be strippers to help you get out of the wetsuit), put your cycling shoes, helmet, sunglasses on, grab the bike, walk it out of transition and pedal away.  You come back to the same spot again, change into running shoes and whatever other gear and take off toward the Run Out sign and go run.  You finish at the Finish Line, which is generally very close to transition.

To give you a real life example, here is how my day went at Steelhead this past Sunday:

1. Tri shorts, bra and a singlet (just used for swimming to cover up) underneath the wetsuit for the swim.

2. T1 (swim to bike)- take wetsuit off, take singlet, goggles and swim cap off.  Put on cycling jersey, sunglasses, gloves, cycling shoes, grab bike, bike 56 miles.

3. T2 (bike to run)-rack bike, take helmet, jersey, cycling shoes off. Put a running shirt and a running skirt on (right over the shorts), running shoes, hat, grab bottle with Infinit, go run 13.1.

4. Cross the finish line, grin, cry, eat pizza.

hth! If not, ask away...

You definitely want a wetsuit for Lake Michigan.  First-off, to help with your fear of the swim, it helps you float like a bobber.  You can literally lay back with your hands and feet out of the water and float without treading.  Second, Lake Michigan can be a cold, cold lake.  We were fortunate to have a cooperative weather pattern before this year's race (and ridiculously hot temps) to help warm the water to 68 this year.  A large group of us went out for a recon swim a two weeks prior to this year's race and the water might have been 50 degrees.  Stinging hands, face, numb feet... it was COLD!  

I'll predict the next question- full sleeve or sleeveless.  If you are hesitant with your swimming ability, get the full sleeve.  If nothing else, it will keep you warmer, and thus calm you down. 

I'm in for 2013.  Round 2 of my HIM life.