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James River 1 mile swim - SwimOther


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Richmond, Virginia
United States
Sportsbackers
85F / 29C
Sunny
Total Time = 47m 45s
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Let me prefce this race report....this is not an A race by any stretch of a wild imagination...I signed up for this race for the sole purpose of getting my head out of my arse about open water swimming. Using the wetsuit is the pits...Swimming in cold, dirty rivers stinks too....BUT, I really want to keep at this so I got convinced this swim would be a good event for me. Therefore, my sole goal in completing this event is just that...complete the swim without hugging a kayak or having a panic attack in the process.
Got to the site early ...in fact so early I got to volunteer and help with body marking. That was one of my long term goals so it put me in a happy frame of mind...Now to volunteer at a big race with cold water so I can be a wet suit stipper :)
Event warmup:

Watched the kids 400m swim...they were amazing, fearless even...
They let us in to warm up and I did swim about 100 yards to get the brain cleared and remind myself that the river was as warm and inviting as it was last week at tri club OWS practice. Hung around the dock and talked to Jen...I was talking to another girl pre race that had neve done any OWS before and kept reminding her of the stuff I was tellng myself about my anxieties...didn't see her post ace to see how she did.
Swim
  • 47m 45s
  • 1750 yards
  • 02m 44s / 100 yards
Comments:

I started off towards the back. I know my history in OWS and it isn't good so this was more of a hard practice than a race for me. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could swim that long without having a panic attack, hugging a kayak or having to back stroke at any time...I did it !!!THere was a group of waer polo players on the course passing a ball around, they helped me when I got a little too far out and had me swim in more. Had some goggle leaking issues so I did have to pause a couple times to empty the wate out of the goggles and get my bearings. My foot cramped up at the turn around and I thought I'd be in trouble swimming back but we swam with the current on the way back in so I didn't have to work as hard and I didn't have any problems to keep going. There were a few instances I thought they had moved the bouys out farther..it was nice to hit the turn around and finish bouys..
What would you do differently?:

Site more...
Post race
Warm down:

Jumped on dock and saw that there were a small handful of swimmers behind me and was thrilled to NOT be DFL!!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Hunger...I ate breakfast at 6 AM and was feeling hungry by the time the race started..I didn't pack any snacks along cause I thought the race started a bit earlier...Had to push the hunger sensation out of my mind on the swim so it was not the focus...just keep swimming, breathing every 3 strokes and sighting as best I could with leaky goggles

Event comments:

They weren't too well organized. Started out with 4 waves then decided to do 2 waves. No biggie...except the guy on the dock figured the race # was our seed for the wave. Race #'s were assigned by when we signed up to do the race. So then they had to differentiate wave 1 from wave 2...We had cap colors based on gender...so the answer?? Put a big blob dark circle on the cap for wave 2 people...Not well thought out. Noone had a megaphone...Tri club had a group out doing a preride there too cause this is the site of a tri in 2 weeks...Cool, I got to scope out the race venue in advance and am going to ride it next week :)




Last updated: 2008-04-20 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:47:45 | 1750 yards | 02m 44s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
Suit: bathing suit
Course: Half a mile up river against the current then turn at the big bouy and swim back...
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 83F / 28C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Bad
Waves: Good Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? No
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 3

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2008-06-14 12:01 PM

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Royal(PITA)
14270
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West Chester, Ohio
Subject: James River 1 mile swim


2008-06-14 1:55 PM
in reply to: #1466562

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Extreme Veteran
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New Joisy
Subject: RE: James River 1 mile swim

Woo hoo!  Awesome Judi, what an accomplishment.  I can't tell you how happy I am for you.  You chased those demons right out of there.  You are going to get so much better with those demons gone!

Way to go!



Edited by notarunnr 2008-06-14 1:56 PM
2008-06-14 2:50 PM
in reply to: #1466562

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Master
1848
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Canandaigua
Subject: RE: James River 1 mile swim
Congrates Judi.  You did great!!  This a good race and training you for you.  I'm glad you were able to do this and conquer it!   I hoped I helped a little. 
2008-06-14 5:00 PM
in reply to: #1466562

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Expert
973
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Berkeley, Calif.
Subject: RE: James River 1 mile swim
Major, major congratulations! I'm so proud of you for doing this event to start with, and to have done it so well, after working so hard, well, I'm seriously impressed.
2008-06-14 5:05 PM
in reply to: #1466562

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Champion
6046
5000100025
New York, NY
Subject: RE: James River 1 mile swim
great job!  and way to HTFU and take on the thing that gets you the most!
2008-06-14 7:02 PM
in reply to: #1466562

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Science Nerd
28760
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Redwood City, California
Subject: RE: James River 1 mile swim
Great job on the swim today!  Looks like you've conquered the OWS demons. 


2008-06-14 7:52 PM
in reply to: #1466562

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TinkerBeth
23096
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Liverpool, New York
Subject: RE: James River 1 mile swim

WTG Judi!

You set out with a goal in mind and you accomplished it! 

2008-06-14 7:57 PM
in reply to: #1466562

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Champion
6107
50001000100
Out running or enjoying a fine glass of red...
Subject: RE: James River 1 mile swim
WHOO WHOO! Congrats, Judi! I hope that I can eventually kill that OWS monster too. Of course, that would require me to actually get in the OW. Ha!

2008-06-15 8:50 AM
in reply to: #1466562

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Expert
683
500100252525
Lafayette, CA
Subject: RE: James River 1 mile swim

Nice job out there.  YOu did really well.  It is really tough with all of the bodies and no lane lines.

Congrads on a great race! 

2008-06-15 9:57 AM
in reply to: #1466562

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Expert
663
5001002525
Williamsburg, VA
Subject: RE: James River 1 mile swim
Nice job judy.  Now you know that you can swim the distance for a HIM. 
2008-06-15 2:05 PM
in reply to: #1466562

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Extreme Veteran
393
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Richmond Hill, Ontario
Subject: RE: James River 1 mile swim
Nicely done Judi and congrats on reaching that goal!


2008-06-16 8:40 AM
in reply to: #1466562

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Expert
986
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Michiana
Subject: RE: James River 1 mile swim
Awesome job.  Signing up and finishing are both big accomplishments.  Not being DFL was the icing. 
2008-06-16 8:53 AM
in reply to: #1466562

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Extreme Veteran
392
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Pennsylvania
Subject: RE: James River 1 mile swim
Awesome job Judi! I know that river...My son went to William and Mary... You did GREAT!!!
2008-06-23 1:24 PM
in reply to: #1466562

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Pro
4541
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A farming town in MN
Subject: RE: James River 1 mile swim

Congrats on a panic-free swim...and no kayak-resting either!

Awesome job...so...half ironman next year?

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