I believe they started the waves with the 5, 4, 3, 2 and then 1 milers going.

The 3 milers got in the water before our start. I looked around and everyone had a yellow swim cap. I had a orange one. Huh? I asked and they were all doing the 3 miler. All right, guess I got the wrong swim cap. Dang. I got the 5 mile swim cap.

They sounded the horn and off we went! I ended up at the back of the pack, but I figured it didn't matter. It was a long swim and there was plenty of river for us to spread out in.

We basically swam out with the buoy's on our left side and once we saw the buoy with "3" on it we were to round it and come back with the same buoy's on our left side.

I looked for the first buoy. I am pretty sure I saw it in the distance. I found something on the horizon to spot off of and went for that. The wetsuit felt good and it wasn't bothering me at all. Oddly, my arms didn't feel fatigued or tired, like they usually do the first 800-1000 meters. Great!

What was not great was the hair that had slipped out of my swim cap. It was getting pulled by my wetsuit and was downright annoying. Annoying and a bit painful. This was something I battled with the entire swim. I even stopped swimming a few times to try to shove it back in the swim cap. It would stay for a few strokes and come back out again. Ugh.

Got to the first buoy and sighted for the second one. WHERE was it? Couldn't find it for the life of me. Mind you, while I'm trying to find it, I'm breast stroking and losing time. It should be noted that there were only the red buoys marking where people needed to turn around for their distance- no buoys in between the red ones. Gave up trying to find it and followed the pack. I was sure at some point I would find it. Finally found it half way to it.

As I got close to the second buoy, I got into a pack of swimmers again. Annoying. I liked being out there alone without having to dodge people. Got to the second buoy and sighted for the third one. It looked really far, but I just kept swimming. I saw people way off to my right side and I thought I was going the wrong direction. Nope. I see the buoy right in front of me. This happens a lot when I do an open water swim.

Started swimming for the third buoy. Again, it seemed really far. Started thinking how FAR 3 miles in the water is. Told myself to just focus on getting to the next buoy, small chunks.

Got close to the third buoy but I didn't see people swimming back on my left side. I wasn't in the front pack, although I was close, but I should have seen someone coming back on the left side. I did see someone swimming back on my right side. WHAT?

So I lifted my head and asked someone in a kayak if we were supposed to swim back with the buoys on our left. She said that yes we were. THEN I finally saw someone coming at me on my left. More time wasted, but I had to make sure I was going to head back the right direction. Since it took me awhile to see someone coming back, I guess that meant I was near the front of the pack. Cool!

Got to the third buoy and rounded it. Half way done! WOO-HOO! Headed back towards the second buoy.

I was feeling good and having a solid swim. I didn't feel fatigued and my shoulders wear not sore. I kept thinking to myself that I had a done a perfect taper for this race! I just winged the taper, but it was spot on!

Got to the second buoy with no issues and headed for the third buoy (originally the first buoy). Made it no issues and it was time to swim for the finish!

The finish could have been marked more clearly. It was hard to know if I was swimming for the finish! I knew there was a building next to it so I sighted off that. I saw two small (very small) red buoys and figured that was the finish. But I also thought it might be something hanging off a boat parked near by.

This is where it got hard. The wind had picked up and every time I lifted my head to sight I would get a face full of water. When I would turn my head to breathe, all water. Breathing was optional on this leg of the race. HA! I just kept stroking and reminding myself that I would be fine if I couldn't breathe every two strokes. I then started cheering myself on by saying underwater, "GO! GO! GO!", "You got this!" It helped me pick up the pace.

During this portion I started to pass people in blue caps- the 2 milers who had started after my wave. I always like passing people from another wave.

I finally saw where the exit was and picked up the pace more. I kept swimming until I hit sand with my hands. Stood up. WOAH! I was walking like a baby just learning to walk. It was funny! They had a nice little crowd cheering everyone on out of the water. Came out of the water and they took my timing chip. Found my sister and niece off to the side!

Funny stories:
So my sister said that a lot of people kept missing the finish line. Some swam up too far to the left... others... A PACK... swam for the dock to the right. The whole bunch of them just swam over to the dock and then had to swim back to the left to the finish line. This is why I don't follow people in the water. I have found that 95% of the time I am swimming a straight line for the buoy in front of me. If people are off to my left or right...they are usually off course. Too many people suck at sighting and swimming a straight line.

OH! She also told me that a pack of about 50 geese swam across the finish line, really slow.. she said it was so funny. Too bad I missed it.


=================================
Here is the email I received from the RD 2 days after the race!

Congratulations on finishing the Chester Swim for Life
on July 11, 2009. For your records, the weather that day was
70 degrees and calm early with 85 degrees and windy/choppy later, water tem.

There were 18 finishers in the Female 44 and Under age group and
43 finishers in the race.

Your overall finish place was 11 and your age group finish place
was 7. Your overall finish percentile was 26 while your age group
percentile was 39. Your time of 1:32:29.7 gave you a 30:50 pace per mile.

Look how close I was to coming in top 4!

1 Molly Bolek 1:22:19.6
2 Elizabeth West 1:27:39.3
3 Lindsey Messina 1:28:57.1
4 shara neidell 1:29:21.1
5 Claire Ciarkowski 1:31:10.4
6 Alison Wilson 1:32:11.8
7 Karen Hicks 1:32:29.7

8 Caroline Stein 1:33:33.4
9 Kelli Rostkowski 1:34:10.6



I would do nothing differently. Yes the hair was annoying and it cost me time to keep pulling it out of the wetsuit, but it had to be done. Stopping to spot for the buoys was needed. Time lost, but well spent time.

For my warm-down I walked around some. Took off my wetsuit and then headed over to wash myself off in a hose. Chatted with Libby and my sister some.

Packed up and headed over to Annapolis! Met my bro-in-law at the Naval Academy (he is in the Navy) and ate lunch on campus. Got to walk around there and then in town. It was nice doing a little sight seeing!


This was a great open water race! It was easy going and casual and offered distances for all levels. If were going to be in Maryland again around this time I would do this open water swim again!