Long Branch Tri 8/14 - my first tri

This was my first tri as well. Tough conditions, and as I told my wife, I wouldn't exactly call that a "swim".

Are you planning on doing the Red Bank Tri? It's only the next town over for you.

I'm on the fence myself. On one hand, I don't have to worry about waves, on the other 1/2 mile swim might be a little too long for me.

Yes, loosk like fun. but need to do some serious training, and i have a family vacation planned 2 weeks prior to the race.

Wow, I thought about zipping over and trying to do that race as I could've made it but reading this good thing I didn't.

Okay, so I was chatting with a surfer friend of mine and he is of the opinion that the waves weren't quite as high as I had mentioned before. They might not have been 15 ft. but they certainly felt huge from my perspective. However, I stand corrected, grudgingly *humph*.

I also did the Long Branch Tri on 8/14. I agree that the waves were very high. I did finish the swim but in 10 mins or so. I used my boogie board and body surfing technique from growing up with the wave and dove under the big ones. When I got past them I road the swell of the incoming waves. But lets be honest it was not easy what so ever. I actually took longer on the way in because I was tired and I didn't want to have a wave slam me into the sand. That was only my third tri (two ocean and one pool) I still need a lot of work with the ocean swim. My anxiaty level really gets up there. I sometimes feel clostrophopic. Too bad you didn't finish the swim but instead of going for the Asbury Park Tri which is longer why don't you sign up for the War at the Shore on 9/18 back at Long Branch. Same distance as last Sat and hopefully the surf will be much calmer.