I will be honest in this summary because I want others who may have not done an OWS to learn from me and get mentally prepared. This swim was humbling, frustrating, scary ... but ultimately a powerful lesson. The horn sounded, and I started along at a slow, calm pace as Bostic (and others) had told me. I wasn't bothered by others close to me, so I was cool at this point. We came upon a piling (not part of the race buoys) which was at the edge of the protected cove, and I was feeling okay ... then, as we entered the chop, I took a breath which contained more water than air. I composed myself, took another breath ... more water. Then I was crunched between two Clydesdale (heavy-weight division) who were swimming with our age-group wave ... another mouth full of water ... and the wet suit started to tighten around my neck and chest. This is when I started to freak a little bit. Imagine being in a washing machine with two Sumo-wrestlers, and that's how I felt! I put my head up to sight, took in more water, and it was at this point that I mentally admitted that things were not going well! I'll admit it ... I grabbed the first lifeguard surf board I came to. I thought "it's not worth drowning." I wasn't just needing air ... I was basically in a bad situation, one that I've never felt in the water. The wet suit was tighter than I ever imagined it could be, and I can honestly say that I needed to hang on that board - at this point, I did not consider it optional. Conversation while on the board:
18-year old girl life-guard: "are you okay?"
Fat man in rubber suit (aka, me): "yes, just need to collect myself"
LG: "well, do you need the waverunner to take you in?"
Me: "Do I look THAT BAD! No, I'll be fine in a minute"
LG: "Well, I'm just amazed that you all are out here in these conditions ... I would never do it - it's crazy!"
Me: "uh ... I'm leaving now ... "
So, after those very encouraging words I launched, once again, into the breech! I was still going into the wind, but tried to get into my game again. It was tough ... I rounded the first buoy, and the wind was to my left, which is my default breathing side. I started breathing to my right, which was a little better. I felt like I had been out there FOREVER! An interesting note ... breathing only to one side really does make you fade in that direction. I was slightly off-course, so I went to bilateral breathing. Boom - water to the lungs again to my left. Got a little flustered, but was coming up on the last turn. I cut the buoy so close that my leg got tangled in the buoy rope. Could this GET any worse! I looked for a place to grab onto the buoy, to no avail. My leg did come lose, and I turned downwind ... finally! I got into my groove downwind, and salvaged what was left of my spirit. I had imagined that I had been in the water for 45 minutes, and was losing all interest in going on with this race. I was thinking "well, should I just call it a day?" In the 200-or-so meters to the swim finish, I learned something about myself. I came to the realization that I had just powered through something I had never faced before in the water. I have been a swimmer all my life ... I cannot remember a time when I was not a swimmer. I grew up swimming sprints against my cousins at our family lake house ... I swam in the ocean throughout my childhood, and was even a certified life guard in college ... and never, ever have I felt like I was going to drown. For about 2 seconds on Sunday that reality crossed my mind. I will tell you that panic set in, and all drownings start with panic. On the home-stretch of this swim, I swam methodically and meditated on what I had just experienced. I climbed up the ladder, and was broken by the humility I felt. I wobbled ... and wondered if I could even stand. And that's when it hit me ... I was NOT going to quit this race. I was going to walk to T1, but I was NOT going to quit.

Practice OWS, in the wet suit, in any condition. My advice to others is to practice in the open-water, and be mentally prepared for a little panic, and be prepared to let your mind go to a relaxed place, and keep swimming!

It was a long walk to T1, mainly because I had some mental stuff to work through before I got there. I took my time. As I sat in T1, gathering myself after that horrible swim, I started to feel good. I just went through the motions of dressing for the ride. By just stripping the wet suit and getting dressed mechanically, I didn't let myself consider quitting. I just moved forward with purpose.

I grabbed my bike off the rack, and started walking to the start ... then I picked it up with a jog ... and it was then that my spirit returned. I felt inpired by the fact that I didn't let that swim knock me out. As I jogged towards the bike-mount line I felt -maybe for the first time - what triathloning was all about. I had looked quitting right in the face, and said "no" to it. The bike was good, and I enjoyed the flat course! I spent more time in aero than I had at the race last weekend, but still need to become more comfortable with it.

Spend more time in aero during training.

I felt good, but tired, coming off the bike. The headwind broke me down a little bit, but my T2 was okay.

I just need to hustle a little more, and bolt out on the run with purpose.

By the time I hit this run, I was proud of the fact that I was even on the run, after the way this race started. It was a totally flat course, but it took me a while to get my breathing normalized. I did the run/walk thing. At the half-way point, I got my stride. I rounded the corner for home, and ran the balance of the course. I felt great, having fought my way through this thing, and I strided into the finish.

Nothing ... this was my best run (in a race) to date.

Went straight to a sitting position, still a little overwhelmed with the swim. I felt better after this race than either of my previous two! I was so happy to see Shannon at the finish, and we went together into the post-race feeding line! Got some salty snacks and drinks, and I tried to tell her about that swim.


Lack of practice in OW swimming scenarios.


All the times in this RR are unofficial, as the official times have not been posted as of this writing. However, I cannot convey how much I grew out of this experience. I am very nervous about my next OWS in June, but I will do it! In fact, I'm doing the White Lake HIM next year, damn it all!