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Open Water Splash 5k - SwimOther


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Colorado Springs, Colorado
United States
Air Force Aquatics Masters
60F / 16C
Precipitation
Total Time = 1h 36m 53s
Overall Rank = 23/29
Age Group = F25-29
Age Group Rank = 3/3
Pre-race routine:

Lick. Lick. WTF. Stupid cat is licking my forehead. Must be 2am...that's when my sister's stupid cat always decides to climb into bed with me. SHIT! It's 0622!!! I'm supposed to meet Melissa downstairs in 20 minutes! Raced through the shower (can't do a swim race without shaving the legs), shoved a couple of chocolate chip cookies down (breakfast of champions!) and toasted a bagel w/PB. Melissa picked me up in Littleton around 6:45am and we drove to the Springs. Fun drive--nice to have company. Ate my bagel in the car. As we roll towards the Springs the weather is looking shittier and shittier. By the time we get to the Springs it's raining and can't be warmer than 60. Ugh. Get registered, hit the bathroom, get dressed. Decide to sit in the locker room until 0845 to stay warm. Ate a banana and four PB crackers while waiting. Mosey outside and meet up with Melissa's friends who came to watch her race.
Event warmup:

Uh. None. It was freezing. No way I was getting in that water early.
Swim
  • 1h 36m 53s
  • 5000 meters
  • 01m 56s / 100 meters
Comments:

We stood around freezing our butts off. Eventually they were going to make us start so we stood in the water knee deep. F'ing freezing. Advertised as 75...found out later it was 68-70 depending on how close to shore you were. At the very least this is EXCELLENT Horsetooth practice but that didn't make me feel any better when the gun went off and I had to get IN that water. Melissa and I both took a few seconds after the gun went off to work up the guts to get in. At least it had stopped raining. Just REALLY overcast. The pack took off fast and next thing I know I'm like LAST. WTF? That NEVER happens. But this is a TRAINING race so I didn't want to go blasting off just to die. Immediately upon hitting the water my ankle started to hurt. Pretty bad. Like someone was stabbling it with a knife. So I took it easy for the first 500m loop. Did it in about 11:45? SLOW.

Anyway, after that first loop you had to do three 1500m loops. The ankle finally quieted down. I decided to try to do each loop faster than the last. First loop...took it at a 'concerted effort' pace. The same pace I was holding in the pool yesterday. Felt good (cold, but good). Mostly bilat breathing. Not too much of a problem sighting. Drifted off to the left a few times but usually straight. Had a lot of "I have to do this loop HOW many times?" thoughts. Bad...bad...bad...but finally made it around the first time in about 29:17 I think (estimating because I'm writing this without my watch on me!).

Picked up the pace for the second loop and started to pick out people to pass. There was a guy maybe 25-50 meters in front of me. He would be my first victim. I had some help catching up on the backside of the first loop because he stopped to check on another swimmer. I also popped up to check on this guy which made my ankle hurt. Finally passed that guy (why are they so hard pass?) about 3/4ths through that loop and also got lapped by some folks? Sucks. That lap took about 27:57.

Started the third lap and my goggles are really starting to hurt. They are kinda tight and I think about stopping to fix them but I have three more rabbits in sight and don't want to lose the time. So I step on the gas. Pass one person easily. The other two proved more resistive. I got up inbetween them for awhile which was nice for sighting. I just kept looking at one or the other for a few hundred meters. But I wanted to DITCH these guys. I had to work hard to get past them...like they sped up when they saw me or something. Goggles were REALLY starting to hurt and it was beginning to affect my vision. I had a really hard time seeing. Couldn't tell the difference between buoys and people in boats with lifevests. Bad. But I had just passed those two dudes and didn't want to stop! I thought they'd be right on my heels! I took a glance back as I rounded a buoy and I'd put SOME space between us, but not enough. So I didn't fix my goggles and the vision problem got worse. I had to stop and float a few times to see the last buoy. Once I rounded the last buoy I had NO idea where the finish line was. I knew it had a white banner over it and I could sorta see that. But otherwise, I was swimming blind. Goggles had dug in so deep they were starting to give me blurry double vision. Had to stop once to pull my swim cap down (it decided to try to pop off on me) but did it as fast as posslble and kept aiming in the direction of the finish. Turned into the finish area and must have popped up 5 times in the last 25 feet because I had no depth perception left and kept thinking I had reached it when I hadn't. Stood up and walked across the line (finally) . Third loop was about 27:53 but it included the last short extra leg from the big loop to the finish line.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, YES I got beaten by a pregnant chick.
Post race
Warm down:

Stood there for a few minutes before I could see well enough and wasn't too dizzy to walk. Too much time horizontal! Got my towel and shoes and went straight to the locker room. Stood under a hot shower for a minute just to rinse off then put on my clothes since Melissa had finished 20 minutes before me and was ready to go! Ate a bagel then we went for warming coffee and lunch.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Tired. Very tired. Just decided to up and do the race, so no real prep.

Event comments:

Good small race. Looks like it was pretty accurately measured. GPS came up with 3.04 miles. GREAT Horsetooth 10k prep for me. Horsetooth should be that cold or colder (65-70) and just twice as long. Adding the overcast and rain was just bonus training.




Last updated: 2006-07-09 12:00 AM
Swimming
01:36:53 | 5000 meters | 01m 56s / 100meters
Age Group: 0/3
Overall: 0/29
Performance: Average
Small first lap: 11:45 First 1500m lap: 29:17 Second 1500m lap: 27:57 Third 1500m lap: 27:53 (included an extra section to the finish)
Suit: No wetsuits allowed!
Course: Three loops of a 1500m rectangle AFTER a small "500m" loop first.
Start type: Wade Plus:
Water temp: 69F / 21C Current:
200M Perf. Bad Remainder: Average
Breathing: Average Drafting: Bad
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 2
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2006-07-09 9:08 PM

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Champion
8766
5000200010005001001002525
Evergreen, Colorado
Subject: Open Water Splash 5k


2006-07-09 9:18 PM
in reply to: #477253

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Master
1901
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Central, IL
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash
Nice brave effort!  Brrrrrrrr........
2006-07-09 10:32 PM
in reply to: #477253

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Champion
6627
5000100050010025
Rochester Hills, Michigan
Gold member
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k
Yikes!!!  At least you didn't get the buoys confused with lobster traps or jet skis or wayward jackelopes.  Sounds like a great swim, considering the conditions.  Congrats!!! 
2006-07-10 6:16 AM
in reply to: #477253

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Champion
5183
5000100252525
Wisconsin
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k
I can;t believe you choose to do these crazy miserable things, Miss Jen. Seriously. It sounds like HELL!  I can't wait to hear about the 10k, it will be worse (for me) than going to a horrror movie!
2006-07-10 9:38 AM
in reply to: #477253

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Elite
2796
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Texas
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k
Great swim Jen!
2006-07-10 11:03 AM
in reply to: #477253

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Elite
3020
20001000
Bay Area, CA
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k

I think you should be stoked that you even finished it.  And the pregnant chick has better buoyancy in the water right now - so that's why she beat you.

Man, that sounds like a tough swim.  Good job!



2006-07-10 11:54 AM
in reply to: #477253

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Extreme Veteran
760
5001001002525
Provo, UT (my heart is in Seattle)
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k

Congrats on an awesome race!  I would like to do a 5k swim one day, but first I'll have to swim 5k consecutively .  Good job, I enjoyed the race report

2006-07-10 12:19 PM
in reply to: #477749

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Giver
18426
5000500050002000100010010010010025
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k
Great race, Jen, and way to descend those 1500s!
2006-07-10 12:35 PM
in reply to: #477253

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over a barrier
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k
Very nice! Can't wait to hear about the 10K - I'm hoping to race it next year!

2006-07-10 1:49 PM
in reply to: #477253

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Champion
7704
50002000500100100
Williamston, Michigan
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k
EEWW Are you warm yet!!!!  Geez I think I'd stilll be huddled next to the fire place.  OR in a hot tub or something!! Thats kinda cold.  Great effort tho.  That ankle should be GREAT by the time the 10K rolls around tho
2006-07-11 1:06 AM
in reply to: #477253

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Elite
2661
20005001002525
DC Metro, slowly working my way to NC
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k
Holy crap, a sub 2 minute pace while freezing your backside off while dealing with vision issues is AWESOME!!  Fantastic job!


2006-07-11 7:27 AM
in reply to: #477253

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Queen BTich
12411
500050002000100100100100
,
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k

Great job as always Jen!

I can't believe it was that cold and you still kicked it!

Once again, you're awesome.

2006-07-11 8:33 AM
in reply to: #477253

Regular
56
2525
Wilmington, NC
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k
Love, love, love ... love, love, love ... I'm giving your RR some LOVE!  WOW ... un-friggin' believable swim!  You are such an awesome athlete!  I should come to SD to drink your beer and let you train me!
2006-07-11 3:46 PM
in reply to: #477253

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Master
2136
200010025
A Prairie Home
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k
Oops, I just bumped Jen's RR. Oops..
2006-07-11 5:01 PM
in reply to: #477253

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Master
2052
20002525
Colorado
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k
WOW! Nice race. Sorry bout the water, but better than it being too hot... right?
2006-07-11 8:56 PM
in reply to: #477253

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Wife, Mother, Friend.
2457
20001001001001002525
South
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k

cold water, not being able to see, and the cat....   I don't know if I could handle it like you did. 
I live in FL, I'm a cold wuss, I like being able to see since I have one sense less than most people, and I"m allergic to cats.  wah!

 

Jus givin' you some love.   



2006-07-12 9:39 PM
in reply to: #477253

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Champion
8766
5000200010005001001002525
Evergreen, Colorado
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k
Bumping my own RR (shameless, I know) because I added results.  I did as bad as I thought!  23rd out of 29 starters.  There were 2 DNF's.  Pure swimmers are fast!  Fastest dude finished almost 30 minutes before me!
2006-07-13 3:05 PM
in reply to: #477253

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Frugal Gear Geek
2199
2000100252525
having fun with the kids
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k
you are still doing more racing than I am right now
2006-07-14 9:50 PM
in reply to: #477253

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Champion
11641
50005000100050010025
Fairport, NY
Subject: RE: Open Water Splash 5k

Bumping this because it's a great report.

So bump. 

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