did it and now I'm even more nervous

you can turn on your back and/or start breast stroke both of which allow you to keep your head out and fell more secure.

Also if you stick to teh outside of teh pack you will be closer to the kayakers...

Good Luck.

enrico

Metaphors, waxing philosophical, odes, poems, animal burials, avatars and sport. Where else??? I ask you...WHERE ELSE??? 

LW

OK... Once you get in and start, it shouldn't be that bad... If you think you'd feel better further away from people, let others start ahead of you and sort of hang toward the back. Then, just swim. Freestyle, breast-stroke, backstroke, float, whatever... just concentrate on swimming in the water, and making some sort of forward progress. It doesn't have to be fancy or pretty, it just has to keep your head above water and moving in a general forward fashion.

I don't know what lake you're swimming in... most lakes around Wisconsin (I've found, at least) are pretty clear... they shouldn't be too murky, so you shouldn't have trouble seeing... not that you will be doing much peering around underwater anyway, but sometimes it's a mental thing... not being able to see through the water....not being able to see the bottom.

Don't psyche yourself out. You've come this far. It's really not THAT different from swimming in a pool. Just remember, water is water. Here, there, puddle, lake, river, pool, whatever... Move forward through that H2O.

Interesting to note, I do best when my feet aren't touching ground. I find gravity to be an unwelcome guest. I prefer swimming and biking to running any day of the week. Every day of the week. Yet sadly I spend most of my time running, as that's where I need the practice.  **SIGH**.

Which race are you doing????

Edited by Whizzer 2004-09-03 5:14 PM

I believe (though not positive) you can hold onto a support canoe or kayak without being dq'd if necessary. You might wanna check the rules.

It was allowed in the 1/2 IM I did.  Good luck!!!!

You CAN do it!!!

Gary

Here's the official USAT rule:

4.2 Bottom Contact and Resting.

A participant may stand on the bottom or rest by holding an inanimate object such as a buoy, boat, rope or floating object. Excluding the bottom, a participant shall not use any inanimate object to gain forward progress. A violation of this section shall result in a variable time penalty, unless the Head Referee in his/her sole discretion determines that (i) the violation was substantial and resulted in an unfair time advantage, or (ii) the violation constituted endangerment under Section 3.4(l).

Soooooo, NO excuses now - get out there and DO IT!!!!!