Wednesday OW Swim Report, 03-04-09

This week's OW swim was a memorable one for two reasons:

1) It was the first OW swim of the season;

2) It was my first swim in a wetsuit!

I had tried on the wetsuit a few times since getting it for Christmas, and now was finally showtime. The lake was a balmy 57 degrees or so. Emails had been flying around about booties, caps, gloves, filling your suit with warm water, and cautionary tales of blue lips and hospital visits. I know 57 is pretty cold, but all the folks out in California swim in the ocean all the time and the water barely gets up to 50 out there! I'm coming to learn that when a New Orleanian tries to warn you about "cold", it's best taken with a grain of salt. A few weekends ago, Coach Kevin rolled out of the swimhole for our ride with long pants, long sleeves, booties AND a headband... it couldn't have been much colder than 50.

I got my wetsuit on all by myself and headed to the steps with a group of 3 or 4 others. Some people were already swimming. I was a little nervous but excited too. I stood on the bottom step for a few minutes (about hip-deep) with Greg while we waited for Marcos and Chris to get in. It was the neatest feeling... my feet were cold, but the rest of my legs couldn't feel the water at all! They were just as warm as they had been when I was standing on the shore!

Finally the other two got their act together and we pushed off. You know how when you first step off into the water, you sink a little then come back up and start swimming? Well I pushed off and glided right on top of the water like a cork, no sinking at all! It was amazing!

The cold water did take my breath away a little bit and it took a few minutes to feel like I could breathe again. I did a fair job of sighting (something I'm not very good at), settled into a rhythm, and had a good swim. I decided to do just one half-mile loop instead of two though. For my first wetsuit swim and my first OW swim of the season, I felt like one was enough.

Success!


Coach Kevin, a little under the weather so not swimming but there to help as always:


Coach Rick, looking dapper (and also a little like a weatherman):