In the Hudson River 8 bridges is a 120 mile swimming odyssey. On the Willamette 8 bridges gets you to about the halfway point of the swim. So if swimming under bridges is your thing Portland is the place.
Total distance covered is just under 11 miles (maybe 10.8) current assist is nowhere to be found. The finish is the St. Johns Bridge, which is suitably dramatic. Really the finish is the beach about 20 feet north of the bridge but it is the bridge you have to look at, or not, for the last 3 miles.
I actually got a call out at the pre-race meeting as having traveled furthest for the swim. (Just shy of 3000 miles) Really I didn't fly out to Portland just for the swim. But since we were planning a trip to Portland this summer anyway we might as well come for the weekend of July 12th.
Here is a list of the Bridges and their mileage on the swim
Sellwood (start)
Ross Island (mile 2.5)
Tilikum (mile 2.7)
Marquam (mile 3)
Hawthorne (mile 3.4)
Morrison (mile 3.7)
Burnside (4.1)
Steel (4.3)
Broadway (4.8)
Fremont (5.4)
Burlington Northern (9.5)
St. Johns (finish at 10.8)
Now that I've listed them out I see the halfway point is actually at the Fremont Bridge, which is number 10 and that most of the good spots for spectating are on the first half of the swim.
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Friday, July 24, 2015
Friday, June 12, 2015
Newburgh-Beacon to Bear Mountain
Usually before a big swim I get a little nervous. Usually this is just about the swim. On Wednesday I was nervous about the swim, about the drive, and about rolling out of the house in the early morning with two little kids in tow.Turns out they were great. We got to the Beacon metro-north station with time to spare and I could see Launch 5 on the dock.
I got gooped up (diaper cream), the rest of the swimmers and kayakers arrived, and we all piled onto Launch 5 to head out to the starting point just north of the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. I thought about the last time I swam this way and that made me feel good.
Once in the water there was a count down from ten and then we were swimming.
Maybe there are other swimmers that don't experience this, but for me everything always feels terrible at the start of a swim. The water feels cold even when I know the temperature is fine. Breathing feels hard. My arms hurt. Maybe this is a question of experience but all that didn't feel so bad this time. Or maybe I was just happy to see the bridge disappear so fast.
I felt a tiny little twinge in my left hip flexor, like it was about to cramp up. It didn't.
My feeds were evenly spaced 30 minutes apart, which of course means the wait for the first one is the longest. Usually after a few feeds I notice my legs feel all heavy and rubbery. This time I felt it on my very first feed. So as I swam I asked them what the problem was. Naturally there was no answer.
I want to keep this in mind for the next time someone asks what I think about while swimming for hours.
Once I settled into my rhythm I started to notice just how scenic this leg downriver is. Relatively flat water and my normal 3 stroke breathing pattern let me get a pretty good view of both sides of the river. It amazes me that such a short distance north of NYC on a busy shipping channel mostly what was looking at was tree covered mountains.
I felt like I was going to crash into Storm King Mountain. It was so close. I kept telling myself that it couldn't be as close as it looked. It seemed like I could just reach down and touch it because I was swimming right over the roots of the mountain.
Bill, my kayaker, told me we were picking up current and had passed the 5 mile mark. I think that was on my fourth feed, two hours in.
We passed a tanker going upstream. This reminded me just how big everything was. It didn't seem close, just big. The wake didn't bother me at all just lifted me up and down. Bill nearly disappeared behind a wave a few times and then everything was smooth again. A few minutes later we got caught in an eddy that it left behind. For a little while I swam in place. I could actually feel the water pushing me around.
This is the time in a swim when I feel the best. The water was comfortable with an occasional warm patch that felt truly luxurious.
I spotted a few other boats, this time on my left. A sailboat, a ferry. I wonder, can they see me out here? One of a handful of lunatics happily swimming down the Hudson?
After about 3 hours (or maybe 31/2) of some of the most beautiful flat water that you can expect, the river changed. A little chop combined with some rolling waves reminded me that I was tired and had been swimming for a while.
Bill flagged me down and when he gave me my feed he asked if I needed anything different. I wanted to ask for that nice flat water again. I didn't ask but I got it anyway. All those rolling waves just faded away.
Looking at the map now I would guess that when I first got a look at West Point I was around the 9 mile mark. And I was probably past the 10 mile mark before I lost sight of it entirely. I had another feed right in front of it so I got a good look.
Do things look bigger when you are swimming past them? I've seen West Point before but that was the biggest it ever looked.
I didn't know the mile markers at the time and I think I prefer it that way. I might have had three more feeds after West Point, there might have been more. I lost count.
I told myself I would swim until I finished, until they pulled me, or until that little twinge in my hip flexor finally cramped up the way it had been threatening for hours. I really was beginning to think it was going to be that last one when Bill flagged me down for a feed and told me it was probably my last one.
I looked and there was the Bear Mountain Bridge, and it wasn't all that far away.
"Just keep doing what you're doing." he said
I can't explain how motivating that simple phrase is.
I knew that cramp I was afraid of was not going to happen. I kept telling myself to just keep my rhythm and don't pick my head up to sight. Soon enough I could see the bridge even without picking up my head.
I swam into the shadow of the bridge before I was actually under it. I flinched. After swimming under a clear sky for so long, suddenly being in shadow feels strange.
And then I was under the bridge. And then I was past it.
There was an extra little bit to swim to Launch 5. Pulling my legs up to the bottom step at the back of the boat was hard. I missed the step on my first try. But I managed to climb aboard without much help.
I tried to clear my ears and almost fell over. So I decided to stand still for a little while. Then I had my bag. A bag that contained a towel and a shirt. And a slightly melted chocolate bar.
I got gooped up (diaper cream), the rest of the swimmers and kayakers arrived, and we all piled onto Launch 5 to head out to the starting point just north of the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. I thought about the last time I swam this way and that made me feel good.
Once in the water there was a count down from ten and then we were swimming.
Maybe there are other swimmers that don't experience this, but for me everything always feels terrible at the start of a swim. The water feels cold even when I know the temperature is fine. Breathing feels hard. My arms hurt. Maybe this is a question of experience but all that didn't feel so bad this time. Or maybe I was just happy to see the bridge disappear so fast.
I felt a tiny little twinge in my left hip flexor, like it was about to cramp up. It didn't.
My feeds were evenly spaced 30 minutes apart, which of course means the wait for the first one is the longest. Usually after a few feeds I notice my legs feel all heavy and rubbery. This time I felt it on my very first feed. So as I swam I asked them what the problem was. Naturally there was no answer.
I want to keep this in mind for the next time someone asks what I think about while swimming for hours.
Once I settled into my rhythm I started to notice just how scenic this leg downriver is. Relatively flat water and my normal 3 stroke breathing pattern let me get a pretty good view of both sides of the river. It amazes me that such a short distance north of NYC on a busy shipping channel mostly what was looking at was tree covered mountains.
I felt like I was going to crash into Storm King Mountain. It was so close. I kept telling myself that it couldn't be as close as it looked. It seemed like I could just reach down and touch it because I was swimming right over the roots of the mountain.
Bill, my kayaker, told me we were picking up current and had passed the 5 mile mark. I think that was on my fourth feed, two hours in.
We passed a tanker going upstream. This reminded me just how big everything was. It didn't seem close, just big. The wake didn't bother me at all just lifted me up and down. Bill nearly disappeared behind a wave a few times and then everything was smooth again. A few minutes later we got caught in an eddy that it left behind. For a little while I swam in place. I could actually feel the water pushing me around.
This is the time in a swim when I feel the best. The water was comfortable with an occasional warm patch that felt truly luxurious.
I spotted a few other boats, this time on my left. A sailboat, a ferry. I wonder, can they see me out here? One of a handful of lunatics happily swimming down the Hudson?
After about 3 hours (or maybe 31/2) of some of the most beautiful flat water that you can expect, the river changed. A little chop combined with some rolling waves reminded me that I was tired and had been swimming for a while.
Bill flagged me down and when he gave me my feed he asked if I needed anything different. I wanted to ask for that nice flat water again. I didn't ask but I got it anyway. All those rolling waves just faded away.
Looking at the map now I would guess that when I first got a look at West Point I was around the 9 mile mark. And I was probably past the 10 mile mark before I lost sight of it entirely. I had another feed right in front of it so I got a good look.
Do things look bigger when you are swimming past them? I've seen West Point before but that was the biggest it ever looked.
I didn't know the mile markers at the time and I think I prefer it that way. I might have had three more feeds after West Point, there might have been more. I lost count.
I told myself I would swim until I finished, until they pulled me, or until that little twinge in my hip flexor finally cramped up the way it had been threatening for hours. I really was beginning to think it was going to be that last one when Bill flagged me down for a feed and told me it was probably my last one.
I looked and there was the Bear Mountain Bridge, and it wasn't all that far away.
"Just keep doing what you're doing." he said
I can't explain how motivating that simple phrase is.
I knew that cramp I was afraid of was not going to happen. I kept telling myself to just keep my rhythm and don't pick my head up to sight. Soon enough I could see the bridge even without picking up my head.
I swam into the shadow of the bridge before I was actually under it. I flinched. After swimming under a clear sky for so long, suddenly being in shadow feels strange.
And then I was under the bridge. And then I was past it.
There was an extra little bit to swim to Launch 5. Pulling my legs up to the bottom step at the back of the boat was hard. I missed the step on my first try. But I managed to climb aboard without much help.
I tried to clear my ears and almost fell over. So I decided to stand still for a little while. Then I had my bag. A bag that contained a towel and a shirt. And a slightly melted chocolate bar.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Run For the Hills
Who: The Great Barrington Land Conservancy
What: The 3rd Annual Run For the Hills
When: Sunday, Oct 6, 2013
Where: Simon's Rock College in Great Barrington MA
Why: It's Becoming Something of a tradition now
The course was back to the loop from two years ago. Last years out and back course is out and my PR with it.
I enjoy being able to pick my own race in a run like this. After half a mile there were four guys spread out in front of me. Everyone else had disappeared from sight. Blue shirt, red shirt, white shirt, grey shirt. Four guys and a pretty wide age range, I thought.
The first mile nothing changed, there were some hills. The course takes a right turn onto a dirt road. The four guys were still there in the same order, maybe a little more spread out. I closed a little on an uphill. On the way down I heard two sets of feet right behind me. At the end of the dirt road the course takes another right turn and starts up a beastly hill. This is also the 2 mile mark.
By this time blue shirt had pulled away. The two sets of feet behind me turned out to be two women. One of them pulled ahead.
But then we came to the aforementioned beastly hill. I ran down white shirt and red shirt and I caught up to the woman who had just pulled ahead of me. (I can't remember her shirt color. It was light maybe pink?)
We raced for the next half a mile or more. Eventually I pulled away. By then the finish was almost in sight. I never lost track of grey shirt. He finished right ahead of me.
After the race we had a second breakfast before I got ready to head over to sunday masters swimming.
What: The 3rd Annual Run For the Hills
When: Sunday, Oct 6, 2013
Where: Simon's Rock College in Great Barrington MA
Why: It's Becoming Something of a tradition now
The course was back to the loop from two years ago. Last years out and back course is out and my PR with it.
I enjoy being able to pick my own race in a run like this. After half a mile there were four guys spread out in front of me. Everyone else had disappeared from sight. Blue shirt, red shirt, white shirt, grey shirt. Four guys and a pretty wide age range, I thought.
The first mile nothing changed, there were some hills. The course takes a right turn onto a dirt road. The four guys were still there in the same order, maybe a little more spread out. I closed a little on an uphill. On the way down I heard two sets of feet right behind me. At the end of the dirt road the course takes another right turn and starts up a beastly hill. This is also the 2 mile mark.
By this time blue shirt had pulled away. The two sets of feet behind me turned out to be two women. One of them pulled ahead.
But then we came to the aforementioned beastly hill. I ran down white shirt and red shirt and I caught up to the woman who had just pulled ahead of me. (I can't remember her shirt color. It was light maybe pink?)
We raced for the next half a mile or more. Eventually I pulled away. By then the finish was almost in sight. I never lost track of grey shirt. He finished right ahead of me.
After the race we had a second breakfast before I got ready to head over to sunday masters swimming.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Accross Newport Harbor
So this was a short straight swim and I'd like to keep my write up the same way. We came out to Newport for the swim and made a weekend out of it.
The swim is 1500 meters in a more or less straight line across Newport Harbor from Perotti Park to King Park. You can actually see the whole course from the starting line. Maybe two or three buoys to help us keep in line. The start was off of a dock and the water was deep enough for an actual diving entry.
I lined up near the back because I wasn't wearing a wetsuit. I don't mean the race directors did it that way. I mean I had to keep my warm up clothes on until the last minute so when it came time to line up I had to strip, stuff my warm-ups into a bag and toss it in with the rest of the swimmers' bags. Most everyone else could just walk down to the dock.
There were a handful of other people without wetsuits.
I went for the diving start. I was prepared for the curglaff (it's a real word and one the ows community can get some use out of) after a minute of swimming at a slightly faster turnover than usual I settled into my rhythm and felt pretty great. I overtook a lot of swimmers in the first few minutes because I had started at the back.
Several times I found some other swimmers on my left pushing me further to the right than I wanted to go. Was it the same swimmer multiple times? Was I pulling left? I don't know. Everyone looks the same in neoprene. I do drift to the left sometimes.
There were dock and anchored boats to the left. We passed the last boats on the left with around 500 yards to go. The bottom also came into view around then. Water was a little cloudy so I first caught site of the harbor bottom when it was maybe 7 or 8 feet down.
So the whole final stretch once we were past the last of the anchored boats was very shallow. And it got shallower. Then it got mucky and slimy. I was trying to sprint into shore but I was also trying hard not to swallow any water. After all the slime and muck the beach finish was a bit rocky and I had to run up on shore very carefully.
After meeting my family and picking up my bag I went to check my finish time. To my surprise I was listed as #1 in my age group.
Pro: There was a sponsored afterparty that included free food and beer for the swimmers.
Con: there was no shower or rinse station at the finish. Considering how mucky the finish is I hope they can set something up next time.
The swim is 1500 meters in a more or less straight line across Newport Harbor from Perotti Park to King Park. You can actually see the whole course from the starting line. Maybe two or three buoys to help us keep in line. The start was off of a dock and the water was deep enough for an actual diving entry.
I lined up near the back because I wasn't wearing a wetsuit. I don't mean the race directors did it that way. I mean I had to keep my warm up clothes on until the last minute so when it came time to line up I had to strip, stuff my warm-ups into a bag and toss it in with the rest of the swimmers' bags. Most everyone else could just walk down to the dock.
There were a handful of other people without wetsuits.
I went for the diving start. I was prepared for the curglaff (it's a real word and one the ows community can get some use out of) after a minute of swimming at a slightly faster turnover than usual I settled into my rhythm and felt pretty great. I overtook a lot of swimmers in the first few minutes because I had started at the back.
Several times I found some other swimmers on my left pushing me further to the right than I wanted to go. Was it the same swimmer multiple times? Was I pulling left? I don't know. Everyone looks the same in neoprene. I do drift to the left sometimes.
There were dock and anchored boats to the left. We passed the last boats on the left with around 500 yards to go. The bottom also came into view around then. Water was a little cloudy so I first caught site of the harbor bottom when it was maybe 7 or 8 feet down.
So the whole final stretch once we were past the last of the anchored boats was very shallow. And it got shallower. Then it got mucky and slimy. I was trying to sprint into shore but I was also trying hard not to swallow any water. After all the slime and muck the beach finish was a bit rocky and I had to run up on shore very carefully.
After meeting my family and picking up my bag I went to check my finish time. To my surprise I was listed as #1 in my age group.
Pro: There was a sponsored afterparty that included free food and beer for the swimmers.
Con: there was no shower or rinse station at the finish. Considering how mucky the finish is I hope they can set something up next time.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Under the George Washington Bridge
I drove into Manhattan on the Henry Hudson at a little before 6 am. There was only a hint of light in the sky and I got a look at the GW bridge all lit up as I drove by. I actually thought that it looked majestic. There is something wonderful about seeing a dramatic landmark (watermark?) that you are about to swim under.
I arrived, parked, and got checked in. I had a while to wait because I was going out in wave 8 out of 10. Near the end of my second open water season I can show up to a larger event like LRL and I actually know a few people there. I had time to catch up and show off my scar from Lake Willoughby.
When it came time to line up I had to strip my warm-up clothes off quickly and head to the front of my line. Within the wave we were lined up by number.
When our start time came around we jumped off the end of the pier, got a short countdown and then we set off swimming. A few people disappeared behind me and a few others pulled ahead until I lost track of them. I got an occasional glimpse of another swimmer when sighting but was otherwise on my own.
The water had felt jarringly cold when I first jumped in but by the time my wave had spaced itself out I felt comfortable. I went on feeling comfortable the whole time I was in the water.
The last two waves went out after we did and had the fastest swimmers. Each of those waves seemed to overtake me in a pack. I was swimming along with nobody else around. Then suddenly there were other swimmers all around me and then just as suddenly they were gone off ahead. At this point I hadn't passed anybody so having whole groups just blow past me like that was something of a downer.
I tried very hard not to sight off the bridge because I knew it would be discouraging. I settled into my rhythm and swam. I was actually getting close to the bridge when I finally started overtaking some other groups.
It was exactly like the fast waves flying by but in reverse. I was all by myself then there were a bunch of other swimmers all in a pack and then I was past them. This happened two or maybe three times before I got to the bridge. I always worry a little about my fear of heights when crossing under a bridge but it didn't bother me at all. My first ever real live look at the Little Red Lighthouse itself was from the water, swimming by.
Continuing north past the bridge I started to overtake some more swimmers. I knew the finish was still about a mile away but I also knew with the current we were just flying along. I felt fantastic.
It seemed like there were two or even three waves passing each other. The last mile was the busiest. I knew to watch for the boats anchored to our right and then a dock. A sharp right turn at the dock would bring us into the finish.
Navigating it was easy, but the finish itself was a crowded mess. I suppose it shows how well the wave starts were timed because it seemed like everyone was finishing at once. There was a mat rolled out on the boat launch that was the finish. But it was weighed down with sand bags and we couldn't see them through the cloudy water. So there was a lot of staggering and stumbling and tripping over each other as we exited the water.
I stumbled out, got my timing chip removed, and got in line for the hose down. They might have been called showers. I saw several people from my starting wave around me. Which goes to show that I wasn't really alone all that time when I thought there was no one else around.
I hung around for the award ceremony, while eating the provided food. (I took second in my age group. Something I was not expecting) and then I took the shuttle back to the starting line. I walked back to the garage where I had parked my car, then kept walking around the corner to the nearest pizza place. Where I got a slice of real New York pizza.
I arrived, parked, and got checked in. I had a while to wait because I was going out in wave 8 out of 10. Near the end of my second open water season I can show up to a larger event like LRL and I actually know a few people there. I had time to catch up and show off my scar from Lake Willoughby.
When it came time to line up I had to strip my warm-up clothes off quickly and head to the front of my line. Within the wave we were lined up by number.
When our start time came around we jumped off the end of the pier, got a short countdown and then we set off swimming. A few people disappeared behind me and a few others pulled ahead until I lost track of them. I got an occasional glimpse of another swimmer when sighting but was otherwise on my own.
The water had felt jarringly cold when I first jumped in but by the time my wave had spaced itself out I felt comfortable. I went on feeling comfortable the whole time I was in the water.
The last two waves went out after we did and had the fastest swimmers. Each of those waves seemed to overtake me in a pack. I was swimming along with nobody else around. Then suddenly there were other swimmers all around me and then just as suddenly they were gone off ahead. At this point I hadn't passed anybody so having whole groups just blow past me like that was something of a downer.
I tried very hard not to sight off the bridge because I knew it would be discouraging. I settled into my rhythm and swam. I was actually getting close to the bridge when I finally started overtaking some other groups.
It was exactly like the fast waves flying by but in reverse. I was all by myself then there were a bunch of other swimmers all in a pack and then I was past them. This happened two or maybe three times before I got to the bridge. I always worry a little about my fear of heights when crossing under a bridge but it didn't bother me at all. My first ever real live look at the Little Red Lighthouse itself was from the water, swimming by.
Continuing north past the bridge I started to overtake some more swimmers. I knew the finish was still about a mile away but I also knew with the current we were just flying along. I felt fantastic.
It seemed like there were two or even three waves passing each other. The last mile was the busiest. I knew to watch for the boats anchored to our right and then a dock. A sharp right turn at the dock would bring us into the finish.
Navigating it was easy, but the finish itself was a crowded mess. I suppose it shows how well the wave starts were timed because it seemed like everyone was finishing at once. There was a mat rolled out on the boat launch that was the finish. But it was weighed down with sand bags and we couldn't see them through the cloudy water. So there was a lot of staggering and stumbling and tripping over each other as we exited the water.
I stumbled out, got my timing chip removed, and got in line for the hose down. They might have been called showers. I saw several people from my starting wave around me. Which goes to show that I wasn't really alone all that time when I thought there was no one else around.
I hung around for the award ceremony, while eating the provided food. (I took second in my age group. Something I was not expecting) and then I took the shuttle back to the starting line. I walked back to the garage where I had parked my car, then kept walking around the corner to the nearest pizza place. Where I got a slice of real New York pizza.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Newport Sharkfest
Who: Enviro-Sports
What: The Inaugural Newport Sharkfest Swim
When: Sep 28, 2013
Where: Newport Harbor, Newport RI
Why: Because I wanted to stretch my season an extra week.
How Far: 1500M
Official Water Temp: 62
The original sharkfest is an Alacatraz swim. There are now several sharkfests in a handful of cities around the U.S.
This is my last open water event for the 2013 season. Training for the 2014 season starts today.
What: The Inaugural Newport Sharkfest Swim
When: Sep 28, 2013
Where: Newport Harbor, Newport RI
Why: Because I wanted to stretch my season an extra week.
How Far: 1500M
Official Water Temp: 62
The original sharkfest is an Alacatraz swim. There are now several sharkfests in a handful of cities around the U.S.
This is my last open water event for the 2013 season. Training for the 2014 season starts today.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Little Red Lighthouse
Who: NYCSwim
What: The Little Red Lighthouse Swim
When: Saturday, Sep 21 2013
Where: The Hudson River, New York, NY
Why: Because, apparently, I haven't had enough of the Hudson yet.
Since the weather stopped the Great Hudson River swim at the beginning of the summer I had High Hopes for the Little Red Lighthouse. This event was everything I hoped it would be.
The first wave was scheduled to start at 7:15 am. But more importantly, check-in was over at 6:30. With a two hour drive, plus a little time to park and grab some breakfast on the way down, my day started at 3:30. This turned out not to be a problem.
What: The Little Red Lighthouse Swim
When: Saturday, Sep 21 2013
Where: The Hudson River, New York, NY
Why: Because, apparently, I haven't had enough of the Hudson yet.
Since the weather stopped the Great Hudson River swim at the beginning of the summer I had High Hopes for the Little Red Lighthouse. This event was everything I hoped it would be.
The first wave was scheduled to start at 7:15 am. But more importantly, check-in was over at 6:30. With a two hour drive, plus a little time to park and grab some breakfast on the way down, my day started at 3:30. This turned out not to be a problem.
Monday, September 16, 2013
1500 extra long meters
The 1500 was the first race at lake Moreau. I walked over from the campsite on the other side of the lake. There were only six people swimming. No wetsuits. I thought that was interesting because in this event there are no separate divisions. I didn't get an official water temperature but I think it was about 70-71. We started from the water line. Plenty of room so we were not crowded at the start. For a few seconds at the start I was ahead of everyone. I think I just ran in faster. One guy caught up and passed me before we got to the first buoy.
I could tell There was no way I was staying with him so I let him go. Then right after the first buoy one of the ladies started to pull ahead of me. Normally I just swim my own race and I don't worry about everyone else. But just this once I decided to race. She opened more of a lead on the way to the second buoy. But I got a better line, so when I came around the second buoy I was just a few body lengths behind. She started to open up a little more distance but she had a little bit of zig.
We rounded the third buoy, probably just over halfway through the race. By now I was convinced she was just a little faster than me but I was reliably swimming straighter. So I stopped paying attention to her and made my best line for the fourth buoy. It worked. About fifty yards short of the buoy she fell in directly in front of me. I tried not to tap her toes as enjoyed the draft. Coming out of the turn I rode the draft for another minute and then started moving up. I swam on the outside shoulder to hip and then shoulder to shoulder. We came to the fifth and final buoy. I let her have the inside line, like a gentleman, and then did a reasonable approximation of a sprint into shore.
We came in at 34:45 and 34:46
Turns out the course was long
Monday, September 9, 2013
Lake Moreau
Who: Green Leaf Racing
What: Moreau Lake Races
When: September 8, 2013
Where: Lake Moreau State Park, Ganesvoort NY
Why: To get back in the game
So this turned out to me my first repeat swimming event this year. Meaning the first swim from last year that I managed to do again this year. It is a fun event, I'm glad I came back. There was a bit of a gap in my training in the last few weeks, which I will be writing about, so it was nice to get back in for a race.
The Lake Moreau races include a 15k run, a 1.5k swim, a 3k swim and an aquathlon (1.5k swim 5k run)
For reference the 15k run seems to be a brutally hard course.
What: Moreau Lake Races
When: September 8, 2013
Where: Lake Moreau State Park, Ganesvoort NY
Why: To get back in the game
So this turned out to me my first repeat swimming event this year. Meaning the first swim from last year that I managed to do again this year. It is a fun event, I'm glad I came back. There was a bit of a gap in my training in the last few weeks, which I will be writing about, so it was nice to get back in for a race.
The Lake Moreau races include a 15k run, a 1.5k swim, a 3k swim and an aquathlon (1.5k swim 5k run)
For reference the 15k run seems to be a brutally hard course.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Super Mini Meet
Who: Simon's Rock Pacemakers
What: The Super-Mini Meet
When: Tuesday Aug 6 2013
Where: Simon's Rock
Why: Well it was there
A pool meet in the summertime. A super mini meet. The Simon's Rock Pacemakers hosted a tuesday night meet. There were only about 7 events total (well 14 I guess mens and womens events) so the whole event went pretty fast. No PR's for me but I did go for the 100 yard I.M.
What: The Super-Mini Meet
When: Tuesday Aug 6 2013
Where: Simon's Rock
Why: Well it was there
A pool meet in the summertime. A super mini meet. The Simon's Rock Pacemakers hosted a tuesday night meet. There were only about 7 events total (well 14 I guess mens and womens events) so the whole event went pretty fast. No PR's for me but I did go for the 100 yard I.M.
Monday, July 1, 2013
WYLD Mud Run 2013
Who: Northwest CT YMCA
What: The 2nd Annual WYLD Y Mud Run
When: June 29th 2013
Where: John A. Minetto State Park, Torrington, CT
Why: Because it's my local Y, because this time I got my friends to run with me, and because it is all kinds of fun.
This is my first repeat event since starting this blog and it is not even a swim. But I did it and I'm gonna write about it.
So first I can tell they learned a few things from last year:
More obstacles, more water stations, more staff and volunteers on the course, and more porta-potties.
The waves were organized to get faster runners out in the first wave. The obstacles that really back people up were later in the course. And the start had a nice longish stretch of trail running which served to spread people out.
I learned a few things from last year too:
Sprint the start so you don't get jammed up at the first obstacle.
Get a running start for anything you have to jump.
Just swim the water hazards. (after all rick does swim)
What: The 2nd Annual WYLD Y Mud Run
When: June 29th 2013
Where: John A. Minetto State Park, Torrington, CT
Why: Because it's my local Y, because this time I got my friends to run with me, and because it is all kinds of fun.
This is my first repeat event since starting this blog and it is not even a swim. But I did it and I'm gonna write about it.
So first I can tell they learned a few things from last year:
More obstacles, more water stations, more staff and volunteers on the course, and more porta-potties.
The waves were organized to get faster runners out in the first wave. The obstacles that really back people up were later in the course. And the start had a nice longish stretch of trail running which served to spread people out.
I learned a few things from last year too:
Sprint the start so you don't get jammed up at the first obstacle.
Get a running start for anything you have to jump.
Just swim the water hazards. (after all rick does swim)
Saturday, June 22, 2013
MId Hudson To Newburgh Beacon Part 2
As I'm swimming I see a head in a blue swim cap pop up between me and the kayak. It was Grace. She had jumped in to pace me for a while. She circled around to my left hand (port) side. And just like that, still tired, and a little cold, I was having so much fun. I felt like a genuine marine mammal. It was awesome. How could I possibly be having so much fun? Apparently I picked up the pace while Grace was swimming with me.
I did not know it at the time. But apparently there was actually a race going on and I was in it. Sometime after Grace left, I saw a red kayak come up on my left. And then it fell back out of sight a few breaths later. Five or six times the red kayak appeared and then fell back before it finally pulled ahead.
There was one more feed. The bridge was so close. But I wanted that juice anyway. Margrethe told me if I sprinted I might be able to catch Hannah again. I wasn't sure I had a sprint in me. But it was too late for witty repartee so I just swam for it.
I still kept wandering off to my left and trying to correct it.
I had been so good all race long about not picking up my head to sight. I put my trust in Margrethe, my kayaker, and she delivered big time.
But now I was starting to see the Newburgh Beacon bridge every time I took a breath on my left side.
It was definitely not moving any closer. I know I probably shouldn't look at it at all but now I could see it without even trying and it was definitely not moving any closer.
In fact despite my best efforts it looked to me that it was actually getting further away.
Margrethe kept signaling how close we were. (Hannah was just seconds ahead but I couldn't see her or her kayaker)
And then finally I could see the bridge when I took a breath on either side. Then I knew that it was not actually getting further away at all.
The sun must have been low enough in the sky. Because I swam through the shadow of the northern span of the bridge and came back out into the sun before I actually started swimming under the bridge itself. I could feel the shadow as much as see it. It felt cold.
I still kept wandering off to my left and trying to correct it.
I had been so good all race long about not picking up my head to sight. I put my trust in Margrethe, my kayaker, and she delivered big time.
But now I was starting to see the Newburgh Beacon bridge every time I took a breath on my left side.
It was definitely not moving any closer. I know I probably shouldn't look at it at all but now I could see it without even trying and it was definitely not moving any closer.
In fact despite my best efforts it looked to me that it was actually getting further away.
Margrethe kept signaling how close we were. (Hannah was just seconds ahead but I couldn't see her or her kayaker)
And then finally I could see the bridge when I took a breath on either side. Then I knew that it was not actually getting further away at all.
The sun must have been low enough in the sky. Because I swam through the shadow of the northern span of the bridge and came back out into the sun before I actually started swimming under the bridge itself. I could feel the shadow as much as see it. It felt cold.
Now the Newburgh Beacon bridge is a double bridge. There are two separate spans about 40 meters apart. Swimming under it actually takes around a full minute.
Margrethe kept signaling and waving me on. Then I saw Agent Orange on my other side. My ears were full of water so I couldn't really hear but I think there was some cheering and waving on board. I made sure that I was completely clear of the southern span before I stopped swimming and looked around.
"How do you feel" Margrethe asked me.
"Tired. Hungry. and a little cold"
I swam over to Agent Orange. They dropped a ladder into place. I grabbed on to the ladder and for just a moment I wondered if I would be able to climb out. But I managed ok. They wrapped me in a towel and I sat down in the sun.
I knew the finish had been close but I didn't know quite how close until I watched the video later.
Meanwhile I got to watch Todd finish. He was just a few (maybe 4) minutes back. He threw in a few strokes of butterfly in the last few yards. Nice
I was obviously more bothered by the cold than either Todd or Hannah. Because I was the only one curled into a ball next to the heater in the cabin of Launch 5, wearing all my warm clothes, sipping a small nalgene of hot coffee with milk.
By the time we got to the dock I was mostly warmed up again.
Gayle was waiting on the pier with our little guy. She greeted me with chocolate.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Mid Hudson to Newburgh Beacon Part 1
When I woke up in the morning I checked the data. The water temperature read 63 in Poughkeepsie. Just before we left the dock on Launch 5 the temperature read 64.4 This was encouraging, even though that is still pretty cold, for me. I figured if the sun stayed out the water would continue to warm up and I might actually be able to get through this swim.
I had prepared some hot feeds, something I had never worried about before.
We motored out from the dock to just north of the Mid Hudson bridge. There was no countdown, no big ceremony. We got a two minute warning on the way out and then as soon as we were in place we got the "go go go"
We went. One two three. I know I am still not well calibrated when it comes to judging water temperature. But I am convinced that water was colder than 64 degrees. I figure the boat had just cut through where we were swimming and stirred up some colder water from deeper down. For a few minutes I couldn't even think about the cold. I was just thinking about breathing. Every time I put my face in the water I triggered some kind of gasp reflex. I had to forcibly exhale in order to stop myself from taking in a lungful of Hudson.
Thankfully this sensation did not last long. The water still felt cold but I felt ok. At my first feed I got one of my regular juice bottles because the water was measuring 67 degrees. Mostly 67 anyway. There were still some cold patches.
The debris in the river didn't seem that bad. But that might have been because Margareth was steering my around the worst of it. My first problem was a log that I swam into. I pulled back, not knowing what I had hit, and the sudden movement made my leg cramp up. I was annoyed at my leg. This was only an hour, hour and a half into the swim. Way too early for cramps. After I few tries I pulled the cramp most of the way out and I started swimming again. The cramp shook the rest of the way out within a few kicks.
I quickly lost track of distance covered, I lost count of feeds. It felt like the cold patches in the water were getting bigger. I kept pulling to my left. I kept trying to correct but I still kept pulling to the left.
Margareth checked on my leg at each feed for a while. It didn't cause me any more trouble.
At some point, long after I had lost track of time, I'm guessing between the three and four hour marks I told her. "My thumbs are cold"
Maybe it's weird, but my thumbs will get cold long before any of my other fingers.
By my next feed, or maybe it was two feeds later, my fingers were starting to get cold and tingly.
There seemed to be three distinct temperatures in the water: there were occasional patches that actually felt warm, most of the water felt cold, and some patches felt so cold I just could not understand it.
I'm curious how much of a temperature difference there really was. It felt huge.
I had actually gotten a look at the Newburgh-Beacon bridge during one of my feeds. I felt like I would get there but I didn't know how much longer it was likely to take.
And I most definitely was not going to ask.
Part 2
Thankfully this sensation did not last long. The water still felt cold but I felt ok. At my first feed I got one of my regular juice bottles because the water was measuring 67 degrees. Mostly 67 anyway. There were still some cold patches.
The debris in the river didn't seem that bad. But that might have been because Margareth was steering my around the worst of it. My first problem was a log that I swam into. I pulled back, not knowing what I had hit, and the sudden movement made my leg cramp up. I was annoyed at my leg. This was only an hour, hour and a half into the swim. Way too early for cramps. After I few tries I pulled the cramp most of the way out and I started swimming again. The cramp shook the rest of the way out within a few kicks.
I quickly lost track of distance covered, I lost count of feeds. It felt like the cold patches in the water were getting bigger. I kept pulling to my left. I kept trying to correct but I still kept pulling to the left.
Margareth checked on my leg at each feed for a while. It didn't cause me any more trouble.
At some point, long after I had lost track of time, I'm guessing between the three and four hour marks I told her. "My thumbs are cold"
Maybe it's weird, but my thumbs will get cold long before any of my other fingers.
By my next feed, or maybe it was two feeds later, my fingers were starting to get cold and tingly.
There seemed to be three distinct temperatures in the water: there were occasional patches that actually felt warm, most of the water felt cold, and some patches felt so cold I just could not understand it.
I'm curious how much of a temperature difference there really was. It felt huge.
I had actually gotten a look at the Newburgh-Beacon bridge during one of my feeds. I felt like I would get there but I didn't know how much longer it was likely to take.
And I most definitely was not going to ask.
Part 2
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
8 bridges
I'm trying to write up my experience on stage 3 this monday. It is taking me a while because at first I kept falling asleep at the keyboard. I always get very congested after a long swim and I usually need to wait a whole day before I can get the kind of dead-rock sleep that I want after an event like that.
I feel like I should have a whole post or maybe a series of post where I talk about how amazing the organizers, support crew, and kayakers are at this event.
All I had to do was swim.
I feel like I should have a whole post or maybe a series of post where I talk about how amazing the organizers, support crew, and kayakers are at this event.
All I had to do was swim.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
8 Bridges Stage 3
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Camp Jewell trail run
Who: Camp Jewell YMCA
What: 5k trail run, part of their strong kids campaign
When: Saturday, June 15
Where: Camp Jewell Colebrook CT
Why: Because wifey wanted a 5k
I got to sit this one out because I don't want my legs to be sore for my big swim tomorrow. Wifey lined up for the race while the little guy and I played around in a wiffleball stadium known as the thunderdome.
They were doing music and announcements from the top of a little tower by the aforementioned thunderdome. When I heard them start playing "the eye of the tiger" I grabbed the little guy and walked over to the finish line. The official clock read 20:38 at that point. Wow, tough course. Wifey came in 4th woman and 18th overall finisher. She got a medal for winning her age group. Then we got to go down the giant slide.
What: 5k trail run, part of their strong kids campaign
When: Saturday, June 15
Where: Camp Jewell Colebrook CT
Why: Because wifey wanted a 5k
I got to sit this one out because I don't want my legs to be sore for my big swim tomorrow. Wifey lined up for the race while the little guy and I played around in a wiffleball stadium known as the thunderdome.
They were doing music and announcements from the top of a little tower by the aforementioned thunderdome. When I heard them start playing "the eye of the tiger" I grabbed the little guy and walked over to the finish line. The official clock read 20:38 at that point. Wow, tough course. Wifey came in 4th woman and 18th overall finisher. She got a medal for winning her age group. Then we got to go down the giant slide.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
My Great, or at least Pretty good, Chesapeake Bay Bridge swim
Once, in college, I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane. The scariest part of skydiving, for me, was not hesitating at the airplane door at 12,000 feet counting to three (actually 2 a little trick of the instructor's) The scariest part was looking out the window at about 6,000 feet and thinking that was already pretty high. Standing on the beach at Sandy point State park waiting for the start was fine. But riding the shuttle bus over the bridge actually got me pretty nervous.
Rule number one: Do not let the bridge psych you out.
At Sandy point park we had real bathrooms instead of just porta-potties. I had plenty of time to grease up and get ready. The race director said the water temperature was 76 degrees. Nearly everyone was wearing a wetsuit. To be fair I think it was a little colder out in the middle. In this case a little colder might have been 72. I don't think of myself as an anti-wetsuit guy. So far I've done all my swims without, but some people don't and that's ok. But at 76 degrees I'm amazed that some 85% of the swimmers are still wrapped in neoprene on a fine sunday morning.
The course stays between the two spans of the bridge for nearly the whole distance. The tide pushes you first to the left and then to the right. This mostly wasn't a problem. Post race emails indicate that the current was very strong. I didn't really notice while I was swimming but It might have had an effect on my swim time.
The tide may have been pushing me around without me really thinking about it. I started following more or less the left span of the bridge, moved out into the middle around the halfway point, and then found myself over towards the right for the last mile and a little more.
I had heard terrible things about the cuisinart start. This is the largest open water swim on the east coast and we start in two waves of around 300 people. It really wasn't that bad. It was very crowded and took a long time to open up but the other swimmers were very polite about all that contact. I have already been to a few races where much smaller groups resulted in worse starting conditions.
At Sandy point park we had real bathrooms instead of just porta-potties. I had plenty of time to grease up and get ready. The race director said the water temperature was 76 degrees. Nearly everyone was wearing a wetsuit. To be fair I think it was a little colder out in the middle. In this case a little colder might have been 72. I don't think of myself as an anti-wetsuit guy. So far I've done all my swims without, but some people don't and that's ok. But at 76 degrees I'm amazed that some 85% of the swimmers are still wrapped in neoprene on a fine sunday morning.
The course stays between the two spans of the bridge for nearly the whole distance. The tide pushes you first to the left and then to the right. This mostly wasn't a problem. Post race emails indicate that the current was very strong. I didn't really notice while I was swimming but It might have had an effect on my swim time.
The tide may have been pushing me around without me really thinking about it. I started following more or less the left span of the bridge, moved out into the middle around the halfway point, and then found myself over towards the right for the last mile and a little more.
I had heard terrible things about the cuisinart start. This is the largest open water swim on the east coast and we start in two waves of around 300 people. It really wasn't that bad. It was very crowded and took a long time to open up but the other swimmers were very polite about all that contact. I have already been to a few races where much smaller groups resulted in worse starting conditions.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Swim
Who: The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim run by Lin-Mark sports
What: The Chesapeake Bay Swim
When: Sunday, June 9, 2013
Where: The Chesapeake Bay right under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
Why: Because the open water season is finally open
What: The Chesapeake Bay Swim
When: Sunday, June 9, 2013
Where: The Chesapeake Bay right under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
Why: Because the open water season is finally open
Saturday, May 25, 2013
The Great Hudson River Bummer
Who: NYCSwim
What: The Great Hudson River Swim
When: Saturday May 25 2013
Where: Christopher street pier New York, NY
Why: In this case the question is why not?
I took the train down into the city friday night. I was looking forward to my first event with NYCswim. At 8pm I got a message saying that the swim was still on . But at a quarter to 11 I got the notice that the swim was being cancelled due to weather.
Saturday morning was cold and very very windy. So I can't really question the decision to cancel. But I'm disappointed. I will have to try again for a different event with NYCswim.
What: The Great Hudson River Swim
When: Saturday May 25 2013
Where: Christopher street pier New York, NY
Why: In this case the question is why not?
I took the train down into the city friday night. I was looking forward to my first event with NYCswim. At 8pm I got a message saying that the swim was still on . But at a quarter to 11 I got the notice that the swim was being cancelled due to weather.
Saturday morning was cold and very very windy. So I can't really question the decision to cancel. But I'm disappointed. I will have to try again for a different event with NYCswim.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
WAMDA 5k
Who: Western Area Massachusetts Dietetic Association
What: The 20th annual W.A.M.D.A. 5k walk/run
When: Saturday March 2nd 2013
Where: Look Park, Northampton, MA
Why: Because winter was almost over (not really)
I hadn't really been running because winter. But Wifey and I signed up for this race just the same. It was nice course. Pretty flat, two loops and then a little bit more. I didn't know how it would go since the only running I had done all winter was in occasional 15 minute sessions on the treadmill at the Y. I might have done some 30 minute sessions but I'm not sure.
On the course I couldn't keep up with wifey but I kept her in sight the whole time. I finished feeling great in 24:21 which is right in line with the races I ran this past summer and fall.
The next day I was running a fever. I spent the day on the couch barely able to move. This was not fun.
What: The 20th annual W.A.M.D.A. 5k walk/run
When: Saturday March 2nd 2013
Where: Look Park, Northampton, MA
Why: Because winter was almost over (not really)
I hadn't really been running because winter. But Wifey and I signed up for this race just the same. It was nice course. Pretty flat, two loops and then a little bit more. I didn't know how it would go since the only running I had done all winter was in occasional 15 minute sessions on the treadmill at the Y. I might have done some 30 minute sessions but I'm not sure.
On the course I couldn't keep up with wifey but I kept her in sight the whole time. I finished feeling great in 24:21 which is right in line with the races I ran this past summer and fall.
The next day I was running a fever. I spent the day on the couch barely able to move. This was not fun.
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