5K swim

[kacie tri-ing]

Jellyfish No way.

You will just have to swim super fast to avoid them

Are you tapering at all, or just jumping in?

[Tri Girl]

So yesterday... someone told me that I'd be swimming in salt water!?

So can you wear a wetsuit to try to diminish the sting of jellyfish? What is a sea needle (doesn't sound good, tho).

I, too, HATE salt water. Will you put a little gu flask in your suit filled with water so you can get a drink every now and then?

You'll do great- and we HAVE to hear about it when you're done; complete with pictures.

[KSH]

Tapering- I am tapering this week. Just going to do around 4,000 meters over 2 days. IF that much. Will focus on running and cycling... and take Thurs and Fri as rest days. Honestly, I have no clue how to train or taper for something like this. I talked to a girl who trained for a 6 mile OWS and I basically did her workout (_ x 500; 10x500). I just figure if I swim less this week, that's a good taper.


Jellyfish- My kind Mother told me yesterday (without prompting) that the Chesapeake Bay is one of the top areas in the country for jellyfish. They tend to bloom up at certain times of the year.

IF I get stung too many times, I WILL be bailing on the swim early. I really don't enjoy the idea of being stung and it's not worth it to being completely beat up and miserable in the water.

I will have a sleeveless wetsuit on, but my face/arms/feet can get stung. I do have a full sleeved wetsuit, but I worry about swimming 3 miles in it. I haven't been swimming in it in over a year. I'm afraid it will mess with my stroke enough to make me inefficient in the water- thus I'm renting a sleeveless wetsuit- even then I'm worried about wearing that. I have never swum in a sleeveless and I worry about it screwing with my form.

*Note: I am slower in a full wetsuit, because it messes with my form just enough that I'm not as efficient.


My plan is to swim without nutrition or water. Maybe I should rethink that plan. I will probably want a different taste in my mouth.



This past weekend I did 3 open water swim races. A 300 meter, 750 meter and 1500 meter (exactly 1.5 miles).

Get this... I got FIRST PLACE in ALL THREE! Mind you, I am not sure IF there was anyone else IN my age group to beat... but whatever... I GOT FIRST PLACE! HA! I have yet to see my times even, but hopefully I had some good times.


I feel ready for the 3 mile swim but very apprehensive with regards to the jellyfish and getting stung. Hopefully they will not be in the water.


With all of that said... KACIE gets SO MUCH RESPECT from me! Swimming for 2 hours and 20 minutes is a LONG TIME! You were amazing to do that girl!

[KSH]

CR@P!!!!!

On my triathlon message board... a girl who lives in the area and who is doing the swim posted this last week!

xxblueyesxx - 2009-06-30 8:10 PM

Hey KSH -- Just thinking... because I've been in sailing camp (as an instructor) for the past week with about the same type of water conditions (small river that empties into the Bay) as the Swim for Life water, you may want to wear something that covers more skin. The jellyfish aren't that great this year and I'm not sure about the specific river that the race is in, but they're big too. Don't let this stop you as I am sure they will have things to combat the jellyfish but... just wanted to give you a heads up. I will be wearing the team javelin tri suit to swim in for this reason.

I am seriously terrified! There is no way they can keep the jellfish off us!

[kacie tri-ing]

Oh wow ksh. I am feeling a little anxious for you. What do you think your friend meant my "they will have something for the jellyfish."?? WHere is this race?? I really think it is going to be ok.

FIRST PLACE? !!! Super impressive! YOU get the respect for being a very talented swimmer!

I am really excited to hear abut this swim! I hope that it goes perfectly. Tapering is always hard anyway, but adding in stinging invertebrates makes it more mentally challenging I am sure. You are going to be amazingly well though, I am certain!!!! Let me know what other details you find out!

[Tri Girl]

Crap- that's not good news, huh?
Just wear your full suit. Even if it messes with your stroke and makes you a little inefficient, it's gotta be better than getting stung on your arms, huh? But what about your face? Eek!
You'll do fine. You really will. Is it this coming weekend?

[KSH]

Oh wow ksh. I am feeling a little anxious for you. What do you think your friend meant my "they will have something for the jellyfish."?? WHere is this race?? I really think it is going to be ok.

FIRST PLACE? !!! Super impressive! YOU get the respect for being a very talented swimmer!

I am really excited to hear abut this swim! I hope that it goes perfectly. Tapering is always hard anyway, but adding in stinging invertebrates makes it more mentally challenging I am sure. You are going to be amazingly well though, I am certain!!!! Let me know what other details you find out!

Well I think she's being hopeful. I mean really... how can they possibly keep jellyfish off all the swimers for 2.5 miles (it's an out and back- so the furthest distance out is 2.5 miles)? They can't keep the jellyfish off us.

The race is in the Chesapeake Bay. And it's notorious for jellyfish.

I wasn't going to go take my full wetsuit, but I'm going to now. If I have to wear it, I will. It's going to make for a miserable 3 miles, but at least my arms will be covered.

Yeah, tonight when I swim I have to try out 6 different pairs of goggles to see if ANY of them will fit.

The ones I have used for 20 years...they changed the design and the new ones no longer fit my head. I'm so upset. The old style I had stored in my closet, all the anti-fog bubbled up... so I can't see out of them hardly. I had to wear them this past Sat. and I could sight OK, but not perfectly.

So I'm just hoping I can get some goggles to wear that I can see out of!



PS- Yes, TriGirl... it's this coming Sat. 7-11-09. I'm really thinking I might DNF this one.

[kacie tri-ing]

Sorry about the goggles! (and of course the jellies) You have to let us know if you find a pair tonight that work

Do you not like your suit? What are the temps going to be?

Maybe you should catch a ride right behind someone and let them fight the jellies for you...could it help?

[KSH]

Right... I read up on these jellyfish... NO FREAKING WAY am I getting in the water with them!!!

http://archive.chesapeakebay.net/jellyfish.htm

There are five common types of jellyfish found in the Bay and its tributaries. Of these, only three are considered true jellyfish.

The other three types of jellyfish do not have such innocuous traits as the comb jellies. These jellyfish, the lion's mane, moon jellyfish, and sea nettle, all have tentacles loaded with stinging cells. The lion's mane floats through Bay waters only during the winter and early spring and is not a hinderance to normal recreational activities. The moon jelly is the Bay's largest species but its sting is generally mild. It is characterized by fringe-like tentacles and clover-shaped red gonads.

The sea nettle likely receives the dubious distinction as the least welcome creature inhabiting Bay waters. It's peak in abundance corresponds precisely with the period of greatest recreational use of the Bay. Once sea nettles have spread throughout the tributaries and into the Bay, swimming generally slows considerably or ceases for the remainder of the season. For those who do venture into the water, the nettle's sting is usually painful and can cause reactions varying from localized discomfort to intense itching, burning, nausea, and cramping. In rare cases, highly sensitive people suffer shock and convulsions. Anyone allergic to other stinging organisms should take special care to avoid being stung as cross-sensitivity is common.

Small sea nettles first appear in the Bay and tributaries in May or June as temperatures warm. Although the nettle can swim by contraction of the bell, its distribution is largely controlled by the whims of the tide and wind. Its distribution is also limited by salinity and nettles are most commonly found in regions with salinity ranges of 7 to 20 parts per thousand.
===============
I can go here to track how bad they are... http://155.206.18.162/seanettles/

But I'm not even sure it's up to date.

My wetsuit is a nice one, but I hate wearing it. Based on that information though, I will not get in the water if I see a lot of jellyfish around. I'll chalk it up to it not being my day and will enjoy the visit with my family.

[Tri Girl]

I hate to see you DNF before you even start, BUT... there's no way I'd get in the water with those creatures. I'm with you- if I can see them- they can just have the water. Who knows? Maybe with all the thrashing swimmers they'd keep their distance, but you'll probably be so spread out they may decide to come close and check you out (and sting you in the process). Maybe if every part of my skin was covered I'd do it (gloves, neoprene socks, face mask, etc).
I think if you do it, you're a super brave woman. I don't think I could do it.

[KSH]

I hate to see you DNF before you even start, BUT... there's no way I'd get in the water with those creatures. I'm with you- if I can see them- they can just have the water. Who knows? Maybe with all the thrashing swimmers they'd keep their distance, but you'll probably be so spread out they may decide to come close and check you out (and sting you in the process). Maybe if every part of my skin was covered I'd do it (gloves, neoprene socks, face mask, etc).
I think if you do it, you're a super brave woman. I don't think I could do it.

Well jellyfish do not have a brain, eyes, or a heart. So they pretty much just float around and sting stuff in their path. They don't have any rational thought to think to move away from humans.

I am packing the sleelveless (rental) and full wetsuits. I'll wear one or the other. My sister seems to think they won't be in the portion where I'll be swimming. My friend was there just a couple of weeks back and said she was stung twice it was nothing really.

Stinging or not... just the SIGHT of them makes me CRINGE!

If I have to DNS or DNF though, I'll be OK with it.

[colby]

Wow. I don't think jellyfish would have occurred to me. Is there anything you can do to make yourself unattractive/distasteful to them, I wonder?

Apparently there is a product called "Safe Sea" that applies to this situation: http://www.buysafesea.com/

The big caution flag on the website was for a short supply for 2008, but hopefully that doesn't apply to 2009. There is a distributor for amazon.com that is selling it and it's in stock.

How does Safe Sea® stop the sting?
* Too slippery: Safe Sea® has a waterproof, slippery texture that makes it difficult for the stinging tentacles to attach to the skin.
* Taking a tip from our friend the Clown Fish: Safe Sea® absorbs secretions from the skin that would otherwise tell the jellyfish that it's in contact with prey or predator.
* Disrupt communication: Chemical stoppers in Safe Sea® block the chemical pathways where the stinging process is activated.
* Disarm: A stinging cell is a dense "capsule" containing a long folded needle. Pressure builds in this capsule just prior to stinging. As the pressure builds, the capsule is forced open and the needle shoots out like a harpoon, injecting its target with toxin at a force equivalent to a bullet being fired from a gun. This all happens in a fraction of a second; jellyfish stings are among the most rapid mechanical events in all of cellular biology. Safe Sea® reduces the pressure in stinging cells so that they cannot fire - effectively disarming them.

[KSH]

Hey Colby! Thanks for that link! Unfortunately I can't get the stuff before I fly out Fri... so I'll just show up and see how it goes.

I called one of the race directors yesterday and asked if she knew how the jellyfish were looking. She hasn't been in the area we are swimming in, so she didn't know.

Here's what she said... "It's kind of like a bee sting... not too bad". WHAT! A bee sting is pretty darn miserable.

So I'm going to show up, bring both wetsuits and hope and pray for the best.

On a positive note... one of the pairs of goggles worked! YES! The first pair I opened and tried out!

[HillSlugger]

Karen,

I did an OWS in the Chesapeake last week and there were no signs of jellies (sea nettles) yet.

There are creams available that are suppose to protect your exposed skin from the stings. If you can find some, or they have it at the race, it would probably be worth putting on. ETA, this must be the Sea Safe stuff mentioned above.

[KSH]

Karen,

I did an OWS in the Chesapeake last week and there were no signs of jellies (sea nettles) yet.

There are creams available that are suppose to protect your exposed skin from the stings. If you can find some, or they have it at the race, it would probably be worth putting on. ETA, this must be the Sea Safe stuff mentioned above.

AWESOME! I'm feeling so much better about the race!

I have no clue where to buy creams like that! Unfortunately I fly out Fri afternoon and arrive at 8:00 PM... then we have to get up at like 5:30 AM Sat to make it to the race.

Someone mentioned Vaseline? It might be the poor man's way to protect to my face?