Quote Originally Posted by GLC1968 View Post
What, no update from Susan yet?

We did our first OWS of the season last night. Air temp: 52F and lightly rainy. Water temp: 55F at the center (maybe near 60 where we were?).

Three of us swam for about 35 minutes. I have no idea about distance, but considering how slowly I was swimming, it couldn't have been far! Though, with all the zig-zagging I did, I might have traveled double the actual distance.

I had issues with breathing - first with the cold (I was in a sleeveless suit) but even once I warmed up I had problems. My suit was choking me. The more experienced wet suit swimmers tried to convince me that it's a normal feeling that I just need to get used to, but today my neck is really sore in front (to the touch)...so I think my suit was truly choking me! I have an abnormally long torso for a woman, so that might be why. Luckily, if I can survive Saturday's swim, I won't need it for a race again until September so I might be able to figure something out by then (like a 2 piece?). And of course, right before my first swim in it, I managed to punch a hole in the back of my leg!

Susan was more consistent than me overall and only slightly panicky in a few spots. For someone who really freaked out in OW early in the season last year, she did REALLY well. Plus, she's clearly a better swimmer than me. She at least managed to travel in a relatively straight line!
Definitely NOT 60 degrees. I've done races in 60 degree water and this was much colder. Low to mid-50s is more like it. The water in that lake (reservoir, actually) comes straight out of the coast range. Brrrrr. Even with swim socks and swim gloves, I lost all the feeling in my fingers and toes. Not good.

GLC is right - my first OWS of the season last year was an unmitigated disaster. I had a major panic attack and got bailed out by two friends. Yesterday was a HUGE improvement over that! I had a couple moments of feeling breathless, but got over it quickly. (I think most of the breathlessness was because the water was so d@mn cold that it was a shock each time I put my face back in! ) Plus, it helped that GLC and I stuck together, so neither of us felt alone, which definitely would have made me feel less comfortable.

I'm hoping for warmer water for this Sunday's Oly. The lake we'll be in is shallower, and tomorrow is supposed to be mostly sunny, so that ought to bring the temps up a little.