last-minute first OWS today...

[Jolt]

I hadn't been doing much swimming at all this summer, but saw a poster at the Y this past Monday about a 1-mile swim in a local lake to raise money for cancer research. Never having done an open water swimming event, I thought it would be fun to give it a try so signed up and made a donation (since I was not going to have time to do other fundraising with this being a last minute thing). There were only 16 swimmers, mostly local high school and college age swim team kids but a handful of others. Water temps were in the low 80s, course was 2 loops of a triangular area marked by buoys. I had no problem with the distance but need to practice swimming freestyle in open water; it felt weird and disorienting doing so once the water got deep enough to not be able to see the bottom so I swam breaststroke most of the way (which was OK in such a small event--nobody close enough to worry about kicking). Between that and not having trained at all, I came in 14/16 with a time of 32:44. It was still a fun morning and I am glad I did it.

[Crankin]

That's great, Jolt. I can only imagine how disorienting this is. I don't even like the feeling of being in water over my head, so I commend anyone who can compete in open water.