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Hardest Pool Event?

Kyle Deery
over 2 years ago

I always find myself in the most amount of pain after a 400 IM and consider that the hardest pool event. What events do you think are the hardest?

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  • over 2 years ago

    Does this have to be a sanctioned event in meets? I’m more of a long distance (open water) swimmer, and not much of a meet swimmer. But I have trained myself in butterfly, and do have to say that the 400 IM is one tough mother. A few times…just for s4!ts and giggles…I’ve done a 1600m IM. Pretty much done after that. I’ve done the 1-hour ePostal numerous times. I think it’s easier than the 400 IM.

    Dan

  • over 2 years ago in reply to ForceDJ

    Good question, though - what do you think of as the hardest open water event, or what open water events (venues, distances) would you consider most challenging?  (or have been most challenging for you)

  • over 2 years ago in reply to Badger

     that question deserves its own new thread. And the definition of hardest could be hardest to complete because of length, temperature, conditions, or sea life... or, hardest could be the most painful. 

  • over 2 years ago in reply to Kyle Deery

    There are definitely more variables out in the wild waves.  Of course, with technology these days, meet organizers could always release a school or two of small robotic fish to liven things up. Rofl

  • over 2 years ago in reply to Badger

    "Extreme" swimming with an obstacle course and robotic fish. I would watch it!

  • over 2 years ago in reply to Kyle Deery

    One of the towns that is (or was, at least) in the league I swam in as a kid used to hold their summer-season meets at their pond - based on my recollection the dock they set up for summers could basically be separated into 6 lanes of 25 yards, et voila, a "pool".  But it was absolutely interesting to be placed in a lane and find yourself looking eyeball to eyeball with a school of perch or sunfish and there were some startling encounters for sure!

  • over 2 years ago in reply to Badger
    Certainly any “marathon swim” (10k/6.2 miles) is pretty difficult. Obviously there are a lot more factors that go into the difficulty of an open water event. Each event and venue will have its own characteristics. Probably the most challenging part of any open water swim would be the beginning…when swimmers are crowded together, and jockeying for position. Lots of accidental/incidental kicking and collisions then. I’ve done open water swims in fresh, and salt water where the weather and water conditions were as ideal as swimming in a pool. And of course the extreme opposite is possible too. But for me, the most difficult open water swim event I’ve done was The Around Beavertail Swim in Jamestown, RI (https://longswims.com/events/around-beavertail/?fbclid=IwAR0SEqWaGXN_hDh9toFq2YKLBpuSpuRKNq9rxDJmjWKF5kvFlmOQiWueMOo). It’s well supported, but (so far) it’s mostly private and a small group of participants. It’s a 7-mile swim about about half of which is offshore in open ocean. One of the years I did it, we were swimming in 6-8 ft swells at least. There was a navigation buoy about a half-mile offshore that functions as a about the halfway turning point. I never saw the buoy until I was about 25-50 yards from it, and had to rely on my kayaker as my eyes to guide me there. That was some tough swimming. About half the field, some very experienced o/w long-distance swimmers had to drop out of that swim. The year before I swam it in 3 hours, 40 minutes. That year took me more than five hours.
     
    Dan
  • over 2 years ago in reply to ForceDJ

    Open water is such a different animal from the pool. All the variables involved make each swim so different. My hardest swims no matter the distance are always Lake Michigan, or any of the Great Lakes. Lake Michigan has a "wonderful" habit of inverting the day before a race- that is when the warmer water at the top of the lake gets blown out to the middle by strong winds and is back filled by ice cold water from the bottom of the lake. You can go from a practice swim in 71 degree calm water, to a race morning temp of 39-42 degrees! We also get chop and surf unlike the ocean, the frequency and churn of the lake is a beast. 

    Due to her mood swings and nature, Great Lakes swims are usually my hardest events in the open water.

  • over 2 years ago in reply to Camillevh1

    That happened at a swim in Salem, MA - changing winds brought cold water down from the maritimes, so what should've been August-typical 70-75F became 58-59F at the shore and much colder out in the harbor.  Lots of folks dropped out.  The Great Lakes are a fascinating beast, too be sure - much more like an ocean than a lake in many ways.  

  • over 2 years ago in reply to ForceDJ

    Oh, that's a good point - everyone starting off in a group is a big difference and a huge challenge.  Definitely been kicked and kicked others.  The group start was one of the things I was most nervous about my first open water swim.  The Beavertail sounds like an interesting challenge with the combination of offshore and more protected swimming.  

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  • over 2 years ago in reply to ForceDJ

    Oh, that's a good point - everyone starting off in a group is a big difference and a huge challenge.  Definitely been kicked and kicked others.  The group start was one of the things I was most nervous about my first open water swim.  The Beavertail sounds like an interesting challenge with the combination of offshore and more protected swimming.  

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