The meaning of swimming

Ya gotta go for it!! I did my first open water (& USMS) event 6/4 after only starting practice in late April. (My daughters had never done an open water event - I told them if they'd do it so would I -- they did 3k, I did 800.) It wasn't bad at all. Of course with no pace clocks & no walls every 25 yds., I went out *wwwwaaaayyyy* to fast and ended up doing a lot of breaststroke but had a blast. The main thing is I finished. (And I didn't encounter even one fish!!) I'll probably do it again next year as well. posted by Sibleyclan Congrats on your first O.W. swim sibleyclan......sounds like you had a great experience overall!.....btw, it must be interesting existing as an entire "clan".....Kinda like the movie Sybil (sp??) starring Sally Field??....or maybe like that trill chik on Deep Space Nine perhaps? Newmastersswimmer

It was a great experience. It was in a lake though, don't know how I'd do where there were currents & such - would save that until I had more conditioning under my belt. Wish I could say I was a "clan" to counter Tom, Mr. Moose, et al but it's much more mundane than that. Originially set it up as the 'family' e-ddress, found it was easier (at this age!;) ) to only have to remember one logon ID across different boards. (Although I do only do what the voices in my head tell me to do. :D)

So I'm turning in my entry sheet for the 400 open water swim tomorrow. The race itself is on Saturday. I'm getting nervous now!!! What about algae and stuff grabbing on your legs, I don't do well with that either. Maybe I should have signed up for the escorted 400. :p I just have to remember it's only 400...I can be done in less than 10 minutes...hopefully....unless I get nibbled to death by a pack of wild piranhas....or an alligator (and there has been one sighted at this lake).....or some curious trout who happened to wonder what human tastes like.....or I get my legs tangled in lakegrass and it pulls me down to bottom and I can't escape...and I havent' even touched on the creature of the black lagoon making me his slave after using his claws to give me gills. I think I'm going to swim this race faster than anything I've swam before because I just want it to be over!!!

Don't worry about the aligators that far North. They don't get any bigger than 4 feet, which is just a skinny little thing that is much more scared of you than you are of it. Believe me, you won't see it, because as soon as it hears anything as big as you, it will be gone. On another note, do you know when they are going to reschedule the Capital Meet? Hook'em Blue

Maybe I should have signed up for the escorted 400. posted by Seagurl Escorted 400 meter O.W. swim??.....What are you 85 years old all of a sudden?.....Yikes Kyra.....Do you need help getting to the bathroom from the kitchen table as well??.....LOL!!!...(only j/k now!) Newmastersswimmer

Thanks everybody for the encouraging words (except Jim;) lol...Jim you know you're my favorite math geek!). Blue, the alligator is reportedly 5 feet. ~~>As for the capitol meet, not sure. I know the Susan wants to do it after zones, but I'm not sure when. She is having a real problem with the sanctioning office so that is coming into question. She has talked about having it anyway maybe like a week or 2 after zones, but if she did then it wouldn't be sanctioned so times wouldn't count for anything. However, it does give you an LCM meet to go to. I'm sure she'll let you know via e-mail if you already registered for it earlier, and if not I'll try and keep my ears open at pracitce. I feel like a spy now.:cool:

Originally posted by Seagurl51 Thanks all for the words of encouragment. And (not as thankfully;)) I'm actually considering it. (Darn you Jim and your mind control!!!) There is the option to do a mile, 400, and 800. I can swim all the distances fine (in a pool) so I was thinking about maybe doing the 400 since it's so different. But guys....the fish. Seriously...freaky little creatures...tasty...but freaky! Kyra - When discussing open water races, people often ask me things like "Aren't you afraid of sharks/drowning/deep water/etc?" I tell them to consider the two worst things that can happen: The next to worst thing is that you die. But, even worse than that is that you spend you life on the sidelines, letting your fears not just govern your life, but, in fact, your fears become your life. Get in (to the race and to life), go like Hell and, in the words of Satchel Paige: "Don't look back 'cause somethin' might be gaining on you." -LBJ "If the wheel was rigged/ I'd still take the chance/ and if we walk on thin ice/ we might as well dance."

Originally posted by Leonard Jansen Kyra - When discussing open water races, people often ask me things like "Aren't you afraid of sharks/drowning/deep water/etc?" I tell them to consider the two worst things that can happen: The next to worst thing is that you die. But, even worse than that is that you spend you life on the sidelines, letting your fears not just govern your life, but, in fact, your fears become your life. Get in (to the race and to life), go like Hell and, in the words of Satchel Paige: "Don't look back 'cause somethin' might be gaining on you." -LBJ "If the wheel was rigged/ I'd still take the chance/ and if we walk on thin ice/ we might as well dance." Amen to that!

Well, I have the entry form in my hot little hands and I'm considering doing it. I think if I did I would enter the 400. My coach thinks I could do the 1.5K, but for a first race I want to do a 400...I'm a wuss I know. Luckily it's in a lake so no sharks, but I like sharks....they eat the fish :).But, even worse than that is that you spend you life on the sidelines, letting your fears not just govern your life, but, in fact, your fears become your life. That is really starting to swirl in my mind, and I'm thinking I may do it. Leonard, are you and Jim in this mind control thing together? ;) If I decide to do it (which I think I may) I'll let y'all know how it goes.

Originally posted by Seagurl51 Well, I have the entry form in my hot little hands and I'm considering doing it. I think if I did I would enter the 400. My coach thinks I could do the 1.5K, but for a first race I want to do a 400...I'm a wuss I know. Luckily it's in a lake so no sharks, but I like sharks....they eat the fish :). That is really starting to swirl in my mind, and I'm thinking I may do it. Leonard, are you and Jim in this mind control thing together? ;) If I decide to do it (which I think I may) I'll let y'all know how it goes. Kyra, Ya gotta go for it!! I did my first open water (& USMS) event 6/4 after only starting practice in late April. (My daughters had never done an open water event - I told them if they'd do it so would I -- they did 3k, I did 800.) It wasn't bad at all. Of course with no pace clocks & no walls every 25 yds., I went out *wwwwaaaayyyy* to fast and ended up doing a lot of breaststroke but had a blast. The main thing is I finished. (And I didn't encounter even one fish!!) I'll probably do it again next year as well. Don't make me (another Leonard) jump in on this mind control thingie!! :D