I'm sure each of us has one race (or maybe more) that has some special :groovy: :applaud: :wave: :banana: :laugh2:
meaning to us and it could be for any one of many reasons. (I'm not talking about embarrassing moments; this has been addressed elsewhere.)
I'm talking about swims/races, some moments of which live with incredible clarity and details in our memories and minds (in colour -or B&W, with sounds and possibly smells -chlorine, of course.)
I won't tell about mine (I have three about which I'm very proud) for a while. Not until regulars have told their stories and some would-be-posters (a.k.a. lurkers) have also shared.
My most memorable race would have to be the 1999 Manhattan Island Marathon Swim. First of all current assisted swims are amazing, heading up the East River at 6 to 8 MPH, passing runners on shore, flying past the United Nations building, swimming under the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg Bridges and past Yankee Stadium. Those first couple of hours went by fast
The second leg, up the Harlem River, wasn’t quite as much fun. The current slows and there aren’t as many scenes of big apple history. But once we made the hard left turn at Spuyten Duyvil and headed down the Hudson River, the current picked up and sites of NY and Jersey became familiar again. There was also a noticeable increase in boat traffic (jet skis, sailing boats and ships, power boats and cruise ships). The George Washington Bridge from water level is an awesome site, as were the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center Twin Towers and the Statue of Liberty.
Beyond the travelogue beauty of the swim, was that my son was with me as a member of my crew, having your kids there cheering you on is a heartwarming experience. (However from his perspective 7 hours in a slow boat around the island may not be on his list of favorite things, right up there with 11 hour in a slow boat across the English Channel). Additionally my wife, daughter and other family members was there to cheer me on at the finish.
And as for the actual swim, I felt great, kept my tempo up for the entire swim and was ready for a beer at the finish. And thanks to favorable conditions my 6 hours 52 minutes still stands as the 3rd fastest race time, behind Tobie Smith and Tammy Van Wisse. (Note – there have been faster individual times just non achieved during the MIMS).
My most memorable race would have to be the 1999 Manhattan Island Marathon Swim. First of all current assisted swims are amazing, heading up the East River at 6 to 8 MPH, passing runners on shore, flying past the United Nations building, swimming under the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg Bridges and past Yankee Stadium. Those first couple of hours went by fast
The second leg, up the Harlem River, wasn’t quite as much fun. The current slows and there aren’t as many scenes of big apple history. But once we made the hard left turn at Spuyten Duyvil and headed down the Hudson River, the current picked up and sites of NY and Jersey became familiar again. There was also a noticeable increase in boat traffic (jet skis, sailing boats and ships, power boats and cruise ships). The George Washington Bridge from water level is an awesome site, as were the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center Twin Towers and the Statue of Liberty.
Beyond the travelogue beauty of the swim, was that my son was with me as a member of my crew, having your kids there cheering you on is a heartwarming experience. (However from his perspective 7 hours in a slow boat around the island may not be on his list of favorite things, right up there with 11 hour in a slow boat across the English Channel). Additionally my wife, daughter and other family members was there to cheer me on at the finish.
And as for the actual swim, I felt great, kept my tempo up for the entire swim and was ready for a beer at the finish. And thanks to favorable conditions my 6 hours 52 minutes still stands as the 3rd fastest race time, behind Tobie Smith and Tammy Van Wisse. (Note – there have been faster individual times just non achieved during the MIMS).
