Wetsuit time conversion factor

Thanks. Hey Ruffwater-I'm putting 2+2 together and betting you are the same Rob Jones that nearly took it to the youngsters the last few years at GCBS. Way to go. Good math, Tree. I've been hammering that race for the last eight years. I wear the wetsuit to stay competitive with all the other guys who wear them - No way I'd place where I do without it. Here is a real life analysis of what a wetsuit can do in the Bay (4.4 miles): Bruce Brockschmidt and I have swum that race together since 2002. Every year we each wear a wetsuit, Bruce has beaten me by from a few seconds up to 3 minutes. Last year, Bruce did NOT wear his wetsuit. Instead he wore a Fastskin. I wore my wetsuit and beat him by 4 minutes. I'm guessing going sans wetsuit slowed Bruce down by at least 5 minutes (don't know how much the FS helped him versus briefs). Probably cost him a victory. So, again, I'd say a properly fitting wetsuit can save you approx 1 minute a mile. (a poorly fitting wetsuit can actually slow you down). Oh... and thanks for the kind words, Chris. Next year, I'm sure you'll make it through that crazy GCBS entry process. Missed you at Zones.

Thanks. Hey Ruffwater-I'm putting 2+2 together and betting you are the same Rob Jones that nearly took it to the youngsters the last few years at GCBS. Way to go. Good math, Tree. I've been hammering that race for the last eight years. I wear the wetsuit to stay competitive with all the other guys who wear them - No way I'd place where I do without it. Here is a real life analysis of what a wetsuit can do in the Bay (4.4 miles): Bruce Brockschmidt and I have swum that race together since 2002. Every year we each wear a wetsuit, Bruce has beaten me by from a few seconds up to 3 minutes. Last year, Bruce did NOT wear his wetsuit. Instead he wore a Fastskin. I wore my wetsuit and beat him by 4 minutes. I'm guessing going sans wetsuit slowed Bruce down by at least 5 minutes (don't know how much the FS helped him versus briefs). Probably cost him a victory. So, again, I'd say a properly fitting wetsuit can save you approx 1 minute a mile. (a poorly fitting wetsuit can actually slow you down). Oh... and thanks for the kind words, Chris. Next year, I'm sure you'll make it through that crazy GCBS entry process. Missed you at Zones.