Bay Bridge Prepapration Advice

Drink some of your favorite workout drink about 15-20 minutes before the race. If wearing a wet suit, the water temp shouldn't be a big factor - ignore cold toes. If not wearing a wetsuit, be sure to have some vaseline under your arm pits. The cold will be a bigger factor as well. Don't get vaseline on your goggles!!!! One word: SUNCREEN. (Bullfrog brand is excellent.) Don't get that on your goggles either. If you are prone to motion sickness (I am deathly prone to it, even in freshwater lakes with little wave action), consider taking about 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon of ginger about 40 minutes before the race starts. This has been a miracle cure for me. I think you can get ginger capsules at health food stores, but you can also use ground ginger from the spice rack (I do) if you can tolerate the taste. If this is of interest, definately try this before several workouts to see if you can stand it - that much ginger in a few ounces of water will burn going down. Swim on the side that is closest to the direction of the tide. i.e. If it will be in-coming, swim near the south span; if out-going, swim near the north span. If there is a significant tide, keep in mind that you will have to swim at an angle to the direction you are going in. Don't let that rattle/frustrate you. I've never tried earplugs, but many people swear by them. Try them in a few workouts. In the race, you can always stop and put them under your cap if they bother you. Make sure your cap is on tight. It's really annoying to have to retrieve it during a race if a wave knocks it off. Feeding during the race: They have boats, but I've never had much luck in finding them. The two times I did it, I did it without taking aid and survived, but "your mileage may vary." Start either to the side of the pack or wait a few seconds after the start to go. The slight extra time doesn't matter unless you are racing for a place. Start slow and gradually find your pace. Don't let it bother you that the "pool ballerinas" often go zipping out like it was a 200 yard swim. You will be surprised at how many of them you will pass later in the race. (And some of them will also kick your butt.) The last leg of the swim - along the seawall - seems to take DAYS, especially since you can see the finish and it only creeps closer. Ignore it and realize that you are home free if you are patient. At the finish, don't leave the food/water area until you are sure that you are done eating/drinking - they usually don't let you back in once you leave. Brings some Tums/Rolaids/etc with you. Some people (like me) get severe heartburn after long races in salt/brackish water. Bring a few blankets/towels and, if the day is nice, have a nap while waiting for the last finishers/awards. Warn your family/friends ahead of time that when you make it you will probably babble ad nauseum about every detail of the race, over and over again. This is a time-honored endurance event tradition. Long after the race, when you are wearing your race t-shirt in places like the grocery store and people comment on it, practice false modesty by saying things like "Well, it's really not that far - 'The Channel' is almost 5 times farther, of course." Making them think that you have either done that or are thinking about it. Don't be surprised if they pull their kids away from you and leave quickly, since you are obviously insane. RELAX. You WILL make it! -LBJ

Drink some of your favorite workout drink about 15-20 minutes before the race. If wearing a wet suit, the water temp shouldn't be a big factor - ignore cold toes. If not wearing a wetsuit, be sure to have some vaseline under your arm pits. The cold will be a bigger factor as well. Don't get vaseline on your goggles!!!! One word: SUNCREEN. (Bullfrog brand is excellent.) Don't get that on your goggles either. If you are prone to motion sickness (I am deathly prone to it, even in freshwater lakes with little wave action), consider taking about 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon of ginger about 40 minutes before the race starts. This has been a miracle cure for me. I think you can get ginger capsules at health food stores, but you can also use ground ginger from the spice rack (I do) if you can tolerate the taste. If this is of interest, definately try this before several workouts to see if you can stand it - that much ginger in a few ounces of water will burn going down. Swim on the side that is closest to the direction of the tide. i.e. If it will be in-coming, swim near the south span; if out-going, swim near the north span. If there is a significant tide, keep in mind that you will have to swim at an angle to the direction you are going in. Don't let that rattle/frustrate you. I've never tried earplugs, but many people swear by them. Try them in a few workouts. In the race, you can always stop and put them under your cap if they bother you. Make sure your cap is on tight. It's really annoying to have to retrieve it during a race if a wave knocks it off. Feeding during the race: They have boats, but I've never had much luck in finding them. The two times I did it, I did it without taking aid and survived, but "your mileage may vary." Start either to the side of the pack or wait a few seconds after the start to go. The slight extra time doesn't matter unless you are racing for a place. Start slow and gradually find your pace. Don't let it bother you that the "pool ballerinas" often go zipping out like it was a 200 yard swim. You will be surprised at how many of them you will pass later in the race. (And some of them will also kick your butt.) The last leg of the swim - along the seawall - seems to take DAYS, especially since you can see the finish and it only creeps closer. Ignore it and realize that you are home free if you are patient. At the finish, don't leave the food/water area until you are sure that you are done eating/drinking - they usually don't let you back in once you leave. Brings some Tums/Rolaids/etc with you. Some people (like me) get severe heartburn after long races in salt/brackish water. Bring a few blankets/towels and, if the day is nice, have a nap while waiting for the last finishers/awards. Warn your family/friends ahead of time that when you make it you will probably babble ad nauseum about every detail of the race, over and over again. This is a time-honored endurance event tradition. Long after the race, when you are wearing your race t-shirt in places like the grocery store and people comment on it, practice false modesty by saying things like "Well, it's really not that far - 'The Channel' is almost 5 times farther, of course." Making them think that you have either done that or are thinking about it. Don't be surprised if they pull their kids away from you and leave quickly, since you are obviously insane. RELAX. You WILL make it! -LBJ