Bay Bridge Prepapration Advice

I am going to do the 5 miler, albeit with no great effort. I'm not in great shape this year due to many other commitments but, as long as I'm not too stupid (a toughy), I should be able to make it. You will be able to easily see the shore the entire way. However, I think that this is an "up" year (race heads up river and then turns around and comes back) and, in my opinion, the navigation is tougher. Last year was an up year and 2001 was a down year. Of the two, the up course has more undulations along the shore and I'm not sure I'd be too dependent on the shoreline as a guide. Or maybe I hallucinated the undulations. Perhaps a visit to some site with aerial maps of that area is in order. Also, in the 5 and 4 mile races, there aren't vast #'s of swimmers - fewer in the 4 than the 5, actually. Last year there were less than 20 swimmers in the 5 and only about 5 or 6 people in the 4. Many more people in the 3, 2 and 1 milers. They also start the distances a few minutes apart and not too many of the shorter race people catch you before they turn back. If you are inclined to get "lonely", pick a shorter race. Another negative of the long races is that you get back last and the other distances have had first crack at the post-race feed. It is the BEST post-race meal you'll ever get, even when others have had first shot at it. What the mile race people must get to eat boggles the imagination. It sounds like you have a bit of a "hangover" from the bay race. You might want to back off and do very little for a few days. Stretch (assuming you stretch) and maybe gently work technique as opposed to trying to train hard. A massage or two is usually a great help as well. I married my massage therapist, but in retrospect it would have been cheaper to just pay upfront . Rest, sleep, vitamins, and hydrating well can all aid in recovery. Don't worry about "getting out of shape." As long as you do maintenance/technique work, you won't lose anything, but if you push too hard, you could end up sick, injured or overtrained. As I always preached to people that I coached in racewalking, it's better to be slightly undertrained and have to try a bit harder in the race than to be overtrained and not be able to try any harder. -LBJ

Way to go! Others have told me that the conditions were good for the first half and then got tougher, so you did well! Barring anything untoward happening, I plan to be at the Chestertown race on the 28th, so perhaps we will meet. The Chestertown race is not as hairy from a currents and crowds standpoint, but the navigation is trickier. Buoys are 1/2 mile apart and sometimes not visible around bends in the river. But it is a good race for a great cause. Highly recommended. Congrats again & hope to see you there! -LBJ

I hope we can meet this weekend. How much current is there and what do you think the water temp is going ot be? I plan on going really easy and plan to just finish.

Given the monsoon weather we've had of late, things like current and water temperature are probably tough to predict. I'd guess that the temperature would be a few degrees warmer than the bay. Current water temp at Thomas Point is about 68-69 degrees, so low-70's sounds believable for the Chester River. Water flow and currents??? Every river around here is the color of chocolate milk and very high - not sure how that does/doen't translate to that part of the world. Also not sure if there will be any concerns about crap being washed into the river. (a la this year's NYC marathon swim race being cancelled.) They are also currently calling for scattered thunderstorms there on Saturday. Hope to see you there. (I have a greying goatee and hair going the way of the Amazon rainforest. I also usually wear purple goggles with a purple strap and Tyr Durafast black "jammers" with a white stripe.) -LBJ

I am nervous about doing the five miler but I am in good shape. I still am "hungover" good wording. The navigation part can be a drag sometimes. Thomasd@hublabels.com email me and I will send you a pic of me.