The closest I've come to an open water swim was a few years back when I was an adult leader at a boy scout camp. I joined in their mile swim. Their lake was really just a small trout pond, probably 200 yards wide. The swim was five across-and-backs. It was cold (it was in South Dakota, and the pond was fed by snowmelt runoff. Temp might have been about 70 degrees.) I was the only one to finish.
Recently I came across an upcoming 2.4 mile swim in northern Colorado. They say the water is usually 65-70 degrees at the time of year this is scheduled. They have both wetsuit and non-wetsuit divisions. I don't know why, but this one is calling me.
I do 4200 yards per day, 6 days a week. I do that in about an hour (or more often 1:05) including rests. I have no doubt I can do that non-stop (I actually have done that on a few occasions.) So I'm not worried about the distance.
But the cold! I just don't know what to expect. I don't want to use a wetsuit. (I don't want to put out the money for a one-time whim swim. And being 6'6", I wonder whether I would find a good fit anyway... I know nothing about wetsuits...) The pool I swim in usually has a water temp of 82-84 degrees. Once the temp was 79.1, and that was chilly but did not negatively impact my swim that day. (In fact, it was invigorating and I did one of my better swims that day.)
I seek voices of experience here. Will water that's 15 degrees colder than I'm used to sap all my energy? Am I wrong to assume that my ability to do the distance in a lap pool means that I can do it in a cold lake? Can I reasonably extrapolate my times from the pool in any meaningful way into an open water (fresh water) prediction of time? (For instance, I could guestimate that I might pick up a second per flip turn in the pool, so absent those 168 flip turns, maybe my open water swim might be 3 minutes longer or so.)
I'd love to hear from some people who've "been there, done that."
From the amount of your training, I think you will be fine for the distance, of course, and the temperature should not be a problem. For open water races, the pool temps are always warmer. I train in 79 to 81, and don't mind open water races down to 57. Most people don't really have problems with water unless it is 62 or below. For some reason, fresh water feels colder than does salt water at the same temperature. I have no idea why but 65 for a lake will feel colder than 65 in the ocean. But I think it should be fine.
But I would try it without a wetsuit and see how it feels. If you are real nervous, try a test swim if you can get there.
Don't worry about converting your time from pool to open water. Distances are always off in open water swims, and there are so many independent variables that its really hard to predict times. The best way to predict a time is to pick a swimmer at your speed, and look at their time. Thats much more reliable than using pool pace time.
Two bits of advice for the swim--expect some physical contact at the start as everyone tries to get to the shortest line. Its not a big deal and nothing prevents you from starting a little outside if that bothers you.
Also spend some practicing sighting while swimming. Lift your head every 10 strokes or so. And know what you are looking for before you do the swim, if you can.
Good luck.
From the amount of your training, I think you will be fine for the distance, of course, and the temperature should not be a problem. For open water races, the pool temps are always warmer. I train in 79 to 81, and don't mind open water races down to 57. Most people don't really have problems with water unless it is 62 or below. For some reason, fresh water feels colder than does salt water at the same temperature. I have no idea why but 65 for a lake will feel colder than 65 in the ocean. But I think it should be fine.
But I would try it without a wetsuit and see how it feels. If you are real nervous, try a test swim if you can get there.
Don't worry about converting your time from pool to open water. Distances are always off in open water swims, and there are so many independent variables that its really hard to predict times. The best way to predict a time is to pick a swimmer at your speed, and look at their time. Thats much more reliable than using pool pace time.
Two bits of advice for the swim--expect some physical contact at the start as everyone tries to get to the shortest line. Its not a big deal and nothing prevents you from starting a little outside if that bothers you.
Also spend some practicing sighting while swimming. Lift your head every 10 strokes or so. And know what you are looking for before you do the swim, if you can.
Good luck.
