Open Water Workouts for the Pool...

Originally posted by Guvnah My plan is to get into a pack of swimmers with similar ability to mine. Looking at past race results, there will likely be a half dozen or more in that category. I just hope some of them can see better than I can (I have lousy eyesight without my glasses), and I'll just follow along. :) Or at least, maybe the whole pack will collectively keep each other on course. I was planning on checking at each 10-15 strokes, or when I stop feeling comfortable with my direction. (Maybe in the blindness of the depths that discomfort will hit after 5! This factor is the great unknown for me. It fills me with dread and anticipation combined, like going to my first high school dance.) The problem with trying to predict beforehand who you will "pack up" with during a race is that everyone people are spread all over the starting area and everyone has a different approach to fast/slow start - It's not like pool races where people end to focus on hitting split times. Optical googles are nice to have. I have really lousy eyesight and they work well. (I use Water Gear optical goggles - love 'em). First high school dance... I went to an all-boys school attached to a monastery. I understand. But, I am willing to bet that if you try to ignore the murky depths, you'll find that in very short order you won't even be thinking about it. Good luck. "You get in that race, you go like Hell." -Francesco Alongi -LBJ

Originally posted by Guvnah My plan is to get into a pack of swimmers with similar ability to mine. Looking at past race results, there will likely be a half dozen or more in that category. I just hope some of them can see better than I can (I have lousy eyesight without my glasses), and I'll just follow along. :) Or at least, maybe the whole pack will collectively keep each other on course. I was planning on checking at each 10-15 strokes, or when I stop feeling comfortable with my direction. (Maybe in the blindness of the depths that discomfort will hit after 5! This factor is the great unknown for me. It fills me with dread and anticipation combined, like going to my first high school dance.) The problem with trying to predict beforehand who you will "pack up" with during a race is that everyone people are spread all over the starting area and everyone has a different approach to fast/slow start - It's not like pool races where people end to focus on hitting split times. Optical googles are nice to have. I have really lousy eyesight and they work well. (I use Water Gear optical goggles - love 'em). First high school dance... I went to an all-boys school attached to a monastery. I understand. But, I am willing to bet that if you try to ignore the murky depths, you'll find that in very short order you won't even be thinking about it. Good luck. "You get in that race, you go like Hell." -Francesco Alongi -LBJ