I must confess that one of the reasons I switched over from triathlon to exclusively open water swimming is because it is without the machismo and attitude I found at so many triathlons. I got so sick of it and the posturing that seemed to get worse and worse the more years I raced triathlon--exactly during the period of USAT growth.
It's what I love about swim races--the collaborative attitude, each person swimming their own race, maintaining competitiveness but with the sense that we're all doing something pretty darn cool and that just to do it is something. I feel like one of the reasons that remains is because it really is just us, no wetsuit, almost fully exposed to the elements, doing what we can. And really, how cool can you look when you're standing on the shore like a goofball in your speedo...There's no my gear is better than your gear attitude.
I guess I don't feel too interested in having open water swimming go the way of triathlon. I feel like the collegial atmosphere could be lost in a way that would really change the sport. Greater numbers, fine, but let it come without the rest of it.
I must confess that one of the reasons I switched over from triathlon to exclusively open water swimming is because it is without the machismo and attitude I found at so many triathlons. I got so sick of it and the posturing that seemed to get worse and worse the more years I raced triathlon--exactly during the period of USAT growth.
It's what I love about swim races--the collaborative attitude, each person swimming their own race, maintaining competitiveness but with the sense that we're all doing something pretty darn cool and that just to do it is something. I feel like one of the reasons that remains is because it really is just us, no wetsuit, almost fully exposed to the elements, doing what we can. And really, how cool can you look when you're standing on the shore like a goofball in your speedo...There's no my gear is better than your gear attitude.
I guess I don't feel too interested in having open water swimming go the way of triathlon. I feel like the collegial atmosphere could be lost in a way that would really change the sport. Greater numbers, fine, but let it come without the rest of it.
