Has anyone done the Lake Champlain 8 mile OW in Burlington, VT? I entered the race this year (i'ts on 8/8/09) and was just curious of others' experiences!
Jamie
Former Member
my goggle rule is: wear them as loose as you can (without leaking) for long swims. this will vary depending on conditions and the enthusiasm of the field.
Former Member
I wear optical goggles and like both the Water Gear ones and the Club Swim ones also. For me, a Silicone gasket works best. I know that some people think that Barracuda goggles are the most comfortable. I HATE, HATE, HATE the rotten things as I can never get them to stop leaking, but some people swear by them.
-LBJ
They look dorky, but I'm a fan of the Seal XP. I was starting to develop permanent water retention in my eyelids from other goggles, and my doctor said I had to find another option if I didn't want to end up looking constantly droopy.
Since I'm no botox fan, I opted for the cheap fix. They are comfortable, give great visibility, and have a lower profile than regular Seal goggles.
Also, I've done the Lake Champlain Swim the last two years. I'd be doing it again if the 10-miler in Vermont wasn't right before. After a trip to Korea, the travel budget is, well, non-existent!
I would make sure that your boat support is good at navigation since there's not a lot of course markers and you don't want to swim more than you have to!
Former Member
Last year my young kayaker asked me if I knew where we were headed (then was quite stern with me for swimming crooked - needless to say my patience for that went downhill every time I threw up!). Anyway, nutritional issues aside, I think I swam 10 miles or so. Good advice above about knowing your course and having confidence in your kayaker. The landscape is pretty uniform on the way back from NY, as I recall, and a landmark was hard to find (for both of us, apparently!). Never saw an eel.
