I was just curious about everyone's "first time". When/where did you take that first plunge into open water??
(I did a search to see if a thread like this had been done and came up empty.)
A year ago, in December, I signed up to swim from Alcatraz to the Aquatic Center on the shore. I had never swam open water before, but I had 9 months to get ready. I went to a local man-made lake a few times to get used to siting. I swam a 2K in a very slow river in Austin. My coach would have the other swimmers in the pool take their kickboards and splash me as I swam distance to prepare. About a month before Alcatraz, I swam a 3K in the man made lake, then came the big day. I had a wetsuit (since I swim in Texas, was not sure I could handle 61 degrees without one). I jumped off the boat and swam to get away so other swimmers could jump in. I stopped to catch my breath, and see how far the distance seemed. At that time I thought 'man, that is far, I'm going to flag a boat to pick me up', then I thought 'no - I've done this distance lots of times, I can do it.' I stopped twice to look around - just to be in the SF Bay (I was born in SF) was awsome! A boat stopped me twice, once 'cause I was swimming towards Hawaii :D, and once to be sure I made the entrance to the Aquatic Center without being swept by the current into the Pacific (they had me swim more towards the left). I ended up 4th in my age group (that is with stopping and not even trying to get a good time or place). 16th out of all women in wetsuits, and 81 out of everyone in wetsuits (there were about 400 wetsuit swimmers and I am in the 45-49 age group). It was a blast, I plan on doing it every year, and this year, I have other swimming buddies that want to join me!
A year ago, in December, I signed up to swim from Alcatraz to the Aquatic Center on the shore. I had never swam open water before, but I had 9 months to get ready. I went to a local man-made lake a few times to get used to siting. I swam a 2K in a very slow river in Austin. My coach would have the other swimmers in the pool take their kickboards and splash me as I swam distance to prepare. About a month before Alcatraz, I swam a 3K in the man made lake, then came the big day. I had a wetsuit (since I swim in Texas, was not sure I could handle 61 degrees without one). I jumped off the boat and swam to get away so other swimmers could jump in. I stopped to catch my breath, and see how far the distance seemed. At that time I thought 'man, that is far, I'm going to flag a boat to pick me up', then I thought 'no - I've done this distance lots of times, I can do it.' I stopped twice to look around - just to be in the SF Bay (I was born in SF) was awsome! A boat stopped me twice, once 'cause I was swimming towards Hawaii :D, and once to be sure I made the entrance to the Aquatic Center without being swept by the current into the Pacific (they had me swim more towards the left). I ended up 4th in my age group (that is with stopping and not even trying to get a good time or place). 16th out of all women in wetsuits, and 81 out of everyone in wetsuits (there were about 400 wetsuit swimmers and I am in the 45-49 age group). It was a blast, I plan on doing it every year, and this year, I have other swimming buddies that want to join me!
