Your first open water swim?

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! Was this the Swim with the Centurions this year? The conditions sound familiar. If it was, we both had a beautiful sunny day in good conditions to do the swim. And yes it does look far from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park. Your response was perfect. If you really want to get jazzed, next time you are in San Francisco walk across the Golden Gate and look at the course from up there. Congratulations on a great accomplishment.

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! Was this the Swim with the Centurions this year? The conditions sound familiar. If it was, we both had a beautiful sunny day in good conditions to do the swim. And yes it does look far from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park. Your response was perfect. If you really want to get jazzed, next time you are in San Francisco walk across the Golden Gate and look at the course from up there. Congratulations on a great accomplishment.