3-19-10
Made three tries - down the ladder, from the beach, from another area on the rocks - and didn't get to the immersion plus stroking phase. Water is probably in mid-40s. It's a lovely warm day, with cold rain and snow predicted for the weekend, so I had to try. A Russian has been swimming all winter, wherever he is not iced out, so I know it's possible. For some. The real season doesn't start until first week in May, 50 deg water.
Lake Michigan
Workout suit
:)
Any fair day the retired marathoners and friends will be at Point around noon, from here on.
A.D. is always good for shoe watching.
I'm thinking of doing a wetsuit-required swim this summer, so should get in some practice while it makes sense to.
Up North we have to do what we have to do. (I wonder if the Iditarod mushers are all in to Nome yet...)
Yes, looking at Point to LaPointe, before it is overrun.
The year-round swimmer wears booties, thermal swim gloves, a hat, and workout trunks of some sort. Maybe the Open Water Chicago folks can tell you about the booties and gloves.
It *was* a gorgeous day, and I was glad to inaugurate the OW season with some advanced wading. 6 months of suffering in the pool doing interval training can't be over soon enough.
:)
3-19-10
Made three tries - down the ladder, from the beach, from another area on the rocks - and didn't get to the immersion plus stroking phase. Water is probably in mid-40s. It's a lovely warm day, with cold rain and snow predicted for the weekend, so I had to try. A Russian has been swimming all winter, wherever he is not iced out, so I know it's possible. For some. The real season doesn't start until first week in May, 50 deg water.
Lake Michigan
Workout suit
:)
I am just not in that class. Mid-40's? Never. 50? Maybe in the future. Right now I'm focused on 55. I'm such a light weight.
I'm gonna have to be in first week of May....
Open Water Chicago guys are thinking of a dip tomorrow morning. I'm thinking the unthinkable and considering donning a wetsuit just so I can get in a longer swim!
Point to La Pointe?
tomorrow looks truly appalling, but I'm in any time from now on you feel like a dip. I have a sleeveless wetsuit so mb that counts as a little bit of cold water training.....
3 of us made it out today here in Oregon. After a gorgeous day yesterday, we had heavy rain for our swim. A very short swim. Much like Mallory's but twice, since it was a bit warmer (48).
Took my first OW dip of the year at Canyon Lake in Arizona. The air temperature was 76, and the last recorded water temp was 53. We've had a ton of rain and lots of snow in the high country, so the lakes are much colder than usual.
I wore my sleeveless wetsuit since I knew it would be cold (sorry, I'm not a purist) and my arms stung a bit (we Arizonans have very thin blood due to the triple-digit temps we get in the summer), but my face felt absolutely frozen! :bump:I wore two swim caps and used ear plugs so those parts of my head were fine. It was just my face that felt so horribly cold.
I found I couldn't swim more than 20 strokes without having to stop so my face would warm up. I ended up swimming about 200 meters.
It's been a long time since I've attempted to swim in cold water. I'm a native Californian and used to swim in the ocean without a wetsuit, but since moving to Arizona 9 years ago, I've become totally acclimated to the warmer temperatures and anything below 70 feels cold to me now. I could really use some tips on how to acclimate my face to colder water temperatures.
Springtime!
April 1 - Second dip today - this time with stroking! :)
Air temp high 70s, water felt slightly sub-50 (colder farther from shore). Having worked on speed (hah) all winter in the pool, I felt mildly helpless in a not very strong current. There were perhaps multiple currents. The water was murky. Large rocks have shifted around, presenting obstacles in different places from where I last saw them, in November.
Two weeks ago today there was still near-shore ice in Lake Michigan.
:)
