Big Shoulders, 11 Sept. 2010, Chicago

Great report. Thanks for posting. I'm fascinated by elite athletes, particularly ones that are honest about having the same issues that all of us have from time to time -- going out too fast, being plagued by negative thoughts, etc. I hit a dark patch coming back in on lap 1. I puked up Lake, Lara Bar, and Gatorade, and gave up on sighting other than *** stroke during the first leg of lap 2, and things started to look up -- for me it became a matter of surviving to the finish.

thanks for the report. be sure to say hello at little red. i'll be helping out with check in before the swim. chaos, I look forward to meeting you - maybe even swimming with you one of these days! I was out West during Big Shoulders - had a nice swim in Flathead Lake, ID I heard from the Point warriors that you had gone glacial. Can't wait to hear about it. I hit a dark patch coming back in on lap 1. I puked up Lake, Lara Bar, and Gatorade, and gave up on sighting other than *** stroke during the first leg of lap 2, and things started to look up -- for me it became a matter of surviving to the finish. I doubt there was a single person out there who didn't have a dark patch or three. Anyone who finished that race has a lot to be proud of. Congrats on coming back from the puking episode - that's some excellent HTFU'ing :applaud:

I have to say this was an interesting experience for me to say the least. I have only been in open water twice in my life and that was purely recreational and definitely not with these conditions (water temp 62, 2+foot plus waves) I got in the water with my group and waited a very long minute to start. I looked around at everyone and announced "I'm really cold and needa hug!!!" We took off and I spent the first 300 yards in a state of panic, hyperventilating the whole way. I got myself under control and once I got to the first marker buoy I knew I'd be okay. I caught a few waves that made me swallow and choke on water and never really could get a rhythm going. After the first lap I thought about quitting but I wanted to tell my 9yr old son that I finished the whole thing. The last lap wasnt about time....it was just about finishing. I'm no stranger to distance or tough workouts...I can do a 500free in 5:30 so I'm in okay shape.. But this event wasnt so much a physical test as much as it was a mental test. I've got it in my head that after finishing this race under these conditions that any workout, any goal, swimming or otherwise....will seem easier to attain:applaud:

Thanks for the reports, and glad to see you back Stateside, Chaos! Looking forward to reading what happened after "Tonight is the night." I was out West during Big Shoulders - had a nice swim in Flathead Lake, ID, in fact - but hope the less than calm and less than warm water on Saturday in Chicago helped swimmers critically evaluate their skills as OW swimmers. There are shipwrecks at depths of 10 feet in Lake Michigan.

well i'll be swimming LRLH as well, and probably going to Brighton Beach the next day. there is a nice 5k loop. see www.cibbows.org this will be the 2011 USMS 5k national championship I'll be sad to miss Little Red Lighthouse, but definitely want to do at least one of the NY swims next year! I'm contemplating doing a relay for MIMS, if I can trick anyone into it. Of course, money is always a problem, so I'm working on some reverse-sponsorship deals, where I threaten to wear a particular brand of suit unless the manufacturer pays me not to. Miraclesuit is particularly interested. Big Shoulders is still giving me a laugh! I stopped for a while after the halfway point and had to give myself a pep talk. Not cold, not sick, just slow, so finish the race! Images of Chaos enduring more than 15 hours of worse stuff in the English Channel were inspirational :) The Ghost Barge from the Bermuda Triangle that parked itself on the 2nd leg of the course was a little disturbing. Annoying actually.

chaos, I look forward to meeting you - maybe even swimming with you one of these days! well i'll be swimming LRLH as well, and probably going to Brighton Beach the next day. there is a nice 5k loop. see www.cibbows.org this will be the 2011 USMS 5k national championship

this will be the 2011 USMS 5k national championship Any info on what date they may be looking at for 2011? Unfortunately I've had to withdraw from LRLH and will miss all of the fun. I'm moving very slow still, in and out of the water.

Any info on what date they may be looking at for 2011? Unfortunately I've had to withdraw from LRLH and will miss all of the fun. I'm moving very slow still, in and out of the water. i don't know the date, but it will be the same course that you did last year.

Not cold, not sick, just slow, so finish the race! The Ghost Barge from the Bermuda Triangle that parked itself on the 2nd leg of the course was a little disturbing. Annoying actually. My pep talk came after the second buoy the first time. I realized that not only was I going to survive and finish, but that I wasn't even very cold. I realized I had wasted so much time belly-aching and swimming slowly that a decent time was impossible. I will definitely know better next time I face such conditions.:)

You guys are a lot tougher than me!!!! I'd be proud if I finished that swim. I bagged it after 25 or 30 strokes, a serious sissy!! I will be ready next year for whatever the weather throws our way!!!