Has anyone here done the Swim the Suck 10 miler in Chattanooga? There is something about this race that really appeals to me and has since I learned about it last fall, which is odd because until very recently (as in last Sunday (5/19) - Pensacola 3 Mile Bridge Swim - ~3.3 miles factoring in getting to the finish area, I think) I was essentially a pool swimmer only. I really enjoyed that swim, despite the repeated mouth- and sinus-filling walls of water in my face and extremely limited sighting skills (fortunately, keeping a large bridge on my left was well within my abilities).
At this point, the earliest I could conceivably do the race would be in October 2014, but I'm wondering what sort of open water experience I should get under my belt before making a reasonable decision regarding my competence for this race. It seems to me that since this is a current-aided course it would feel a bit shorter than 10 miles. I would also think that because it's a river swim it would be less choppy than the bay experience was last week. However, it's still considerably longer than the roughly 5k swim I've done.
Advice?
You'll be fine. I swam it last year & will be swimming it again this year. Likewise, I know many others who have swam it too, with widely varying levels of experience & speed. My longest open water swim/race prior to the race last year was a few 5ks that I had done throughout the year (& years prior). I also only have the opportunity to train in open water once a week. For reference, I finished 12th overall, so it's totally doable & enjoyable!
Karah puts on a great event & the entire experience - from pre- to post-race festivities, the food, escorts & volunteers - is excellent. Given the speed of sell-out this year & the rapidly increasing popularity, I think she'll probably be changing the entry methodology, since she mentioned the possibility of doing so last year as well. There's a Facebook page I'd suggest checking out.
East Tennessee in the fall can't be beaten & it's a great river to swim in. We just raced the Chattanooga Rat Race yesterday, a 4.5mi downriver swim just a ways upstream from where the Suck starts. Another great experience & good swim, though the new sanction costs are causing hardship & the future of that race is in question. I'd definitely recommend it as well for anyone wanting to get a feel for the Tennessee river prior to taking on the Suck.
You'll be fine. I swam it last year & will be swimming it again this year. Likewise, I know many others who have swam it too, with widely varying levels of experience & speed. My longest open water swim/race prior to the race last year was a few 5ks that I had done throughout the year (& years prior). I also only have the opportunity to train in open water once a week. For reference, I finished 12th overall, so it's totally doable & enjoyable!
Karah puts on a great event & the entire experience - from pre- to post-race festivities, the food, escorts & volunteers - is excellent. Given the speed of sell-out this year & the rapidly increasing popularity, I think she'll probably be changing the entry methodology, since she mentioned the possibility of doing so last year as well. There's a Facebook page I'd suggest checking out.
East Tennessee in the fall can't be beaten & it's a great river to swim in. We just raced the Chattanooga Rat Race yesterday, a 4.5mi downriver swim just a ways upstream from where the Suck starts. Another great experience & good swim, though the new sanction costs are causing hardship & the future of that race is in question. I'd definitely recommend it as well for anyone wanting to get a feel for the Tennessee river prior to taking on the Suck.
