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.
I almost made the trip up there for the Rat Race, but I'm out of town twice in June and that made it just too much time away from home.
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.
I almost made the trip up there for the Rat Race, but I'm out of town twice in June and that made it just too much time away from home.
