2014 races?

As soon as OW season ends, I'm always itching for next year's races too! Here's my 2014 lineup so far: May 17: 2.4 mile National Championship - Coolidge Park, Tennesse River, Chattanooga TN (Chattanooga Rat Race) June 7: 1-mile National Championship - Lake Berryessa CA June 21: Granite Man Triathlon - Applegate Lake, OR June 29: Pacific Crest Triathlon - Sunriver, OR July 12 or July 19: 5k Applegate Lake, OR Aug 3: 5km National Championship - Elk Lake, OR I'm sure I'll do more of the Oregon open water series as well, certainly the 1-mile and 2-mile cable swims (probably on June 28), but the dates and swims haven't been posted yet. Also, if the timing works out, I really want to do Donner Lake again (usually in early August, which is normally same weekend as Elk Lake). That's probably my favorite open water swim of the year! Which ones are you thinking about flystorms? mmlr38, the 2.4 mile race in Chattanooga is not the "Rat Race" That race occurs later in the summer. The River Rats offer a 1.2 and 4.5 mile open water race.

I'm about 95% sure I'm heading back down to St John for the Beach to Beach Power Swim (A-MA-ZING water!) Debating doing the swim around Key West as the first long swim. And I definitely want to do Slam the Dam Grand Slam since the one this year was cancelled (thanks Congress!!). Not sure about any others at this point. I'm hoping to get a few ideas from y'all. I guess I need to try some cooler water swims, but am pretty much a lizard and need to be warm. LOL! Kari

As soon as OW season ends, I'm always itching for next year's races too! Here's my 2014 lineup so far: May 17: 2.4 mile National Championship - Coolidge Park, Tennesse River, Chattanooga TN (Chattanooga Rat Race) June 7: 1-mile National Championship - Lake Berryessa CA June 21: Granite Man Triathlon - Applegate Lake, OR June 29: Pacific Crest Triathlon - Sunriver, OR July 12 or July 19: 5k Applegate Lake, OR Aug 3: 5km National Championship - Elk Lake, OR I'm sure I'll do more of the Oregon open water series as well, certainly the 1-mile and 2-mile cable swims (probably on June 28), but the dates and swims haven't been posted yet. Also, if the timing works out, I really want to do Donner Lake again (usually in early August, which is normally same weekend as Elk Lake). That's probably my favorite open water swim of the year! Which ones are you thinking about flystorms?

mmlr38, the 2.4 mile race in Chattanooga is not the "Rat Race" That race occurs later in the summer. The River Rats offer a 1.2 and 4.5 mile open water race. Ah, thanks for letting me know! I'm about 95% sure I'm heading back down to St John for the Beach to Beach Power Swim (A-MA-ZING water!) Debating doing the swim around Key West as the first long swim. And I definitely want to do Slam the Dam Grand Slam since the one this year was cancelled (thanks Congress!!). Not sure about any others at this point. I'm hoping to get a few ideas from y'all. I guess I need to try some cooler water swims, but am pretty much a lizard and need to be warm. LOL! Kari It's great to learn about other swims that I'm not familiar with. Looked up the St. John Beach-to-Beach Power Swim and added it to my "wish list" to do someday :) A friend of mine here in Southern Oregon wants to do the Slam the Dam Grand Slam. That's a great one to have on the radar because it's so late in the season. As for the cooler water swims, I hear ya, I prefer the warm stuff myself! But living in Oregon I've had to adapt a bit if I want to extend the season. Matt

Does anyone know where one could find a calendar of open water races/events in North America for 2014? I'm trying to put my season together as it snows outside my window...

Thanks, Randy.

Does anyone know where one could find a calendar of open water races/events in North America for 2014? I'm trying to put my season together as it snows outside my window... This should be helpful: usopenwaterswimming.org/2013OWCalendar.htm

Okay so I'm about 90% there for doing the Swim Around Key West. Working out the training timeline to be sure. BUT... and this sounds so silly... I'm thinking ahead of the logistics for my paddlers. I have two wonderful girlfriends who have more than jumped at the opportunity to paddle for me in a tandem kayak. My biggest concern... you'll laugh... is logistically, how do we work out potty breaks for them? Do they paddle ahead of me a bit, slide off the kayak and do their business, then climb back on? It'll be about a 6 hour race for me, I think. We've been talking about this and laughing. I see we can get either a sit on top or regular kayak, but talking through this, we think the sit on top might work best considering this situation. Funny thing, is that we've all done long adventure races, but have never thought through this kind of situation, especially since they're supporting and guiding me. LOL! Thoughts? - Kari

Okay so I'm about 90% there for doing the Swim Around Key West. Working out the training timeline to be sure. BUT... and this sounds so silly... I'm thinking ahead of the logistics for my paddlers. I have two wonderful girlfriends who have more than jumped at the opportunity to paddle for me in a tandem kayak. Thoughts? - Kari A tandem kayak never seems like a good idea. 2 singles will give them the opportunity to break if necessary without you losing your escort. Real kayakers will bring a p-bottle (yes, you can find feminine specific units) and a large grout sponge.

Well I just pulled the trigger and signed up for the race around Key West in late June. I'm sketching out a training plan with my coach and am ready to go. EEEEEPPPPP!! Very, very excited. Still doing the other race in St John as well. OUtside of those two, maybe something in the fall, we'll see if I get burned out by June.