Long time pool racer, getting ready to swim my first open water race in a few weeks. I'm curious about whether people typically converse and try to self-sort by pace before the start, letting the faster swimmers line up towards the front, or whether it's usually just a "first come, first served" situation with things getting sorted out in a scrum after the gun.
Thanks for all the tips. The start was in-water and turned out to be no big deal. There were only 30 in our wave, and we were pretty well sorted out after the first 150 yards.
Drafting was a near impossibility. The warter was so murky, I couldn't even see my own hand out in front of me, much less follow somebody in front.
I invented a new sport on the back straight of the 1.2 mile course: The swim slalom. I was inside one buoy, outside the next, etc. I probably added at least a hundred extra yards of distance. I always went outside the corner buoys, though, so I wasn't disqualified.
My calf was starting to cramp a little past the half-way mark, so I did break into breaststroke on a couple of occasions to try to work it out.
I ended up 3rd overall, 2nd overall mens non-wetsuit, @ 31:33. If I hadn't cramped and was better at sighting, I think I could have done it in under 30 minutes. Looking forward to going back next year and trying for the overall win.
Thanks for all the tips. The start was in-water and turned out to be no big deal. There were only 30 in our wave, and we were pretty well sorted out after the first 150 yards.
Drafting was a near impossibility. The warter was so murky, I couldn't even see my own hand out in front of me, much less follow somebody in front.
I invented a new sport on the back straight of the 1.2 mile course: The swim slalom. I was inside one buoy, outside the next, etc. I probably added at least a hundred extra yards of distance. I always went outside the corner buoys, though, so I wasn't disqualified.
My calf was starting to cramp a little past the half-way mark, so I did break into breaststroke on a couple of occasions to try to work it out.
I ended up 3rd overall, 2nd overall mens non-wetsuit, @ 31:33. If I hadn't cramped and was better at sighting, I think I could have done it in under 30 minutes. Looking forward to going back next year and trying for the overall win.
