I challenged myself yesterday at my first open water swim in over a decade. It was 1500 meters across the Tred Avon River from Bellevue to Oxford, Maryland, on the Eastern Shore. It was a perfect day for this swim! Sunny, clear skies, with temperatures in the high 70's in the early morning.
I checked in at 8:30 at the historical Robert Morris Inn in Oxford. Based on the results from other "Sharkfest" events, I expected about 500 or so swimmers. Lucky for us, this was an inaugural event marketed via word-of-mouth, so there were only 35 other registered swimmers -- plenty of older people and then a group of high school swimmers. Outgoing, jovial group of athletes, with more than a couple faded ironman tattoos on weathered skin. We spread on a thick layer of vaseline to ward off the sea nettles (aka jellyfish) and then boarded the ferry about 9:00.
We assembled on the Bellevue side of the river for a quick orientation meeting and a round of "America the Beautiful". The event was not an official race (something about permits), so it was strictly non-competitive. The idea was to cross the river as a group. I waited for most of the people to get moving and then I started swimming.
I enjoy swimming in salt water. Since the Tred Avon River merges into the Choptank and then the Chesapeake, the water was brackish and surprisingly clear. The taste on my lips was not un-pleasant and the added buoyancy gave me a boost of confidence. Within about 10 minutes, I felt the first nettle stings on my arms. So much for the vaseline! It felt like annoying little pin pricks, but otherwise did not impact my swim.
I am a slow swimmer. The majority of the group surged ahead, gaining distance the entire duration. I could see them getting further away every time I scanned the horizon to site. It was a conscious effort to not let it bother me; to just continue my pace and try my best. My fellow BBF-Racing teammate stayed right by the entire time. It was very reassuring to look over and see a familiar face and swimming companion at the back of the pack.
I finished the swim in about 29 minutes, which is an astounding record for me. I credit the salt-buoyancy, the wet suit, and a bit of down-stream current for shredding about 10 minutes off my normal mile time in the pool. I was 4th to last, with my friend Joel right behind me and then an elderly man and woman bringing up the rear.
Ego aside, I had an awesome time. I really enjoyed the open water swim, liberated from the chlorine, lane lines, and walls. I can actually look forward (a little bit) to the swim portion of the triathlon in 5 weeks.
