The event has evolved over the years. In the beginning we swam in heats by estimated pace, we had our numbers counted off by a human as we entered and left the water. Instead of buoys, there was a boat parked mid-channel to sight off of. The finish had a few balloons, that were hard to see until you were at them. Now the event is chip timed, a mass start, and a row of numbered buoys to help you count down your finish. The finish line even has a bright flashing light that you can see from all the way across the lake, which makes sighting much easier.
The mass start is always a bit stressful. I held back to start at the back of the pack, both so I wouldn't have people swimming over me, and so I could pass people, which is less frustrating than being passed.
The water felt cold to me. Clearly warmer than Puget Sound. But I never actually felt warm, the whole swim. I started out breast stroke, and quickly turned over to free. Free is faster, breast is more comfortable and easier. I breathe better with breast. I also take up more room in the water, which when swimming in a group, is not ideal. Free is harder to sight. There are trade offs all around.
The course had 5 buoys, with numbers that counted down as you swam. It was good for gauging how far out you were.
My mind flitted on various things as I swam. Friends, work, swimming, family, random memories, songs. Here are some of my observations (in no particular order):
- I tried to remember my first year of swimming. I knew I swam in '10 but couldn't remember if I'd done '09 too. I knew I'd done '10 because I wrote about it in my letter to the immigration office when applying for my spouse's immigration. It was an example of our closeness, that he would get up early in the morning to watch me swim across a lake. And that I was close enough to him that I had him help me change when I was shivering after.
- I thought about some of my other years swimming. The year the waves were giant being the most memorable.
- I realized I was swimming a lot more free than I ever have. I estimate 60/40 free/breast.
- I thought about how lucky I am to live in a city with this type of access to water.
- I reflected on air quality. Seattle has been going through a period of great smokiness due to regional wildfires. The hospital that hosts the swim considered canceling due to air quality. Prior to the event I had thought that the smoke would not bother me while swimming. However, this was the first time in the history of my swimming that I ever got a side stitch. I'm guessing that was due to reduced oxygen intake.
- The wisdom is "nothing new on race day". I put on a new suit in the morning, then reminded myself of this and changed into an older suit. However, I also took some anti-fog spray when it was offered to me. A brand I had never used before. Mistake. My right eye burned so bad that I had to take off the goggles, rinse them, rinse my eye, and put them back on, twice.
In the end, I finished faster than I have before. My past times have been between an hour and 6 min and an hour and 15 min (the year of the bad wind). This year's time:
1:02!!!
AND that was with a short rest break in the middle of the lake to try to release the side stitch. Next year, I'm going for under an hour!!
Oh, and one last thing that has changed with this event is the number of people I know who swim it. In the beginning I just knew my sister-in-law and her friend. Now I have my own swim friendship group to see. Here's a before pic of a few of us:
You can tell we are friends, because we make the same gestures when we finish:
Carrie:
Me:
And the crew after:
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