On Friday before the race I did the practice swim only wearing the skull cap and the wetsuit. Swam for 30 minutes and my feet were getting numb.So at least for me I knew that the swimming sock were a necessity. I try to ask is the swimming socks were going to be legal for the race but nobody knew. At night went to the athlete banquet to (which was good with food from Chief Robert of the food network) to wait to see if the socks were legal. The RD said that they were legal so I just left the meeting right there and went to my room to rest because I was really tire and it was cold. The banquet was held outside and I know it is a desert but at 7:45 it was 55.
On Saturday I did a quick swim practice this time with the socks and they made a lot of difference my feet were not getting numb and my whole body was feeling warmer. I had lunch with a lot of friends and then I went to rest in preparation for the big day.
Sunday I wake up at 4:30 local time which for me was 6:30 because I sleep ok till may be 3 AM but it was find.
I arrive to transition at 5:20 set up the last few thing put some food at the special needs bag and did a 20 minute line to the bath, stretch got my wetsuit in and cross the mat and wait for the signal the get in the water. I enter the water around 6:53 7 minutes for race time. Warm up well swam towards the middle of the river to get some current in my favor.I floated relax and enjoy the moment before the party.
The swim began and I knew it was going to be bumpy. Honestly it was bumpy as expected but I heard that after 500 mt it start to calm down. Honestly that's a lie in my case is stay bumpy the whole swim going to the turnaround you couldn't see much due to the sun coming out in your face. So i just manage to swim looking for the floaters. I turn out and look that I was on a good pace so I just continue and began to feel great and in rhythm. The problem was that close to the floaters I was getting bump worst than the start. I was ready bump to every time I was getting touch. I continue and I was feeling it so I just roll. got in to the stair climb and hit the mat in 1:14:02 . I was really happy because I knew that the was the pace I have been practicing for in fact I came 1 minute faster than what I expected.
Over all the swim is cold but with the right protection like I did is manageable. The water is clean but dark. So visibility is 1 foot in front of you. Is a mass start so you have to deal with the bumps. Overall i enjoy the swim and is manageable.
Stats of the swim
Age group
M 30 /34
Swim place in age group 99
Swim place overall 864
Swim time 1:14:02
Swim pace 1:56 per 100 meters
2 comments:
¡¡Tiempazo Eric!!! Aquí en Quito seguimos pateando y pateando para mejorar nuestra flotabilidad y propulsión y soñar acercarnos a los 2'15/100 m.
Felicitaciones y muchas gracias por compartir tus experiencias para los que estamos queriendo seguir la misma ruta. Quedo en espera del reporte del ciclismo.
Un abrazo
Rubi
I was pretty excited to see your 1:14 swim split pop-up when i was tracking you that morning. That's a very solid time given the bumpiness.
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