Swim FYI

[taffy]

If, in the middle of your swim during an open water triathlon, you suddenly find yourself swimming at an awesome pace with absolutely no one around you it is probably not because you suddenly became Michael Phelps and passed the 5 waves that started in front of you. Most likely you have swam hopelessly off course and now have to make up the distance and time. Was a minute and a half off of my expected swim time. On a positive note, it's always nice to meet the kayakers up close and personal.

[mrs.jacinthe]

LOL. And I'm sorry. What happened? Were you following someone or sighting off the wrong thing?

As a kayak volunteer, we're always specifically instructed NOT to direct the swimmers in any way. At my last event, there was a whole WAVE that went hopelessly off course. Like, they were all sighting off the leaders, who both sighted wrong or something. It was bizarre.

[taffy]

The course was basically a square; up one side, pass 1 buoy then turn to the right at the next buoy, pass another buoy then turn to the right and pass another buoy on the last side home. Coming back I sighted off of that 1st buoy on the 1st side instead of the one coming home. I basically started to cut cut the course back to the start (does that make sense?). Anyway, the kayakers did point to me......in fact I've always seen them point to the swimmers and even chase them down to get them going the right way. It was just so funny. All of the sudden I noticed I was swimming without any company!!

[mrs.jacinthe]

I'm glad they went after you. It's rough recovering from that, but heck, only a minute and a half off your expected time? Not bad AT ALL.

[So_Fetch]

Aww, that sucks. But a minute and a half doesn't sound too awful. You must have still been Michael Phelps-like.

[katinthehat]

how was the race? how'd you do and what was the swag this year?!?

[trigal]

Ha! I once got so off course that I never saw a buoy! Good thing the kayakers were there for you!!

Hope the rest of the race was okay!?

[kams]

Oh man!!!! How did the rest of the race go?

[taffy]

I actually ended up getting OA Masters (3 year for it at this race!!). I had a great bike and not so great....ok worst 5k time I've ever had....ever. The swim was 800m so I had some time to make it up and was 2nd out of the water in my wave. I don't know how it happened but I was 7th female finisher out of 340 women!

It was just so funny, I was swimming along finally enjoying my swim when I realized.....it shouldn't be this easy. So I stopped, stuck my head up, looked over and realized what I had done and yelled a word that rhymes with duck. Loud. Then waved at the kayaker so he wouldnt turn me in for unsportsmanlike language!