Swimmers, has anyone done USMS OW nationals?

[mrs.jacinthe]

I feel like someone here has - Susie maybe?  I'm considering the 5k nationals in Oregon or the 1 mile nationals here in CA, but I am trying to decide if it's worth the cost as regards race organization/etc.  

I have no hope of winning anything, I'm in a tough age group and I'm a middle-of-the-pack swimmer at best, but I'm wondering if it would be fun to try my hand against the big fish in the OW world.

[Susie]

I did the 2 mile cable swim national championship last year.  TBH, there wasn't really much more pomp or circumstance, and it was not significantly more or less competitive than the 5k that I did a week later that was not a national level event.  The USMS national championship event was a little more rule-stickler-y, and you had to be an actual USMS member (no one-event membership) to do it but that's about it.  Both events drew people from a similar geographic radius and ability level.  

I went to it because it was day trip-able, and Lake Placid is a nice, dog-friendly place to visit, but if I wasn't otherwise interested in spending a day in Placid I don't think it would've been worth a special trip.  It was a nice OWS race that I am bummed I won't get to do this year (it is the same weekend as my 2nd HIM), but not super special.  Definitely low key.

This year the 10k national championship is in my area too, it's at the same event that I did the 5k last year.  (They have a 2.5k, 5k, and 10k on the same morning.)  It's 1 week after my HIM.  I haven't decided yet whether the national championship is reason enough to move up to the 10k.  I've done the 5k two years in a row and like that distance.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Thanks! I was wondering if it had the pomp of SCY or LCM nationals, and I think I'm glad it doesn't - I'd get all anxious and do something dumb. LOL. I'm strongly considering the 5k in Oregon - it's part of a series - 500, 1000, 1500, 3000, and 5000 all in one weekend. There's a glass for doing all 5, and I'm leaning in that direction. Plus, camping there is only $8/night, which would make it really affordable.

The 1-mile is in Lake Berryessa, which is like an hour from here, so I'll probably do that too, but it will be more of a "for-fun" thing.

[Susie]

Oh, definitely go to the one that's an hour away!  Oregon could be fun too.  I'd just want to make sure I had a serious air mattress to camp before swimming!

Here some pics from the one I did.  I'm guessing you can tell it was pretty laid back.  I think there were only 4 finishers in my AG.


Counting off and lining up in waves before start


Counting off through the chute to swim out to the buoy for in-water start


Swimming along the cable course (we did 4 half-mile loops)


Finish between the neon buoys


Finish chute

Then we went over to the dog beach a little ways down and did our own little canine event