First Open Water Swim
So I am pumped! The beginning of the open water swim season has started. As many of you know I am training for the Great Salt Lake Open Water Swim. It will be the first of 3 open water swimming races this year- Great Salt Lake, Deer Creek and Slam the Dam. Naturally I will be swimming in the open water much more than 3 times, every week if I can.
My goal this year is to introduce someone new to the sport. I know it sounds scary but its really exhilarating. You also have never met nicer people of all ages, shapes and sizes. Can’t swim very well? I’ve seen people make incredible strides in a matter of weeks.
Anyway, today my friends and I went out to the Great Salt Lake and swam through the marina and around the buoys several times. I started to get water in my goggles (a bad thing in the GSL) so I had to go in but I was tired so its just as well. I’d say I was in the water 45 minutes or so.
Before swimming in the GSL
I was really worried about the water temperature and how my muscles would react. Fortunately this has been a warm winter and the water is already 70 degrees! It felt cold at first but its amazing how quickly you adjust and it was fine. The greater challenge was the wind and the choppiness in the water. That’s the hardest part of open water swimming but its also part of the excitement when you finish.
There is an optical illusion that happens every time I swim in the open water. Whatever you are sighting seems so far off, until you are practically on top of it. It feels like you aren’t making progress and so when you arrive its twice as thrilling! You did what momentarily you felt you could not do. Its great!
Seriously friends come out with me sometime. If you do I will buy you dinner! I think you will enjoy it as much as I do and if not you got a free dinner. 
. Other lakes are opening now as well as the GSL such as Bountiful Lake and Blackridge. Hurray!
To read about my other open water swims:
http://smilingldsgirl.wordpress.com/2011/08/15/open-water-swim/
http://smilingldsgirl.wordpress.com/2011/10/02/slam-the-dam/
Reblogged this on FHE for 1.
Good job Rach! Sounds like fun!
Thanks. Next time you all come to Utah I will have to take the girls to the lake. Its an experience they’d find fascinating.
I can’t believe the water is already that warm!
I know. Its such a blessing because I’m not trim enough to fit into a wetsuit just yet.
Please, you look awesome and you’re out there exercising!!
Thanks! Triathlon wetsuits are just made super small. Athletic wear in general is a challenge for plus size.
Reblogged this on swimnewsandcompetition and commented:
This is Great Keep up the good work. Having fun and keeping Fit.
Good luck with it – I wish the water over here was that warm – http://1000kmstowindermere.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/jesus-its-cold/
Thanks. Looks like a beautiful area to swim but that cold would be rough. 12 Celsius! Phew! 4 of my friends are swimming the English channel in August. It’s inspiring. I’m doing a 5k in August which will be my longest swim yet. Got to keep setting goals!
Good luck with the 5k. I’m a big believer in setting goals to provide the extra motivation you need.
Me too because the other motivators can be harder to control but making a specific goal is easier to set your sites on and focus on.