Jack King Ocean Swim to be held 6/27/10

February 6, 2010 at 9:29 am | In Open Water Races | Leave a Comment

Though the temperature in the Atlantic is currently 43 degrees, likely all of Virginia is looking forward to the summer and race season.

The annual Jack King Ocean Swim will be held at 10 a.m. on 6/27/10. Note that this is one week later than usual. It’s $25 to enter, $30 if postmarked after 6/7/10, and $50 on race day. Pre-registered entrants receive T-shirts. The course is the same as previous years: An in-water start at 24th Street with a finish at 38th Street. Awards are given in standard master’s age groups (18-24, 25-29, 30-34, etc.)

Jack King Application 2010 [.pdf]

Update: H2o Audio Interval Headphone System

January 24, 2010 at 3:52 pm | In Allison, Product Reviews | Leave a Comment

Today, I experimented with the H2o Audio Interval Headphone System a second time. It worked flawlessly. Here are the tweaks that made all the difference:

  • Bigger earbuds: I brought ALL of the earbuds to the pool, and used a larger set than last time. They didn’t fall out once, and the sound was crystal clear.
  • Ponytail placement: Feeling like I was back in the 80s, I put my hair in a side ponytail (opposite of where the goggle clip was on the strap) and then wrapped it in my usual bun — but on the side of my head rather than directly in the center.
  • Unit placement: Then, I placed the unit in the middle of the back of my head, free of the bump of the bun it rested on (or under, or above) last time.
  • Goggles: Because I did the above and the unit wasn’t competing for head space with my hair, I didn’t need to tighten my goggles at all. Everything stayed in place for the hour I swam.

Because of the splashing sound my arms and legs made, I DID notice I needed to turn the volume up a little when I was swimming versus just kicking. But I was able to listen to an hour-long podcast, which was never possible before this device.

Now, I just have to find those goggles that don’t get foggy.

Inspired by Eva

January 15, 2010 at 3:28 pm | In Caroline, Interviews | Leave a Comment

She’s only 16, and she’s only 5′3″ (hey, me too!  Well, not the 16 part, but the 63 inches, and that’s why Eva’s my particular hero), but she’s already making a big name for herself in open water swimming.  She’s on the US National Team, and this week she was interviewed on Swim Network.  Go Eva!

Great Chesapeake Bay Swim 2010

January 13, 2010 at 11:25 am | In OW swim stories | Leave a Comment

The first round of the 2010 GCBS lottery is complete, and e-mail notifications have been sent out.  If  you didn’t get in, don’t despair.  Some people who did get in either will choose not to commit or will fail to submit proper qualifying information.  That’s why there’s a second round of the lottery.  In 2007, Allison got in on the second round.  I got a first-round pick in 2008 and 2009, but this year no luck there.  So you just never know.

Product Review: H2o Audio Interval Headphone System

January 2, 2010 at 9:00 pm | In Allison, Product Reviews | 5 Comments

This is the first of what we hope to be many swim-related product reviews. If you want a product reviewed, please leave us a comment!

Product: H2o Audio Interval Headphone System for iPod Shuffle 2G (also made for 3G)

A new year’s resolution of mine is to do at least one long (which I’m defining as 2+ hour) swim each weekend, so to garner motivation, I gave myself an H2o Audio waterproof 2G iPod Shuffle headphone system as a Christmas gift, courtesy of my longtime-accumulating AmEx points. I spent 50 minutes trying it out today, and I’m sure glad I did. Though I was pleased with the system, I encountered several surprises, which I’ll discuss below.

Continue reading Product Review: H2o Audio Interval Headphone System…

Swimming the days away at La Jolla Cove

December 27, 2009 at 9:40 pm | In Allison, West Coast OW races & events | Leave a Comment

To celebrate Thanksgiving, I (Allison) savored six days in fabulous, sunny San Diego, Calif. Among learning to surf, taking in the mountain views and visiting the world-renowned zoo, I got in some quality open-water swims at La Jolla Cove.

The weather ranged between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day Thanksgiving week. The water was clear and blue; at 61 degrees Fahrenheit, it was a bit chillier. My first swim there took place with two friends, one who seemed somewhat concerned about bumping into “sea creatures.” Fortunately, the only creatures I saw were schools of tiny fish near the shore.

Among my bodily covered friends, I wore the sleeveless wetsuit and appeared a little crazy without sleeves. The next time I swam at LJC, I also looked crazy because I was wearing a wetsuit — the locals I swam with wore merely swimsuits. (Yes, they shivered a little, but I’ll bet they were used to the chilly water.) That day, I joined some folks from the La Jolla Cove Swim Club, a seemingly informal group of swimmers who put on all sorts of open-water events throughout the year, gladly welcomed my friend Sara and I into their swim circle. (Who ever said that Southern hospitality doesn’t extend to the West Coast?) The four of us largely stayed together, and periodically regrouped at buoys.

The buoys were spaced at quarter- and half-mile intervals; from the beach at LJC to the Marine Room (on La Jolla Shores) was either .6 or .7 of a mile. It was a mile to swim from the beach at LJC to the lifeguard tower at La Jolla Shores.

Most of the time, the waves were gentle; the current and waves were noticeably weaker during my morning (9 a.m.) swims. Undoubtedly, the hardest part, for me, was the first time I put my face in the water each day. But after a few minutes of focusing on my stroke and bilateral breating, I reached a peaceful equilibrium and adapted to the cold. My toes did get numb the last day I swam there, after about an hour in the Pacific.

The first day I swam at LJC, I forgot my earplugs, and I was sorry. They made a big difference in keeping my ears warm, but after being kicked in the ear last year during an open-water swim, I rarely swim in open water without them.

One of the biggest differences between East and West Coast open-water swimming was the seaweed — the density, look and feel of it. Perhaps I’ve not done enough East Coast ocean swimming to really know, but in LJC, I would periodically swim into a four-to-five foot clump of rough seaweed, and have to claw my way out. Readers, have you ever had this experience? And the seaweed wasn’t slimy like on the East Coast.

LJC is even more beautiful in real life than the pictures let on — and I’d say the pictures are pretty nice.

Oh, and did I mention the sky was blue and cloudless every day?

A few more things I learned about San Diego and swimming at LJC:

  • During one of the swims, a veteran swimmer advised me that when heading for the shore, I wanted to be sure to aim for the middle to avoid being tossed upon the rocks by the ocean’s waves. With a current, this can often be tricky, but I got it.
  • Parking was easier to find near LJC during the morning hours, but was free for three hours all along the road near the cove.
  • If you’re planning on swimming in San Diego, even in the winter, don’t forget the sunscreen. Even though I didn’t, I returned to Virginia with some very tan arms!
  • There is a 100 percent chance that I will return to LJC in the near future.

Great Chesapeake Bay Swim video

November 27, 2009 at 2:23 pm | In Chesapeake Bay Swim, Mid-Atlantic OW Races & Events, Open Water Races, Video | Leave a Comment
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A nice long GCBS video from 2008 to get you excited for 2010.  The Web site is for the medical practice of Dr. Tripp Bradd, a physician and swimmer.

 

Cheaper than therapy

November 19, 2009 at 11:00 am | In OW swim stories | Leave a Comment

It’s not just your imagination—exercise really is good for your mental health.

St. Croix Coral Reef Five-Mile Swim

November 8, 2009 at 11:49 am | In Race Reports & Results | Leave a Comment

Would you like to submit a guest post about a recent race? If so, please e-mail us at owswimrva [AT] gmail [DOT] com.

Written by Susan Kasimer of McLean, VA and Sport Fair

The time on my cell phone switched to 5 a.m., and as the alarm began to go off I practically hit the ceiling. I’m up, I thought. The Big Day is finally here. After so much physical training, mental preparation, and anticipation, my five-mile swim was staring me in the face. To make it even better, my dad wanted to do the two-mile race with fins again, my sister Lauren had agreed to do the two-mile race, and Lance, Lauren’s husband, was coming along for fun and support. As usual, I had my two open-water swim race goals—to be the best-dressed athlete, and to finish the race. Continue reading St. Croix Coral Reef Five-Mile Swim…

Ederle Swim update

October 20, 2009 at 4:21 pm | In OW swim stories | 4 Comments
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After Nancy Steadman Martin pulled out, Hannah Borgeson continued to hold the lead until sometime in the last mile, when apparently she pulled out due to cold (she must have been seriously cold to have pulled out so close to the end).  Julie Sheldon took first place finish in 6:14.    Way to go!  Now get that woman some hot soup!  (But no–swimmers have to get back in the water after touching land to swim back to the escort boats.  I suppose once you’ve lost all feeling in your limbs, what’s a few more minutes of cold?)

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