Open Water

Having completed 4 previous triathlons, I kinda thought I remembered it all pretty well. Everyone knows that swimming in a lake is different from swimming laps in a pool. Obviously. Even couch potatoes would figure that one out.

So, I thought dipping my toes in the lake ONE TIME before my big #5 race this weekend would be a smart idea. Some might say that more than once would be a good idea... but come on, I'VE DONE THIS BEFORE. I am a pro. Never mind that I race the shortest possible triathlons that are offered, and I haven't actually done one since before Leo was conceived... blah blah blah...

I actually contemplated just skipping the open water practice-run and winging it on race day. I mean, being in a lake by yourself seems just the other side of crazy, and I have managed to miss every group swim my tri buddies have done this summer. I thought about doing it in Oklahoma, but there was a picture on the front of the "newspaper" of a kid splashing around in the "lake" by my parents home. Even the "water" splashing in the air was so dense you couldn't see through the silt and muck. No thank you.

But Monday was a beautiful, warm day. Doing laps back and forth in the somewhat populated swim area of Cedar Lake seemed like a sane enough way to get this under my belt before the race. I packed up the bag, and headed out, and was actually hot on my way over there.

Have I mentioned that water is a very good insulator? And this Minnesota summer has been stupid-cold leading up to this day? I had goosebumps by the time I was in to my knees. But since there were children frolicking around in the water, I thought I should stop being a big baby and just toss it in. 

Once I got started it took 5-6 minutes to not feel like I was drowning. I can take waves in my face. No biggy. But there is this silly little physiologic response I have no control over - the Diver's Reflex. You know how they talk about kids that survived 2 hours underwater in the winter. Yeah, the body interprets cold water to the face as moronic. The only reason you would have your face in cold water is by foolish mistake - some arctic bafoon that has plunged through the ice. It slows your heart rate thinking you are going to need to conserve all energy possible since clearly you are drowning. Not surprisingly, it's a bit hard to exercise while my pulse is dropping to 40.

This is how I voluntarily spend my free time....

By minute 15, I actually felt pretty decent. I was able to get back to my normal stroke/breath ratio, and thought this was going to be do-able. The great irony, of course, is that 15 minutes is about how long I'll be in the water on Sunday. Just about the time I will feel like I'm not going to die, it will be time to get out.

I think I just might win this thing...