Open Water Swim # 2 Debrief...

So here is where it is at...1:02:16 was the time for today's swim. 4 minutes slower than race one, and the reason was crappy conditions. East south easterly winds came through a little earlier than expected which picked up the swell and made for choppy conditions. My pre-race pep talk to myself didn't quite go as positive as I would have liked, as I watch the swell and breeze and knew that this wasn't going to be an easy swim.

So us girls for the 2.5km race head into the water and with the water a reasonable temperature, not icy cold but not overly warm either, swimming out to the buoys to wait our start. The gun goes off and the first leg heading north was good, I could take it a little easy as the water was carrying us in that direction, turned the first buoy, starting to head into the swell and with another 50 meters and another turn, this time straight into the swell. My goodness up and down waves and trying to sight and not drink too much of the ocean. It felt like it took ages to make it to the first sighting buoy (not a turning point) then with other swimmers in my sight I kept on target for the next turn and feeling a little disorientated from the waves (up and down them). I take the turn. With the thoughts of almost home going through my head was a little better than...please I want to stop!!...I headed to the last turning buoy which wasn't easy as sighting became difficult because of the choppy water. I finally could see the yellow and orange buoys and knew I was close. By this point I wasn't fussed with my time due to conditions.

Now looking at the conditions of today I knew that City Beach can be choppy at this time of year, and that is why I originally wasn't going to do race 2. I finally decided to take on the race and hope it was going to less choppy. Like this quote says, life does begin at the end of your comfort zone, I now know that I am more than capable of swimming that distance in choppy waters. So I learnt something about myself today as well. With each new experience comes new lessons, ideas and goals.

So from today I know I need to build my shoulder and arm strength for future swims in these sort of conditions. Which in turn will help with speed in calmer waters. As always I still have the deep love for ocean swimming as I did as a child. I now look forward to race 3, and hope for calmer waters for that race.

 I hope you find your end of your comfort zone and begin life. Have a great week.

Hayley xx