sharkfest

So.. I made it. I went up to San Francisco for sharkfest this weekend, and I swam from alcatraz. I had an awesome time. I'm extremely lucky to have gotten the video to help me along. If I hadn't learned about the tides and their effect on swimmers in an alcatraz event, I would have listened to the improper advice of the kayakers, 3 of which told me to go the wrong way. I don't want to go into it now, but it's lucky I ignored the first two or I might not have finished. By the 3rd, I was close enough that I could afford to get a little screwed up, and of course it happened.


Specifically, I got swept past the opening for aquatic park because, on the near-orders of a kayaker, I swam too close to directly toward my target. I knew from the video to swim toward an offset landmark (progressively, the TransAmerica Bldg, the Jerimiah O' Brian, the Balcutha, and then the actual opening for Aquatic Park when I was _really_ close.) The unknowing kayakers told me to go straight toward the opening, most people did, and most people got swept the wrong way. Ok. Enough venting.


My legs cramping up were clearly my biggest liability. It happened throughout training - in fact, at the end of my last real training session (which turned out to be harder than the actual alcatraz swim), after I swam the distance I had planned to, I tried to swim back into shore and my leg cramped up so bad I simply could not swim. I had to be rescued for the first time in my life, just to get from past the waves to shore, after swimming about a mile and a half against the current in some very annoyingly large swells.

And, of course, the cramping happened again, just as I was getting into Aquatic Park. I pretty much swam the last 1/8th mile or so without my legs. I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to stand up when I finally made it to shore.

But I did make it.

52:28.6 was my time. I did not come in last. In fact I came in roughly halfway through, according to Jen.. It was really fun, really cool. A new hobby. I think I will end up getting to a triathalon in time. Or swimming to Catalina. People _have_ done it. And if I do it, I win money. Either $50 or $100, I don't remember. But my brother bet me I wouldn't do it. We'll see in time. For now, I feel a LOT less crippled. I'm officially an athlete. I can check athletic on the forms for body type and not feel a little deceptive. It was a success all around.

Pictures are already uploading give it till this afternoon or so..

Then search for "sharkfest" on flickr.

*Update* Official Results Here