Connecticut Open Water Swim Championships - 1 Mile - 6/20/2012

I swam in the one mile Ct Open Water Championships today.  Formerly called the Madison Mile, today it was the Quassy Mile.  I guess hurricane damage to the shoreline forced them to move the race this year.  There is talk both of moving it back next year and also creating a spinoff Quassy Mile.

I have to say, I preferred the Madison Mile.  Why?  Well, the race started earlier in the day and the Sound was more refreshing than Lake Quassy, even though Quassy is a very clear Lake.  The water temperature was 75 degrees, which is nice if you are wearing a bathing suit, but a little warm if you are wearing a wet suit at 10:55 in the morning on a 90 degree day.  They had moved the start back by one hour, which was news to me when I showed up at 8:30.

At Madison they always had between 10 and 15 wet suiters.  Today they only had one -- me.  Fortunately, at the last minute, they let me swim with the 6th wave - the women masters -- so I would not have to be in the 7th wave alone staring 5 minutes after the last wave.

As it was I was the 2nd to last person out of the water.  I haven't seen my results yet, but I think my time was in the 37-38 minute range, which is faster than last year, but I don't feel like I was swimming faster. Perhaps the course was shorter or not having to battle the tides.  I swam very easy in the wet suit.  I did have severe fogging  problems with my goggles causing me to stop repeatedly to sight.

I don't regret wearing the wet suit as I have not been swimming too much.  I regret not being in better swim shape so I had to wear the wet suit.  I am hoping the water is cooler in September for the Quassy Swim Fest.

On a side note, I tried to take my suit off again using the standon it method with no luck.  At least I didn't fall down.  I did have to sit on the grass to get it off my legs.