JAWS, or Handling the Fear in Open-water Swimming

I love open-water swimming. Lakes, rivers, the ocean, it's both exhilarating and calming. I'd be lying if I said it's not a little bit frightening, too. While I don't do as much open-water swimming as I used to, when I was swimming Brewers Bay, from the UVI dock to Black Point and back regularly, a swim didn't pass where I didn't start humming Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum-da-dum-da-dum somewhere out in the middle of the bay.

Thanks Jaws.

Original movie poster from Jaws (1975)

Here's a post from "The Swimming Blog" that appeared in The Guardian not too long ago that had me giggling and nodding my head in commiseration with the author, Jenny Landrith.
Open-water Swimming: How do you handle the fear?

Now, during my once a year open-water swim on the Cooper River, I tend to "get in the zone" or what I've referred to in a previous blog post as "swimmer's bliss" by counting strokes. I play games to make the 2.4 miles pass faster: "No peaking until I've swum 100 strokes." Or, "Count how many strokes to the next buoy" then compare that to the number of strokes to the one after that. Those distractions can keep me occupied for most of the swim, but still, at some point it happens.

Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum-da-dum-da-dum

I'm not certain if it's fear or habit anymore. Maybe it's even become my way to deal with fear: do something silly like sing the Jaws theme.

How do you deal with your fear of the unknown?

2013 Lowcountry Splash--Completed!

I completed my third Lowcountry Splash on Saturday, June 1. Although I didn't have my swim-buddy Tom with me, I still managed to enjoy the event and survive. Not like open-water swims are conducive to socializing anyway...except for the outstanding party that the Splash organizers host at the end of the event...but more on that later!

Click HERE to find out more about the Splash!

Of the three Splashes I've participated in, this was by far my favorite. The conditions were fabulous---no wind-induced chop, no harbor waves, no feeling like I was being tossed around in a washing machine once I passed under the bridge. We started at 7:30-ish, so almost slack tide. A little more push from an outgoing tide and the river current would have been okay, but the smooth conditions more than made up for that.

What a GREAT morning for a swim! (photo courtesy of Lowcountry Splash)

This year, the Splash included a 5-mile swim, along with the usual 2.4 miler. I did the latter, shorter swim, but 107 brave souls headed out from Daniel Island 30 minutes before our start for that race. To all of them, CONGRATULATIONS! A pretty spectacular feat. And, since many of the faster women who would have been competing in my age group swam that instead, THANK YOU! Because of that, I finished 5th in my age group (out of 15).

In the 2.4 mile race, I finished 186 out of 389 with a time of 52:03. Not my fastest, but because of changing current and tide conditions, it's impossible to compare times from one year to the next.  My relative ranking, right around the middle of the pack, has stayed consistent from year-to-year, right around 47-50%. My first year (2010, where I'm listed in the results as Lynn Hinkley) I had a 58:08 and finished 197/399, and in my second year (2011), I swam it in 48:25 (229/490). You can see from the times what a big difference conditions can make. The waves were horrendous in 2011--everyone felt like they'd been beat up--but times were fast thanks to a big push on the fast-moving outgoing tide.

While we didn't get much push from the current this year, it was still there, most notably at the start when we were trying to stay behind the start buoys and had to continuously swim back upstream. This years start struck me as all-sorts-of-different from previous years. I don't remember the starting area being so shallow. Lots of people walked through the mucky bottom to get there. A little too oozy for me and Lindsay Shuler, who I started with (and who beat me by 2 minutes in her first Splash swim--congratulations, Lindsay!) We moved out into deeper water. The start was single-wave, all 389 swimmers at once, rather than in 2-waves, based on estimated finish time, like they'd done in previous years. I think this was because of the 100 5-mile swimmers coming toward us. Whatever the reason, the start was more chaotic than I remember! It took a lot longer for the crowd to spread out than I recall from past swims, but maybe I always feel that way and block the horror of the mass-swim-starts from my mind!

And we're off! (photo from the Lowcountry Splash Facebook page)

Once I did have a bit of elbow (and leg) room, the swim was great--78 degree, smooth water, a sunny, mild day, and doing my favorite activity, swimming. What's not to love?

At the end of the race, the Splash organizers put on a great party, complete with music by Eddie Bush, lots of good food, beer (yes, breakfast beer at the 9:00-ish post-race party! Hurray!), dancing, and games. A good time was most definitely had by all!

The finish line at Patriot's Point Marina. (photo from the
Lowcountry Splash Facebook page.)

The Splash supports some great causes (The Logan Rutledge Children's Foundation and the Charleston County LAPS program, a learn-to-swim program for area schools) so it's  not only fun, but helps out a lot of people, too! I hope you'll all think about joining me in next year's swim--who knows, maybe I'll even try the 5-mile swim for my entrance into the 50-54 age group since I'll be aging up for next year's event!

For Splash results, and more info on the annual Lowcountry Splash, click here.

To see pictures from the Splash on Facebook (and to "like" their page), go here.

See you all in the pool!

2013 Lowcountry Splash!

Looking for a good excuse to visit Charleston in late spring/early summer? Sign up now for the Annual Lowcountry Splash--a 2.4-mile open water swim in the Cooper River and Charleston Harbor on Saturday, June 1, 2013! And for those who need a bit more of a challenge, this year the Splash is offering a 5-mile swim option, too.

Me, stopping near the Mt. Pleasant Pier for a photo op during the 2011 Splash!
(photo courtesy of Matt Drobnik)

For me, the Splash is a great way to stay motivated to swim throughout the cold, wet, and dreary winter months. I go to www.swimplan.com to get a new workout three times each week from January through May (at least, 3X/week is always my starting plan...we'll see if I keep that up this year!) I have a really short attention span so can't just get in and swim laps--I need varied workouts with different strokes, equipment, and drills or I get bored. Swimplan provides that for me, although I do adapt intervals and some sets depending on whether I'm swimming in the 25yd pool at WL Stephens or the 50m pool at MLK. I start with workouts in the 20000-2500 yd range in January and build to 4000 yards by May. The swim itself is 2.4 miles (about 4400  yards) but with the tide, so swims more like about 3000 yards.

One of my best-est friends, brother-in-law Tom, will be coming to Charleston at the end of May for us to compete in our 3rd Splash event. It's always a fun swim (and since it's with the tide, it's a relatively easy swim too, other than the occasional wave-to-the-face once we get under the bridge and into the harbor!) If you need further enticement to sign up, there's a great party with music, food, massages, and beer afterwards, too.

Me and Tom, ready to Splash! 2011 Lowcountry Splash.
(photo courtesy of Matt Drobnik)

Proceeds from the Splash benefit the Logan Rutledge Children's Foundation, a local not for profit organization promoting the health and welfare of children in the Lowcountry. The foundation was established in May of 2002 in memory of Logan Jennings Rutledge (7/30/01-08/26/01). Since its beginning the foundation has supported the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Medical University of South Carolina and has made numerous contributions to assist individual children in need in the Lowcountry. A new learn-to-swim initiative in Charleston, the Lowcountry Aquatics Program Swimming (LAPS)  will be one of the Splash's beneficiaries this year, as well. This new program provides lifelong aquatics opportunities for Lowcountry residents--with a special emphasis on teaching children in underprivileged Lowcountry areas to swim, thus reducing the incidence of accidental drownings.

Register now, and I'll see you at the Splash!