Boston Light Swim 2013 - registration opens March 1

gregoc

Registration for the 2013 Boston Light Swim opens in just 2 weeks on March 1st at 1:00pm.
This year’s swim race will take place on Saturday, August 10th at 9:00am. There is a lot of information on the BLS registration page and FAQ page.

heart

What is the expected water temperature?

gregoc

Historically the water temps have been about 58 at the start and as you swim in to the finish it warms up 3-4 degrees. The past 2 years the harbor has been warmer than usual with water temps closer to 65-70 degrees.

gregoc

FYI, BLS registration opens tomorrow at 1:00pm!

http://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=19658

http://bostonlightswim.org/

mmead

@gregoc Any idea when you expect the field to fill up? Thinking about joining in on my way back from the Canadian Grand Prix but can't commit for awhile.......

gregoc

@mmead, All of the solo spots fulled in about 48 hours last year. The 6 relay teams closed out in less than 12 hours.

dc_in_sf

@gregoc I'm a pretty slow swimmer (the 12 miles of Rottnest took me 9h10m), is there enough current assist to compensate for that?

gregoc

@dc_in_sf, the tide assist makes the 8 miles seem like 6.5 miles. At your Rottnest pace you would finish very close to the 5 hour cutoff. What is you usual 1-mile time?

dc_in_sf

@gregoc In a LCM pool I can hold a 20m/km pace for 10km, so 32m for a 1600m. My open water 10km swims have been anywhere from 3h30m to 4h30m (first half of Rottnest was 4h10m) depending on the conditions and how straight a line I am taking.

gregoc

@dc_in_sf based on this info you should be able to finish the BLS with time to spare.

gregoc

Unless conditions are as rough as this years Rottnest.

dc_in_sf

gregoc wrote:

Unless conditions are as rough as this years Rottnest.

Thanks @gregoc - my summer training program is going to be dedicated to speed and colder water temperatures (hurray for San Francisco bay), seems like this would be a good goal swim to work for.

jendut

echoing Greg's words- you sound similar to my pace and I have done BLS several times well under 5 hrs. Be ready for coolish temps but awesome push from Mother Nature for the first half! By the time it gets a bit slower and you turn under the big bridge you are close to being able to see the squash courts on the beach... highly recommend this one!

jcmalick

Way to go @gregoc! Is that the fastest BLS has sold out?!?! 9 minutes is amazing!

gregoc

As @jcmalick stated, the 2013 BLS solo spots filled in less than 9 minutes. Next year we will have to switch to a lottery. We keep the field small for safety reasons. We wish we could open it up to more swimmers every year. Congratulations to everyone who got in and to everyone who didn't, there is always next year.

There is still a spot for one more relay team.

caburke

Will you accept a one man relay?

gregoc

@caburke, only if you have multiple personalities. Really no. There are so few spots for relay teams already. Plus the relay spots filled by 5:00pm yesterday.

caburke

Damn, I qualify for the multiple personalities, too bad the relay sold out. It never hurts to ask.