Swim the Suck 2014

Franco

Just a heads up for anyone interested that the registration opens at Midnight tonight for the 5th Annual Swim the Suck on 10/11/14.
http://www.swimthesuck10mile.com/

This swim sells out quickly for a reason. It is a great event! I'll be back for my 5th time and there always seem to be a few forum members there. Hope to see some of you in October.

heart

Thanks for the reminder, Franco! I was going to pounce on the computer tomorrow morning, but instead will do so tonight.

dc_in_sf

Registered!

heart

Yay, made it!

Franco

Sold out in 30 minutes.

timsroot

Franco wrote:

Sold out in 30 minutes.

Holy crap. Incredible.

KNicholas

Wait listed with fingers crossed. It's a party I really really don't want to miss.

heart

I was so gung-ho about this that I registered on my iPhone from the Castro Theater lobby during the film noir fest. Missed 20 minutes of Yves Montand driving a truck with nitroglycerine, but it was worth it!

TimDex

I managed to snag a spot. I was worried it was going to be the Chicago marathon registration all over again, with pages hanging, lost connections, etc and then getting 5 entries to the race. I nearly pooped myself when I saw my credit card statement!
But it ended up pretty smooth, slow but smooth, hey that's me, or at least what I like to think I look like in the water. This is going to be a great end to my year. Local (CO) 2.5, 4.8 milers in May, July. Then Horsetooth 10K in Aug and StS in Oct.

slknight

This is the same weekend as the Bermuda Round the Sound swim. So if you didn't get into Swim the Suck and are looking for a great race that weekend, I highly recommend Bermuda.

Leprechaunturd

I'm gonna kayak for someone.

ChickenOSea

Round the Sound is lovely. Shame Randy doesn't do Bonaire anymore. That was the best!!!!!

David

slknight wrote:

This is the same weekend as the Bermuda Round the Sound swim. So if you didn't get into Swim the Suck and are looking for a great race that weekend, I highly recommend Bermuda.

Just to make it easier here's the link

http://www.roundthesound.bm/

JBirrrd

Just browsing through the RTS rules and this caught my eye:

2.5 Swimwear
2.5.2 Swimsuits shall be nontransparent and conform to the current concept of the appropriate.

Made me chuckle. If I go, will be sure to leave my Saran Wrap suit at home. Guys, tight white Speedo briefs probably a no-no too.

JBirrrd

@Niek
I'm thinking that would be out of compliance w/ MSF rules. I can't risk having an asterisk next to my name.

heart

It's coming up!

I'm using the swim to fundraise for La Casa de las Madres, if any of you is feeling generous. http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/river-of-hope/213490

tortuga

I'm thinking I'll be DFL but I'll by god finish.

Spacemanspiff

ROLL CALL: STS is just a few weeks away. Who is doing it?

I'll start: Spacemanspiff is in! Cleared the wait list.

I look forward to meeting some of you at the Pasta dinner. Unfortunately, I'm going have to cut the post-race activities short to drive to Atlanta to catch a plane...

Leprechaunturd

I'm piloting.

mjstaples

Wasn't able to get in but I signed up to be a kayaker.

KNicholas

Next to MIMS, I cannot think of an open water swim in the US that has a decent distance, prides itself on a good time and is at capacity with 30 minutes of open registration. Karah Nazor is doing something very right out in Tennessee.

heart

I'm doing it and am beside myself with anticipation!

slknight

I'm doing it! I arrive Thursday night. Any thoughts about what to do during the day on Friday? Anyone want to meet up?

IronMike

There's a civil war signals location up on a hill overlooking the river. Very nice. The city is really nice to walk around and plenty of nice restaurants to eat at. Wishing you warm weather, warm(ish) water, and a good push from the dam!

JustSwim

I agree with IronMike about downtown Chattanooga being quite nice. I was rather surprised thei first time I visited. The Aquarium downtown is quite famous and is worth a visit if that appeals to you. I made a habit of stopping by Chattanooga Cupcakes on Broad Street to obtain post-race supplies. :-)
The northside of the river across from downtown has some nice restaurants and shops too. Registration and Friday night's dinner are over in that area.
Being a bit obsessive I drove out to the start on Friday just so I knew the way on Saturday. Mornings are not my strong suit.

TimDex

We arrive Thursday. After the terrors of the boats/nutters on Horsetooth Im looking forward to the relative tranquility of the river. My wife was going to kayak for me but a back injury has put paid to that idea. So I guess she'll cheer at the start and the finish and find a comfy spot for a snooze in between.
Looks like it might a warm but wet day for the dry landers

heart

Friends, I'm stuck in Dallas; my flight to Chattanooga is late and I probably won't make it to the pasta dinner tonight. Does anyone have some zinc oxide they can lend me tomorrow?

slknight

I don't have zinc oxide but I do have SolRx sunscreen which is really good.

mjstaples

I've got a little desitin in my bag

evmo

Alex Meyer is swimming?! Awesome.

Best of luck and favorable currents to all the Swim the Suck-ers! Let us know how it went...

heart

My kayaker bought me some zinc oxide, so I'm all set. I cannot believe how beautiful this place is. My hotel room is a remodeled train car.

Now, to mix some malto.

heart

Spacemanspiff

Great event! Karah & COWS rule!

Woke up to thunder and driving rain. Radar didn't show any relief. Start was doubtful. But the sky cleared right on time, and the day turned out cloudless and beautiful! (Current-reversing wind on finishing stretch notwithstanding).

Besides the oil slick of projectile-vomited pink malto covering the last couple hundred meters (sorry if you were behind me!), an all around fabulous experience! Managed sub 4, despite the nausea.

One of the finishers didn't even know how to dog paddle in February. Another was a cancer survivor with only one leg. Courageous stuff.

Met @slknight and @knicholas. Saw @heart but I was carrying kayak and she was getting marked, so didn't say hi. Where were the rest of you MSFers hiding?

heart

So sorry about the vomiting, @spacemanspiff! Hope you're feeling well. I got incredibly carsick on the way to the meeting point (night, twisties, rain, tiredness, jitters) and was sure I would barf at some point in the morning, either on the shuttle to the start or in the water. Thankfully, my kayaker had some Dramamine and my stomach settled shortly before we went in.

mjstaples

I really wanted to put faces to MSF names but it was hard to do! Great to meet @slknight and @knicholas!

heart

I'm still in Chattanooga and am thinking of going to the Tennessee Aquarium today. If any forum members are still in town and care to join me, holler at me in a private message in the next half-hour or so (it's 10am).

evmo

Here are the results, listed in order of those who got to spend the most time enjoying the gorgeous Tennessee River Gorge scenery.

Mills, Debra 06:18:56.161 49 Johnson city TN
Simon, Brooke 05:42:21.096 28 Atlanta GA
Tolia, Chirag 05:34:23.183 29 Chattanooga TN
Holt, Tammy 05:20:20.122 46 Decherd TN
Little, Bill 05:14:02.931 51 Wendell NC
Aviram, Hadar 05:04:53.981 39 San Francisco CA
Zacharias, Curt 05:04:08.391 60 Chattanooga TN
Brackett, John 05:02:36.550 65 Stuart FL
Schoenborn, Richard 05:00:41.470 56 Palm City FL
Swoboda, Sandy 04:55:51.010 50 Berwyn Heights MD
Linthicum, Tom 04:55:13.500 56 Somerset CA
Whalen, Thomas 04:54:34.370 48 Saint Louis MO
Bacalman, Whitney 04:54:00.540 31 Chattanooga TN
Camus, Melinda 04:53:34.250 39 Watkinsville GA
Gallo, Lauren 04:52:38.580 29 Arlington VA
Krom, Bethany 04:52:19.460 58 Lanesboro MN
Webster, Jon 04:52:07.480 42 Minneapolis MN
Dexter, Tim 04:47:43.959 46 Larkspur CO
Chalmers, Gayla 04:47:40.729 49 Athens GA
Cross, Jeffrey 04:46:15.809 44 Chattanooga TN
Stewart, Linda 04:45:07.719 26 Twinsburg OH
Offenberg, Matthew 04:44:39.109 41 Canton GA
Englebert, Chad 04:43:35.459 42 Northport AL
Beaman, Mike 04:43:26.289 48 Cary NC
Hailstone, Neil 04:40:42.949 42 Evergreen CO
Hall, Jason 04:39:57.709 42 Mount Pleasant SC
Ginzl, Deb 04:36:29.988 36 Eden Prairie MN
Ulrey, Michael 04:32:17.808 25 Lewison ME
Jones, Ned 04:29:26.838 51 Huntsville AL
Wigal, Cecelia 04:27:36.248 51 Chattanooga TN
Prezioso, Franco 04:27:04.417 48 Bel Air MD
Ballard, Andrea 04:26:47.857 42 Fishers IN
Galloway, Trephina 04:26:42.537 42 Atlanta GA
McDonald, Scott 04:26:31.817 48 Fuquay Varina NC
Ulrey, Joe 04:26:18.947 56 Minneapolis MN
Wilson, Jamie 04:25:12.747 47 Folly Beach SC
Roberts, John Mark 04:23:37.627 36 Clyde NC
Skorput, Casey 04:22:48.897 29 Chattanooga TN
Sloan, Elizabeth 04:22:29.527 38 Franklin TN
Kirk, Susan 04:21:50.885 54 Califon NJ
Booher, Sue-Ellen 04:21:47.975 61 Warren VT
Hodge, Zane 04:20:16.273 58 Greenwood MS
Mazzillo, Maria 04:20:14.397 33 Apex NC
Loftus, Terry 04:20:08.070 59 laguna niguel CA
Steves, David 04:18:16.996 52 Atlanta GA
Meuser, Ashley 04:17:11.405 28 Cincinnati OH
Loveless, Daniel 04:17:06.455 32 Nashville TN
Bielski, Sharon 04:14:50.079 48 Western Springs IL
Smith, Jenny 04:09:32.894 40 Chattanooga TN
Cherrick, Michelle 04:07:54.583 46 San Rafael CA
Buechner, Ryan 04:07:51.880 31 Sevierville TN
Schuttinga, Mike 04:07:30.352 52 Rome GA
Ulrey, Amanda 04:06:49.525 23 Jackson MO
Hermann, Patty 04:01:34.946 55 Houston TX
Elverd, Curt 04:01:25.984 31 Signal Mountain TN
Loveless, Annie 04:01:01.045 30 Chattanooga TN
Key, Stephen 03:59:57.985 47 Dallas TX
Booth, Susie 03:59:27.848 46 Fishers IN
Ulrey, Andrew 03:59:04.378 25 Cincinnati OH
Selles, Carl 03:58:38.799 67 St Petersburg FL
Syzek, Thomas 03:56:54.437 59 Cincinnati OH
Ware, Allison 03:56:29.130 34 Franklin TN
von Spiegelfeld, Ann 03:53:44.540 53 Tampa FL
Bennett, Ellen 03:53:13.059 51 Venice FL
Rietz, Heather 03:52:21.606 46 Nashville TN
Nicholas, Kent 03:52:04.435 47 Mesa AZ
Hart, Kathy 03:51:52.705 51 Willow Spring NC
Cobb, Mitchell 03:51:17.896 49 Lookout Mountain TN
McFadden, Hallie 03:48:27.067 51 Signal Mountain TN
Nash, Alex 03:46:45.880 28 Chattanooga TN
Smith, Jerry 03:46:00.655 49 Soddy Daisy TN
Arnold, Fred 03:45:13.258 53 Cary NC
Greene, Chris 03:44:55.783 52 Suwanee GA
Hall, Ali 03:43:30.628 53 San Francisco CA
Alford, Robert 03:40:22.639 49 Austin TX
Nazor, Karah 03:40:09.461 37 Chattanooga TN
Ascione, Lynn 03:39:28.119 47 Ramsey NJ
Phillips, Jamie Ann 03:37:13.396 29 Chattanooga TN
Schwartz, Tommy 03:36:14.682 54 sarasota FL
Knight, Susan 03:33:36.608 44 Kennebunk ME
Miner, David 03:32:13.815 46 Sarasota FL
McAfee, Jack 03:31:38.380 30 Knoxville TN
News, George 03:31:30.125 28 Dalton GA
Walker, Rick 03:28:57.682 64 Sarasota FL
Shaver, Jon 03:25:35.837 46 Centennialc CO
Johnson, Charlie 03:24:11.577 21 Madison AL
Rouch, Stephen 03:23:23.857 34 Indianapolis IN
Kelly, Lexie 03:08:29.130 27 Long Beach CA
Dugan, Jim 03:05:41.380 51 Worthington OH
Kercheval, Josh 03:05:30.800 33 Bloomington IL
Meyer, Alex 02:51:13.689 26 Ithaca NY

Franco

Nice take @evmo,

The only drawback to spending more time in the Gorge is showing up late to one of the best after parties in the sport.

slknight

What a wonderful race that was. I highly recommend it! And yes, it is definitely one of the best after parties. The event the night before was good as well.

tortuga

At 5:14, I enjoyed it more than most. Still damn pleased. First marathon swim done. So glad it was there. What a great event. Karah is the bomb-diggity

KNicholas

I had big expectations for this swim and it nailed all of them. Beautiful place to swim with a friendly group of swimmers and volunteers. Karah does an excellent job of recognizing the paddlers which often times gets forgotten - the length of a marathon swim requires a crew and it doesn't happen without one. The custom handmade coffee mug given to each paddler is a new favorite for my paddler/wife. Those that get to swim this in 2015 are lucky.

heart

There was plenty of partying left for us slow fishies, @Franco! Think about it this way - if you're Alex Meyer, you can never be fashionably late. I had a fantastic time, both in the water and hanging out with great people afterwards.

BTW, we got very lucky. The weather in Chattanooga changed for the worse on Sunday, and my flight on Monday was canceled due to thunderstorms! I ended up on an extensive tour of airports of the South before making it home.

Also, on Sunday I spent a lot of time at the river exhibit in the aquarium, making friends with all the river's regular inhabitants, which we couldn't see in the water. What an incredible ecosystem it is!