Just signed up and have started lurking! Pretty avid ocean and lake and pool swimmer, and now catching the dreaming-of-longer-distances addiction! Though early days, and just looking for a good summer challenge of > 8km. Also doing a bit of cold water (8 degree celsius) and loving that too.
Looking forward to learning more and thanks all for the swimming inspiration!
Happy adventures for 2020 to all.
@musclewhale89... which 10km have you signed up for? @SalishSea... are you still swimming much locally?
Just signed up and have started lurking! Pretty avid ocean and lake and pool swimmer, and now catching the dreaming-of-longer-distances addiction! Though early days, and just looking for a good summer challenge of > 8km. Also doing a bit of cold water (8 degree celsius) and loving that too.
Looking forward to learning more and thanks all for the swimming inspiration!
Happy adventures for 2020 to all.
@musclewhale89... which 10km have you signed up for? @SalishSea... are you still swimming much locally?
The race is called Crown the King and its held in Waskesiu, Saskatchewan. The have a 1.6km, 4km, and a 10km. Its usually September long weekend,
Nice @musclewhale89. Looks like a lovely spot. I've got my eyes peeled for a BC or Pacific Northwest swim around that distance around that time. Too bad Waskesiu wasn't closer!
@SaltySalish said:
Nice @musclewhale89. Looks like a lovely spot. I've got my eyes peeled for a BC or Pacific Northwest swim around that distance around that time. Too bad Waskesiu wasn't closer!
Have you looked into the Bay Challenge in West Vancouver?
I considered that one as well for my first ocean marathon swim. Its a 8 or 9km swim from Sandy Cove beach (technically not a MS) it is wetsuit mandatory as well.
Hi! My name is Noora and I live in Finland. From June 2019 onwards I’ve been swimming every day - and I love it! I’m looking forward to my first 5 K / 10 K in open water next summer.
Yes, @musclewhale89, I have. I've done it as a relay team about 5yrs ago. It's fun, though I'm not sure if it's my most picturesque goal swim... thinking on it. Also contemplating the Sitka swim in Alaska, though obviously way more involved to get up there... https://changeyourlatitude.org/
Hi, my name is Sean. Just getting back into the pool for the first time since college. Head coach of a swim club in Wisconsin for 10 years but got too busy with my full time job. Decided to get back in seriously in December. I was a distance swimmer and enjoyed open water swimming in high school. Doing the Big Swell Swim at Devil's Lake in July (2.4 miles). Would like to spend this year getting in shape to do some longer swims next year.
@smurphyswimmer - I've done the Big Swell Swim a few times and it's a really nice race, especially if you're just getting back into OW swimming! I'm sure you'll enjoy it!
Thank you for accepting me to the forum. I am aiming at becoming a beginner marathon swimmer.
What do I mean? Well, I have been swimming on an off (more off than on to be honest) since I was a kid. I was never on a team or a competitive swimmer of any sort. A few years (now I think about it, about 10 years) ago I worked up to doing sets of 10x500m (while spending quite a bit of time with some local TI coaches here in Tokyo) before work and took part in an open water 1Km race (which was great fun) but drifted into running instead. Then life, indolence, work and a baby, but mostly indolence, intruded and I have reached a point of undeniable corpulence.
After one foot injury too many (from trying too hard to run off the lard) I have decided to make my return to the water. This puts me in an interesting position as my technique is not too bad, but my swim fitness is possibly a negative quantity. I have begun swimming again this month, starting from 25m lengths but am building up the length of my sets fairly quickly as long as my technique holds. I am a bit worried about aggravating a shoulder injury from over enthusiastic weight training although it should be OK if stay relaxed and I don’t do anything too stupid…
My life motto of “if some is good, then more is better and too much is just about perfect” led me here. I have an unscratched itch of swimming an open water 5K as my immediate target. Possibly this autumn if things go well, (and I get the requisite permission from my wife!) at the least I should be able to do a 3K race this year. Maybe… After that, I see a number of 10K races on the local open water calendar ready for 2021...
I swim three times per week, in the evenings after my son goes to bed. I also lift weights a couple of times a week following a basic strength protocol (sets of 5 for big compound lifts).
I’ll shut up now and get back to reading the wealth of information in these pages. Oh and doing some more swimming, apparently that helps..?
When I was 16 or 17 I met a Scotsman called Bill who had been captain of the British cross channel swimming team. I thought that was awesome and decided that I'd like to swim the channel one day.
After only 19 years of talking about it I did it in 2009. The training support I got from other long-distance swimmers was amazing and humbling.
While I was getting my act together to do that, I got distracted by ultramarathon running, mountaineering, polar expeditions, career etc. Family and career have kept me busy for the last decade but I feel ready to start doing fun (i.e. selfish) stuff again.
I'm hoping to do a 10km swim in June and then build up over the summer to a couple of multi-day self supported swims towing camping equipment.
I've started pool training again and am nervously waiting for the ice to melt so that I can start open water training again.
I'd really appreciate advice / experience on self supported swims - obviously risk assessment and mitigation is going to be essential. I'm not planning on massive open water crossings (probably a max of 5km) but rather 10-20km days for 3-6 days. Costal and lakes.
I guess l will post a thread when I've familiarised myself with the site a bit better to make sure its not been covered elsewhere.
Hey everyone,
I have been thinking for years about doing some open water swimming in the Puget Sound as a way to stay in shape and get outside. I have some questions about how to get started 1) what sort of wet suit do I need for the cold PNW water? How thick does it need to be? And do I need a hood? 2) are there places where open water swimming is not allowed? For example, is it allowed in the Thea Foss Waterway? How do I find out where it is allowed? 3) what are some general thoughts about when you should have a safety boat Vs when you are good to go solo with just a small buoy?
Marathon swimmer want to be. Longest swim "Swim the Suck" in 2015 & 2016 (I think). Potomac River Swim (which is shorter than Swim the Suck by more difficult). And many 5Ks. Open water swimming highlight, 5K Sunset swim in Costa Brava Spain. Love the Mediterranean! I was planning to return to Spain this summer for a 10K but alas.......
I am seeking recommendations on places to open water train this summer away from the oppressive Texas heat. Somewhere that's quite and out of the way but with a good beach and lots of room to swim. Any suggestions?
I'm a novice/intermediate swimmer who has been swimming open water semi-regularly for a year or two, mostly short distance (1-3 miles) in calm lakes and sheltered sea coves. I moved to the Maryland/DC (Annapolis) area several months back and I'm looking for groups to link up with there and develop my swimming for longer distances. Lockdown allowing! I put off my plans to get in touch during May because of the virus. I would be interested to hear whether groups have been able to keep going despite it. I'm itching to get back in the water.
Hello fellow crazy people! I can't believe I haven't found this forum sooner. The only other big multisports forum was getting stale...not many marathon swimmers over there. Excited to learn more and get back into long swims.
I used to do a lot more cold/long/open water swimming when I was in high school and college. I've done some 10k's and one 25k. My coldest, hardest swim was in Northern Michigan in 2010 (USMS Open Water Champs). The water was low 60's and the air was overcast and low 60's. Since then, I have been mostly pool swimming (all though when I lived in Minnesota a few years ago, I did a lot of OWS), but I've had this nagging thought of getting back into longer swims, specifically in open water. I live in Dallas, TX now, and as a surprise to me, there are actually a plethora of OWS options.
Now, I'm interested in cold adaptation, which has led me to some blogs on the subject (Evan, Loneswimmer, Oregon Lake Bagging). The lakes here are starting to get below that 18c/65f threshold, but the air is usually sunny and warmish. It seems like year-round OWS is actually plausible here. Whether or not I can swim skins year-round remains to be seen. Scanning winter temp data from the last few years, it seems like the lakes could either bottom out around 55/13c, or get actually very cold down to 45f/8c. I'm lucky to have not only lakes nearby, but my apartment complex's pool, which remains open but un-heated year-round. That water is currently 63/17c. I've been getting in daily for a soak, and more recently doing my swim workouts in that pool instead of the indoor gym pool. It's L-shaped, and roughly 70m round trip if I swim the entire L.
Nice to "meet" everyone and really stoked to learn more and get back into long swimming!
Hi I am Nick, and in the last few years I have worked to improve my swimming, being able to do 1.5 Km, but then as I was checking out if the Marion Outdoor Pool was still operating, I found out about my local swim club - The Masters or Marlins. They accepted my membership from the skill level that I was at, and provided me with coaching which has all started to work for me, in greatly improving the energy efficiency of my swim.
My name is Heather and I live in Rhode Island. I do most of my open water swimming in Jamestown, RI. Goal is to swim straight through winter, which we are doing with the aid of lots of lots of neoprene!
@heather1234 said:
My name is Heather and I live in Rhode Island. I do most of my open water swimming in Jamestown, RI. Goal is to swim straight through winter, which we are doing with the aid of lots of lots of neoprene!
Heather, are you linked up with Mike Garr and Dan Force and those folks? Good group of swimmers.
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
Hi - I'm Elizabeth from Western PA. Soon to be 56 years old - have swam since I was a kid - and started OWS in 2005 at Alcatraz. Being landlocked in PA - summer lake swims on Monday nights - but the rest of the time in the pool. My longest OWS event was 5 miles. Signed up for the College of the Florida Keys Swim in June. Have read with enthusiasm the threads about that swim and other related things. I have lots to learn about endurance training and CSS training along with feeding. My first phase of training is going well. I'm planning to do ocean swimming in April - and hopefully May. Excited to be part of this group.
Hi! Laurie from central Kentucky. I have dabbled in everything from Ironman to ultramarathons. I am going to turn 52 this year and have decided to focus on swimming as I really enjoy it and it is much kinder my old body. I have done several open water swims and one 10k, looking toward some longer swims this year and more time in open water. I love this website for its enthusiasm and positive vibes!
Hello - Pat from northern California (SF Bay Area). Swam in high school and did some open water swims in my 20's. I got back into swimming this year (not much else to do with COVID and outdoor pools are open) and have set a goal to do a marathon swim. My longest ocean swim to date is 2 miles. I got back into the ocean today at the Berkeley Marina. I am planning to join the South End Rowing Club when they reopen their clubhouse.
Hi Y'all. I am Al from Walla Walla, Wash. I am in my 50s and swim regularly. Recently, I decided to up the ante to a 10K in May. I have lots of questions. But more than anything, I just want to swim long distances in the Ocean. I am planning on swimming El Cruce in May. If you are too, please drop me a note. I would like to connect with other Marathon Swimmers who are heading to Cancun this May for the event. Chow.
Hello again! I’m Sully from Columbus, OH. I was a regular on this forum ten years ago - maybe even one of the first members. I had the joy of reading Rob D’s blog, and chasing Evan around the Midwest entering any open water swim we could find. I was an adult onset swimmer, but loved the sport and the community.
After a bout of thoracic outlet syndrome and two herniated lumbar discs I was convinced my swim days were over. I tried lots of other hobbies, but the back either wasn’t cut out for them, or they didn’t elicit the same passion. I kept longing for the pool, to swim with a Masters group, etc.
Last month, I committed myself to rediscover the pool. I am back in love and feel like I have new purpose in life.
I have no clue if big swims or pool meets are in my future, but I’m ecstatic to be back!
I am Dave and I am a Marathon swimmer in Pittsburgh. I stumbled on this site to find more information to prepare for logs swims. I have a 30k here in Pittsburgh that I am preparing for. I swam Stage 5 of the 8 Bridges Swim (NYOW) and several 10 K swims. I am 62, but I do my best to ignore that, lol.
My name is Tim. I've been a lurker here for a long time, but just joined today.
I learned to swim as a child, but was never on a team until I was in my late 20s. I had a job I hated, had done a few triathlons, and found masters swimming...it was great! I enjoyed the atmosphere for a while, but eventually grew tired of meets (I'll usually still do a local meet for fun). Did a nearby 4k open water swim and loved the experience. I did many short (2-5k) swims for over 15 years, some swim-run events, but it took a long time before I felt ready for a 10k.
I started doing some longer open water events almost 3 years ago. I've done a few 10k events, and just recently did the Saguaro, Canyon, and Roosevelt legs of SCAR (I'm not quite ready to tackle Apache! maybe eventually) I lived in Arizona for 20 years and have spent more time on those lakes now that I no longer live there.
My next swim event will be the Great Salt Lake 10k in June. I'm not quite sure how to train for that one... I live near Austin, Texas, and we don't have salt water nearby. I'll train as I would for any other 10k, and hope the salt doesn't bother me too much. I had the chance to swim a mile on my own in the lake last year; it certainly wasn't my favorite swim. We'll see how it goes.
I signed up for, "The Triple Crown of Utah," which includes the Great Salt Lake 10k, Bear Lake 10k, and Deer Creek Reservoir 10 miles. I did the Bear Lake swim last year, and the Deer Creek 10k.
Hi all,
I am Kristofer and live in Norway. I lived in Austin, TX for five years in the early 00's, went to UT and studied Chemistry. I used to be a triathlete. Pretty decent With several Ironman's and a Hawaii trip to top it off back in 2010. I am now swimming as much as I can and am also a Coach for the local swim club. I live close to the sea, but quite a lot of jellyfish (Lions mane) during summer. The summers are somewhat short, and just started swimming outside without a wetsuit this week. Ca 58-60 F now and warming up slowly… My longest swim was across one of the local lakes, ca 11 miles (18k).
When I lived in Austin, I trained for awhile with Jamie Tout. He taught me a lot and since then I always wanted to swim the channel. So I finally got a round to it and booked my boat for september '22. Pretty stoked about that. I swim about 5-6 times a week and use a small bit of running and strength to keep up the fitness level. This year I hope to go to Sweden for their 21k Vidostern-swim. And also to Lake WIndermere in England for the one way swim there 18K.
@KrisLarsen said:
This year I hope to go to Sweden for their 21k Vidostern-swim. And also to Lake WIndermere in England for the one way swim there 18K.
I have signed up for this 21 km event being postponed from 2020, but because the border is still tight shut to non-EEA countries, there is no way I can get in so I have decided to postpone it for a further year.
Greetings all, thank you for the add. I am one of a small group of open water swimmers in Half Moon Bay, Ca.
The group has, grown a little during the blip, some with neoprene some without. Temps here bobble right around 52 F. I've been keeping track of our activities for the past six years with my swim blog, some short, some long but it is nice to have a history of what we have done.
Some people ask if I am training for something, for the most part no, I just enjoy being out there.
abbygirlroseLos Angeles and Palo Alto, CASenior Member
Hi! I will be moving to Palo Alto in the fall and would love to get the chance to swim with your group some time!
Please reach out that would be great, I was just looking at your blog, you have some really cool accomplishments. I did the Semana Nautica in 2019 which was my longest to date.
Hello all, I started a posted "greetings" and then I realized that there is a spot for folks new to the site. At any rate I'm south of SF about an hour, Half Moon Bay, ca to be more specific. There is small group of us that swim year round out here. Ive done the Semana Nautica 6 miler, The Bay to Breakers in SF, Angel island to point Bonita, Bridge to Bridge. I've been eyeing longer swims just haven't pulled the trigger. Going to be in the Anacortes area in early Oct would be great to hook up with some folks while I'm up there.
abbygirlroseLos Angeles and Palo Alto, CASenior Member
Hi everyone I’m Steve and been a closet OW swimmer for many years on and off. Never joined a ‘club’ or been in an association since a kid. I live in both (or between) Vancouver and Siquijor, Philippines and have swam many long distances (10km+) in both locales. In Canada I am trying to swim the length of lakes that take my fancy and in Siquijor I am attempting to swim between local islands but have a long term dream of swimming the length of the Philippines island crossing island crossing to island and then island crossing over several years once the current situation around the pandemic hopefully gets back to some normality. 3 years ago I swam a 24km unaided to Apo island and last week a last minute (no training) staged swim around Siquijor island - 89.4km. Would like to connect with other ultra distance swimmers either in BC Canada or Philippines.
Also want to learn some tips for 8hr plus swims and connect with people who have done multi day swims unaided etc.
Greetings! Isa here from Long Island, New York (Suffolk County). I grew up a swimmer and swam halfway through college until I had no shoulders left. I then switched to Track & Field as a distance runner. Since then I have done a couple half Ironman, one full Ironman (Lake Placid, NY) and a bunch of marathons. All that is fun but my heart is in the water... Recently I have done a 5 mile OWS a couple years ago and the Maggie Fischer Cross Bay Swim last month (5.5 miles). Hopefully stepping up for a 25k swim in 2022.
I've been lurking around the site and reading some of the threads for a few weeks now. Lots of great stuff and (more than) a bit addicting to keep poking around the site!
Looking forward to making some new friends here. If anyone is local to the Sayville and/or PT Jeff area, would be great to join you for a swim.
Now to find a 10-12 miler as a qualifying swim for the 25k later this year not too far from home before the water gets too cold! Any suggestions on a USA/USMS race coming up? Swim the Suck is assisted so don't think that would qualify.
Comments
Hi all,
Just signed up and have started lurking! Pretty avid ocean and lake and pool swimmer, and now catching the dreaming-of-longer-distances addiction! Though early days, and just looking for a good summer challenge of > 8km. Also doing a bit of cold water (8 degree celsius) and loving that too.
Looking forward to learning more and thanks all for the swimming inspiration!
Happy adventures for 2020 to all.
@musclewhale89... which 10km have you signed up for?
@SalishSea... are you still swimming much locally?
The race is called Crown the King and its held in Waskesiu, Saskatchewan. The have a 1.6km, 4km, and a 10km. Its usually September long weekend,
Nice @musclewhale89. Looks like a lovely spot. I've got my eyes peeled for a BC or Pacific Northwest swim around that distance around that time. Too bad Waskesiu wasn't closer!
Have you looked into the Bay Challenge in West Vancouver?
I considered that one as well for my first ocean marathon swim. Its a 8 or 9km swim from Sandy Cove beach (technically not a MS) it is wetsuit mandatory as well.
Hi! My name is Noora and I live in Finland. From June 2019 onwards I’ve been swimming every day - and I love it! I’m looking forward to my first 5 K / 10 K in open water next summer.
Yes, @musclewhale89, I have. I've done it as a relay team about 5yrs ago. It's fun, though I'm not sure if it's my most picturesque goal swim... thinking on it. Also contemplating the Sitka swim in Alaska, though obviously way more involved to get up there...
https://changeyourlatitude.org/
Welcome, January new members!
@musclewhale89, @suehadden, @MocoLoco, @amyvan, @BoulderHolly, @Donorth, @SaltySalish, @Lecoinsteau, @LiaTri1, @Natz, @Chel23, @TraceyNZ, @ZOZer, @yuenlaikit, @SharkBait, @Lotuspotamus, @jstawski, @Comchick, @MimiM, @Piers, @Michella, @smurphyswimmer
Hi, my name is Sean. Just getting back into the pool for the first time since college. Head coach of a swim club in Wisconsin for 10 years but got too busy with my full time job. Decided to get back in seriously in December. I was a distance swimmer and enjoyed open water swimming in high school. Doing the Big Swell Swim at Devil's Lake in July (2.4 miles). Would like to spend this year getting in shape to do some longer swims next year.
@smurphyswimmer - I've done the Big Swell Swim a few times and it's a really nice race, especially if you're just getting back into OW swimming! I'm sure you'll enjoy it!
Long post warning...
Hello everyone,
Thank you for accepting me to the forum. I am aiming at becoming a beginner marathon swimmer.
What do I mean? Well, I have been swimming on an off (more off than on to be honest) since I was a kid. I was never on a team or a competitive swimmer of any sort. A few years (now I think about it, about 10 years) ago I worked up to doing sets of 10x500m (while spending quite a bit of time with some local TI coaches here in Tokyo) before work and took part in an open water 1Km race (which was great fun) but drifted into running instead. Then life, indolence, work and a baby, but mostly indolence, intruded and I have reached a point of undeniable corpulence.
After one foot injury too many (from trying too hard to run off the lard) I have decided to make my return to the water. This puts me in an interesting position as my technique is not too bad, but my swim fitness is possibly a negative quantity. I have begun swimming again this month, starting from 25m lengths but am building up the length of my sets fairly quickly as long as my technique holds. I am a bit worried about aggravating a shoulder injury from over enthusiastic weight training although it should be OK if stay relaxed and I don’t do anything too stupid…
My life motto of “if some is good, then more is better and too much is just about perfect” led me here. I have an unscratched itch of swimming an open water 5K as my immediate target. Possibly this autumn if things go well, (and I get the requisite permission from my wife!) at the least I should be able to do a 3K race this year. Maybe… After that, I see a number of 10K races on the local open water calendar ready for 2021...
I swim three times per week, in the evenings after my son goes to bed. I also lift weights a couple of times a week following a basic strength protocol (sets of 5 for big compound lifts).
I’ll shut up now and get back to reading the wealth of information in these pages. Oh and doing some more swimming, apparently that helps..?
Yoroshiku onegaishimasu
hj
Welcome to all new Forum members who joined in February:
@Trimom71, @dayo, @hippojapan, @Ootimum, @rose, @christieciraulo, @Jpls52, @herbfm, @plecerftemple, @Suzanne, @halfacat, @roliveros, @Panagiota, @CorySlykerman, @Jenjen, @Kamesz, @GregM, @Civik
Hi,
Thanks for letting me join. What a fun site.
When I was 16 or 17 I met a Scotsman called Bill who had been captain of the British cross channel swimming team. I thought that was awesome and decided that I'd like to swim the channel one day.
After only 19 years of talking about it I did it in 2009. The training support I got from other long-distance swimmers was amazing and humbling.
While I was getting my act together to do that, I got distracted by ultramarathon running, mountaineering, polar expeditions, career etc. Family and career have kept me busy for the last decade but I feel ready to start doing fun (i.e. selfish) stuff again.
I'm hoping to do a 10km swim in June and then build up over the summer to a couple of multi-day self supported swims towing camping equipment.
I've started pool training again and am nervously waiting for the ice to melt so that I can start open water training again.
I'd really appreciate advice / experience on self supported swims - obviously risk assessment and mitigation is going to be essential. I'm not planning on massive open water crossings (probably a max of 5km) but rather 10-20km days for 3-6 days. Costal and lakes.
I guess l will post a thread when I've familiarised myself with the site a bit better to make sure its not been covered elsewhere.
Cheers
Will
Welcome, March new members!
@SLOGoing, @akswim, @narakelian, @Cateno, @Clare, @Anilemire, @steve_leitch, @WillM, @Coachdorrer, @gypsyschnitzer, @swimintheriver, @mattbrown, @XamaAfrica, @Bruce
Hey everyone,
I have been thinking for years about doing some open water swimming in the Puget Sound as a way to stay in shape and get outside. I have some questions about how to get started 1) what sort of wet suit do I need for the cold PNW water? How thick does it need to be? And do I need a hood? 2) are there places where open water swimming is not allowed? For example, is it allowed in the Thea Foss Waterway? How do I find out where it is allowed? 3) what are some general thoughts about when you should have a safety boat Vs when you are good to go solo with just a small buoy?
Welcome @LucasN! Check out the Northwest Open Water Swimming Association for some info. As for your wetsuit question, read around this forum a bit.
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
Marathon swimmer want to be. Longest swim "Swim the Suck" in 2015 & 2016 (I think). Potomac River Swim (which is shorter than Swim the Suck by more difficult). And many 5Ks. Open water swimming highlight, 5K Sunset swim in Costa Brava Spain. Love the Mediterranean! I was planning to return to Spain this summer for a 10K but alas.......
I am seeking recommendations on places to open water train this summer away from the oppressive Texas heat. Somewhere that's quite and out of the way but with a good beach and lots of room to swim. Any suggestions?
Oh and my open water brush with greatness, I once swam the length of Lake Travis with none other than Dave Barra!
Welcome, April new members!
@Steveplangston, @captpatoconnell, @MeghanWren, @nikodempikor, @Paul66, @LucasN, @fogesmazie, @MrHappyMatty, @gailb
Welcome, May new members!
@sconnelly, @SteveNichols1980, @Nicoleramsbey, @manateeee, @bmiller, @Coach_Hannah, @JWinSF, @susanjomckay, @Swimmatic, @simonkerslake, @Hannahlie, @Hillmdog, @mkl1288, @DJ_Bradshaw, @Raglanswims, @Amng, @College_Creek
Hi,
I'm a novice/intermediate swimmer who has been swimming open water semi-regularly for a year or two, mostly short distance (1-3 miles) in calm lakes and sheltered sea coves. I moved to the Maryland/DC (Annapolis) area several months back and I'm looking for groups to link up with there and develop my swimming for longer distances. Lockdown allowing! I put off my plans to get in touch during May because of the virus. I would be interested to hear whether groups have been able to keep going despite it. I'm itching to get back in the water.
Welcome new members!
June
@College_Creek, @Eroomnehpets, @Tve1, @CH2O, @Sheryl34me, @Seth_Horowitz, @mrjamiehinton, @NoelleBurg, @MariaCampese, @Squid, @MichelleRogalski, @MichelleArmfield, @yvontibb, @dhmeek, @b655321, @Kfirpravda, @langlandswimmer
July
@Eileen, @MaggieR, @swimaia, @kmartin91, @stephenroot, @Nerrif, @mcgrp012, @tubalady, @Cac29, @Annamccarthy, @Blarson, @Natwiegand, @stevementz, @Tawanda, @plavecp, @CGA84, @MrRatRun
August
@RJK, @Cranee83, @katelynsaint, @k8inhawaii, @Rstucker65, @efelins, @lgaudinier, @Fiona2009, @ealmond, @JohhnyB, @sophiagoode, @FabianK, @aquaharp, @jorge2020, @Gary, @chrisjohnson75, @Yann, @fabiorighetti
Welcome, September new members!
@Angela, @pldahlberg, @bristolchannel, @PatSmith, @Tom_swimsmoothwales, @cjrockett, @andymakin, @spencerhammaker, @Clea, @WaterDreamer, @SMFolger, @kfstewart16, @meghanchisholm, @dairy_queen, @WarrenR, @Cookies_88, @MikeyFZS1, @BILinPHL
Hello fellow crazy people! I can't believe I haven't found this forum sooner. The only other big multisports forum was getting stale...not many marathon swimmers over there. Excited to learn more and get back into long swims.
I used to do a lot more cold/long/open water swimming when I was in high school and college. I've done some 10k's and one 25k. My coldest, hardest swim was in Northern Michigan in 2010 (USMS Open Water Champs). The water was low 60's and the air was overcast and low 60's. Since then, I have been mostly pool swimming (all though when I lived in Minnesota a few years ago, I did a lot of OWS), but I've had this nagging thought of getting back into longer swims, specifically in open water. I live in Dallas, TX now, and as a surprise to me, there are actually a plethora of OWS options.
Now, I'm interested in cold adaptation, which has led me to some blogs on the subject (Evan, Loneswimmer, Oregon Lake Bagging). The lakes here are starting to get below that 18c/65f threshold, but the air is usually sunny and warmish. It seems like year-round OWS is actually plausible here. Whether or not I can swim skins year-round remains to be seen. Scanning winter temp data from the last few years, it seems like the lakes could either bottom out around 55/13c, or get actually very cold down to 45f/8c. I'm lucky to have not only lakes nearby, but my apartment complex's pool, which remains open but un-heated year-round. That water is currently 63/17c. I've been getting in daily for a soak, and more recently doing my swim workouts in that pool instead of the indoor gym pool. It's L-shaped, and roughly 70m round trip if I swim the entire L.
Nice to "meet" everyone and really stoked to learn more and get back into long swimming!
A warm welcome to the new Forum members who joined in October and November:
@chachanggg, @LauraBird10, @Lizerq, @Geoff28, @rabbitswim, @Epicurist, @MELswim, @BMiester, @jeckert, @stevedrexler, @StephenOx, @Highloon, @KDLeslie, @Renard, @seamus, @Grahamf66, @JOHNPZEIGLER, @Zaki, @DaveW, @CP13, @boobooaboo, @finoregan, @christianbirkedal, @Rubén, @darren, @BFD, @Jilli_b, @KirstyTweddle
Happy New Year Forum members! And welcome to the newly-joined from December:
@selkie, @gabthehun, @SwimMikeDPT, @Bothworldsdoc, @JeffSwims, @Dario, @Rrattray, @greenspool, @Tmolson, @sfintzen, @Rolf
Hi I am Nick, and in the last few years I have worked to improve my swimming, being able to do 1.5 Km, but then as I was checking out if the Marion Outdoor Pool was still operating, I found out about my local swim club - The Masters or Marlins. They accepted my membership from the skill level that I was at, and provided me with coaching which has all started to work for me, in greatly improving the energy efficiency of my swim.
My name is Heather and I live in Rhode Island. I do most of my open water swimming in Jamestown, RI. Goal is to swim straight through winter, which we are doing with the aid of lots of lots of neoprene!
Heather, are you linked up with Mike Garr and Dan Force and those folks? Good group of swimmers.
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
Hi - I'm Elizabeth from Western PA. Soon to be 56 years old - have swam since I was a kid - and started OWS in 2005 at Alcatraz. Being landlocked in PA - summer lake swims on Monday nights - but the rest of the time in the pool. My longest OWS event was 5 miles. Signed up for the College of the Florida Keys Swim in June. Have read with enthusiasm the threads about that swim and other related things. I have lots to learn about endurance training and CSS training along with feeding. My first phase of training is going well. I'm planning to do ocean swimming in April - and hopefully May. Excited to be part of this group.
Welcome, January new members!
@victwaf, @hann, @teknik, @BlueMark, @swimabbysf, @jeninoga, @wkuttruff, @easmith447, @Treacle, @400imer, @Kimbo, @heather1234, @KaraPermisohn, @janee, @midwestsugarft, @LvW
Hi amateur swimmer and freediver here, just looking to join a community and get some good information 😃
Hi! Laurie from central Kentucky. I have dabbled in everything from Ironman to ultramarathons. I am going to turn 52 this year and have decided to focus on swimming as I really enjoy it and it is much kinder my old body. I have done several open water swims and one 10k, looking toward some longer swims this year and more time in open water. I love this website for its enthusiasm and positive vibes!
Hello - Pat from northern California (SF Bay Area). Swam in high school and did some open water swims in my 20's. I got back into swimming this year (not much else to do with COVID and outdoor pools are open) and have set a goal to do a marathon swim. My longest ocean swim to date is 2 miles. I got back into the ocean today at the Berkeley Marina. I am planning to join the South End Rowing Club when they reopen their clubhouse.
Hi Y'all. I am Al from Walla Walla, Wash. I am in my 50s and swim regularly. Recently, I decided to up the ante to a 10K in May. I have lots of questions. But more than anything, I just want to swim long distances in the Ocean. I am planning on swimming El Cruce in May. If you are too, please drop me a note. I would like to connect with other Marathon Swimmers who are heading to Cancun this May for the event. Chow.
Welcome to our new members who joined in February and March!
@carlosacostamx, @SergiyMalyuchenko, @celsarbo5, @coreilly2020, @SarE, @Jburden, @swimmerfi, @Ragnar2080, @PaigeB, @PatBK, @jaimie072, @lpmcgraw, @markeboyle, @amstecher, @SteveClayton, @LauraParson, @susienolanloiselle, @allielune, @Cazzwim, @Slslater, @teddobaum, @alfreddiaz, @jalilichubb, @Rosalyn20, @YPimentel, @Skinnay, @MattDoyle, @Duneswoman, @Stephane_G, @Vmcdyer
Hello again! I’m Sully from Columbus, OH. I was a regular on this forum ten years ago - maybe even one of the first members. I had the joy of reading Rob D’s blog, and chasing Evan around the Midwest entering any open water swim we could find. I was an adult onset swimmer, but loved the sport and the community.
After a bout of thoracic outlet syndrome and two herniated lumbar discs I was convinced my swim days were over. I tried lots of other hobbies, but the back either wasn’t cut out for them, or they didn’t elicit the same passion. I kept longing for the pool, to swim with a Masters group, etc.
Last month, I committed myself to rediscover the pool. I am back in love and feel like I have new purpose in life.
I have no clue if big swims or pool meets are in my future, but I’m ecstatic to be back!
Rooting for you, Sully. Go, Go, Go!!!
I am Dave and I am a Marathon swimmer in Pittsburgh. I stumbled on this site to find more information to prepare for logs swims. I have a 30k here in Pittsburgh that I am preparing for. I swam Stage 5 of the 8 Bridges Swim (NYOW) and several 10 K swims. I am 62, but I do my best to ignore that, lol.
Hello--
My name is Tim. I've been a lurker here for a long time, but just joined today.
I learned to swim as a child, but was never on a team until I was in my late 20s. I had a job I hated, had done a few triathlons, and found masters swimming...it was great! I enjoyed the atmosphere for a while, but eventually grew tired of meets (I'll usually still do a local meet for fun). Did a nearby 4k open water swim and loved the experience. I did many short (2-5k) swims for over 15 years, some swim-run events, but it took a long time before I felt ready for a 10k.
I started doing some longer open water events almost 3 years ago. I've done a few 10k events, and just recently did the Saguaro, Canyon, and Roosevelt legs of SCAR (I'm not quite ready to tackle Apache! maybe eventually) I lived in Arizona for 20 years and have spent more time on those lakes now that I no longer live there.
My next swim event will be the Great Salt Lake 10k in June. I'm not quite sure how to train for that one... I live near Austin, Texas, and we don't have salt water nearby. I'll train as I would for any other 10k, and hope the salt doesn't bother me too much. I had the chance to swim a mile on my own in the lake last year; it certainly wasn't my favorite swim. We'll see how it goes.
I signed up for, "The Triple Crown of Utah," which includes the Great Salt Lake 10k, Bear Lake 10k, and Deer Creek Reservoir 10 miles. I did the Bear Lake swim last year, and the Deer Creek 10k.
Welcome to newly joined Forum members from April and May!
@pakell, @spooneyluv2, @Pip, @barryocallaghan, @elsjeschreuder, @eljefemodelo, @MonikaM, @Belacqua, @Pierre, @watterson, @bobmccormack, @escapeby50, @Uma, @murphyjskc, @KrisBerglund, @HauntedGOAT, @Mtuley, @sidney, @dankeschoennn, @Cmac2045, @Kane3376, @devarts, @Ironman2k, @Kristenmiller74, @Yabbybob, @Gaz, @joe_swims, @nindor, @PhillyM, @tom4noff, @ZMeadows, @KrisLarsen, @Conny, @Anantdb
Hi all,
I am Kristofer and live in Norway. I lived in Austin, TX for five years in the early 00's, went to UT and studied Chemistry. I used to be a triathlete. Pretty decent With several Ironman's and a Hawaii trip to top it off back in 2010. I am now swimming as much as I can and am also a Coach for the local swim club. I live close to the sea, but quite a lot of jellyfish (Lions mane) during summer. The summers are somewhat short, and just started swimming outside without a wetsuit this week. Ca 58-60 F now and warming up slowly… My longest swim was across one of the local lakes, ca 11 miles (18k).
When I lived in Austin, I trained for awhile with Jamie Tout. He taught me a lot and since then I always wanted to swim the channel. So I finally got a round to it and booked my boat for september '22. Pretty stoked about that. I swim about 5-6 times a week and use a small bit of running and strength to keep up the fitness level. This year I hope to go to Sweden for their 21k Vidostern-swim. And also to Lake WIndermere in England for the one way swim there 18K.
I have signed up for this 21 km event being postponed from 2020, but because the border is still tight shut to non-EEA countries, there is no way I can get in so I have decided to postpone it for a further year.
Greetings all, thank you for the add. I am one of a small group of open water swimmers in Half Moon Bay, Ca.
The group has, grown a little during the blip, some with neoprene some without. Temps here bobble right around 52 F. I've been keeping track of our activities for the past six years with my swim blog, some short, some long but it is nice to have a history of what we have done.
Some people ask if I am training for something, for the most part no, I just enjoy being out there.
Hi! I will be moving to Palo Alto in the fall and would love to get the chance to swim with your group some time!
Please reach out that would be great, I was just looking at your blog, you have some really cool accomplishments. I did the Semana Nautica in 2019 which was my longest to date.
Hello all, I started a posted "greetings" and then I realized that there is a spot for folks new to the site. At any rate I'm south of SF about an hour, Half Moon Bay, ca to be more specific. There is small group of us that swim year round out here. Ive done the Semana Nautica 6 miler, The Bay to Breakers in SF, Angel island to point Bonita, Bridge to Bridge. I've been eyeing longer swims just haven't pulled the trigger. Going to be in the Anacortes area in early Oct would be great to hook up with some folks while I'm up there.
@TIM66 Thank you! I will for sure reach out!
Welcome, June new members!
@Anantdb, @jammama, @JojoGogo, @Nswainson13, @beaverlakeman, @SurgDoc, @LowInterest, @Sujata_E, @kaerskine, @blam, @BlakeKB, @TIM66, @SDMHfx, @DebPhillips, @Swatz, @alyssaswims, @hiwillfang
Hi everyone I’m Steve and been a closet OW swimmer for many years on and off. Never joined a ‘club’ or been in an association since a kid. I live in both (or between) Vancouver and Siquijor, Philippines and have swam many long distances (10km+) in both locales. In Canada I am trying to swim the length of lakes that take my fancy and in Siquijor I am attempting to swim between local islands but have a long term dream of swimming the length of the Philippines island crossing island crossing to island and then island crossing over several years once the current situation around the pandemic hopefully gets back to some normality. 3 years ago I swam a 24km unaided to Apo island and last week a last minute (no training) staged swim around Siquijor island - 89.4km. Would like to connect with other ultra distance swimmers either in BC Canada or Philippines.
Also want to learn some tips for 8hr plus swims and connect with people who have done multi day swims unaided etc.
Greetings! Isa here from Long Island, New York (Suffolk County). I grew up a swimmer and swam halfway through college until I had no shoulders left. I then switched to Track & Field as a distance runner. Since then I have done a couple half Ironman, one full Ironman (Lake Placid, NY) and a bunch of marathons. All that is fun but my heart is in the water... Recently I have done a 5 mile OWS a couple years ago and the Maggie Fischer Cross Bay Swim last month (5.5 miles). Hopefully stepping up for a 25k swim in 2022.
I've been lurking around the site and reading some of the threads for a few weeks now. Lots of great stuff and (more than) a bit addicting to keep poking around the site!
Looking forward to making some new friends here. If anyone is local to the Sayville and/or PT Jeff area, would be great to join you for a swim.
Now to find a 10-12 miler as a qualifying swim for the 25k later this year not too far from home before the water gets too cold! Any suggestions on a USA/USMS race coming up? Swim the Suck is assisted so don't think that would qualify.