For the Bay Area folks.. I am delighted to be able to say that Sports Basement contacted me ( it's kind of like being asked to go to the ball by the person you've been swooning over silently imho) and is giving us 100 20% off coupons. After we stuff the goody bags and the volunteers get one, if there are any left over I'll make sure they are available to SERC and DC members or anyone else who happens by.
Parking.. I honestly would pay to park at Ghirardelli.
Food- we are NOT vegan friendly. We do have vegetarian and we do have gluten free but that's as far as I've gotten.
We'll go over this Friday but do remember that we are "invading" a community so let's all try to be aware of keeping the place as clean as we can and be aware of keeping our stuff corralled.
We'll be using paper plates etc and those go into the compost , not the garbage.
Watch your water usage...warm up in the sauna !
Keep the floor dry !
Please feel free to ask me any questions and please for the veterans? Remind me if I forget something!
Getting down to the wire..
I posted this on fb as well but..
This is a TEAM event, that's for FUN. ( except at 2.30am)http://andrewswims.com/2016/02/) (.It's a chance to meet in real life ( IRL) .It's a chance to challenge yourself with support but it is a TEAM event. ( Teams may be malleable !)
This is the kind and gentle note. Please don't make me be hardass.
suziedods said:
I posted this on fb as well but..
This is a TEAM event, that's for FUN. ( except at 2.30am)http://andrewswims.com/2016/02/) (.It's a chance to meet in real life ( IRL) .It's a chance to challenge yourself with support but it is a TEAM event. ( Teams may be malleable !)
This is the kind and gentle note. Please don't make me be hardass.
I've always described it as a giant slumber party for swimmers ;-)
Believe it or not, this is all falling into place ( with OUT google spread sheets!!)
I do have a spread sheet for keeping the locker rooms tidy however!
Please play nice if I "give " you an extra person. There's plenty of time to swim and this is NOT the time to do your own "personal" training.
We've had a gentleman from DC who cooks for boatnight volunteer to make pizza for dinner Saturday. There will be vegetarian and gluten free options, just not vegan.
Thanks for you patience and understanding about the malleability of the teams.
Ah,shucks. I'm just really good at delegating...
Seriously though.. I guess if people are given the opportunity, they step up to the plate , right?
The community makes it work and hopefully that community is getting bigger and stronger.
I'm so proud of so many people who expanded their repertoire and who had fun.
I'm praying to the weather gods NOW, for next years good weather.
I'll do a write up later but happy to hear any suggestions or comments.
I could have used more fruit...
Thanks everyone for playing, it wouldn't happen if you weren't participating.
Not just a great event but an excellent motivator to train locally in the “off season”. I can say that going to the Relay inspired my local pod to get into OW weekly and push their limits! They also caught the buzz of traveling to new swim destinations and meeting more of the global community. Thank you thank you Suzie!
Thank you, everyone, for making this such a wonderful, unforgettable experience! I want to share my FB post about the swim--and a photo I took at the end of my second dock shift (yeah, couldn't get enough of that!).
Sunrise over South End Rowing Club in San Francisco. The incredible @suziedods put together a truly amazing experience, a 24 hour relay swim in the San Francisco Bay. It was partly about the swimming and the challenge of immersing in 50something degree water, lowest water temp I swam in without a wetsuit. Yes, I brought it. No, it Never. Got. Wet. I thought it would be worth seeing if I could swim without a wetsuit in those temps. First swim went great. I lasted an hour, no problem! 2nd swim, a half hour and had some issues with rewarming, so chose not to do the night swims, but took an extra dock shift (so glad I did too--loved it out there!) to help my team in that way. But Sunday, I felt much better, and took one last plunge, no wetsuit, felt fine.... in fact, loved it and didn't want to go back to shore!
But this is not only about swimming. I met some truly wonderful ppl, passionate about life and swimming, full of laughter, yet also full of compassion when needed. My team was the Birdwatchers, a wonderfully zany group led by Captain Lisa, who rocked a silver swim dress and made swim dresses for the women on the team! Lisa's energy and enthusiasm for the relay and her teammates was contagious! Great experience!
Just amazed at the achievements of some of the swimmers....English Channel, Catalina Channel, and so much more! Yet bottom line was the camaraderie shared by veterans and rookies alike!
To swim in that beautiful bay was an immense privilege. .. and I enjoyed meeting some regular swimmers, some I'm sure at least 10 years my senior who swim there every day without a wetsuit! #starstruck!
@dpm50 It was great having you on our team. So glad you challenged yourself and also you realized taking the dock duty was a better choice at night/early morning. It was so much fun getting to know more about you and sharing our pool with you. Suzie puts on an amazing event but I have to warn you once you catch the cold water bug it's hard to shake. I volunteered as a kayaker for the first 24 Hour Relay Swim then saw how much fun everyone was having actually SWIMMING in the chilly water that I have been there for every year but once when a family crisis caused me to miss all but the last few hours.
The OWS swim community is a very friendly and supportive one. I consider lots of the members I have come in contact with my extended family. If you would have asked me 7 years ago to swim in the SF Bay I would have said "Hell NO" Now Lisa and the Birdwatcher crew have me swimming in a swim dress!
Thanks again @suziedods for putting on this very fun event! I always come away with a new inspiration to do MORE!
Thank you, Cathy! (@Cathy in CA). Not only was it super to meet and swim w you and the Birdwatchers, but those towels were life savers! Where'd yo get so many!
Im grateful to have had that dock time. Made me think night swimming might be a thing next time, seeing so many swimmers plunge ahead w such confidence and emerge unscathed (and, in some cases, unclothed, but that's a whole other comment).
Like you, I was dubious about cold at first, wondering what I was getting into, wondering if I'd made a huge mistake to sign up for something like this, wondering if I should cancel after all. But I had a gut feeling that I needed to go. And I'm so glad I listened to that inner prompting.
While I brought my wetsuit, I began to see the practical benefits of not wearing it....no wet neoprene crowding my already overstuffed bag, for one! Oh yeah, the superb goody bags needed that space! And then, seeing people swimming as I made my way to the Friday dinner, looking as if the water was their 2nd home and the temp was just a neutral fact of the swim, not a monster, I thought, if they can do it, so can I! So much was mental. Not to say there aren't real risks in cold water if one isn't acclimated. But what if I took just one step in....then 2....then a few more. What if I just start swimming....then put my face in... etc. I knew to pay attention to warning signs before I got into too much trouble; hence the half hour swim the 2nd time--mild queasiness was my signal to decline a second lap. Perhaps I could have pushed through, but it seemed wiser given I was new at swimming skin in that temp to err on the side of caution. Afterward, it took a lot longer tho warm up again than it had after the 1st swim.
It was, however, good to be out on the dock, seeing the enthusiasm and determination of the night swimmers. It was a privilege to help in that way and a joy to return to the water the next morning.
Finally, a question for the veterans....while warming up, I had the most peculiar sensation that I can only describe as the feeling one might get if s/he had swallowed Icy Hot. Heat and cold coexisting side by side inside me. I couldn't decide if if liked the feeling or hated it or both. Anyone know what I mean? Really fascinating in retrospect!
Another fabulous 24 Hour Relay! Thank you, @suziedods for organizing an incredible weekend of swimming in Aquatic Park with like-minded (goofy) swimmers. Although the lack of fruit was a huge topic of discussion and debate in the sauna room, you really knocked it out of the park with the beautiful weather. I do hope those cute hashers will whip up breakfast again next year. And all the fun suits and swimcaps! I'll really have to up my fashion game next time. Thanks to everyone for the camaraderie. Although, glad none of us got acquainted with Bitey :-)
Comments
For the Bay Area folks.. I am delighted to be able to say that Sports Basement contacted me ( it's kind of like being asked to go to the ball by the person you've been swooning over silently imho) and is giving us 100 20% off coupons. After we stuff the goody bags and the volunteers get one, if there are any left over I'll make sure they are available to SERC and DC members or anyone else who happens by.
Random thoughts-
Parking.. I honestly would pay to park at Ghirardelli.
Food- we are NOT vegan friendly. We do have vegetarian and we do have gluten free but that's as far as I've gotten.
We'll go over this Friday but do remember that we are "invading" a community so let's all try to be aware of keeping the place as clean as we can and be aware of keeping our stuff corralled.
We'll be using paper plates etc and those go into the compost , not the garbage.
Watch your water usage...warm up in the sauna !
Keep the floor dry !
Please feel free to ask me any questions and please for the veterans? Remind me if I forget something!
Getting down to the wire..
Is there going to be the infamous @suziedods flip board charts?
Looks like this is shaping up to be EPIC!!
See ya Friday evening after I get off work....yet the ole four letter word that gets in the way of all my fun.
But it does help support my "habit"
I posted this on fb as well but..
This is a TEAM event, that's for FUN. ( except at 2.30am)http://andrewswims.com/2016/02/) (.It's a chance to meet in real life ( IRL) .It's a chance to challenge yourself with support but it is a TEAM event. ( Teams may be malleable !)
This is the kind and gentle note. Please don't make me be hardass.
I've always described it as a giant slumber party for swimmers ;-)
http://notdrowningswimming.com - open water adventures of a very ordinary swimmer
Believe it or not, this is all falling into place ( with OUT google spread sheets!!)
I do have a spread sheet for keeping the locker rooms tidy however!
Please play nice if I "give " you an extra person. There's plenty of time to swim and this is NOT the time to do your own "personal" training.
We've had a gentleman from DC who cooks for boatnight volunteer to make pizza for dinner Saturday. There will be vegetarian and gluten free options, just not vegan.
Thanks for you patience and understanding about the malleability of the teams.
Ah,shucks. I'm just really good at delegating...
Seriously though.. I guess if people are given the opportunity, they step up to the plate , right?
The community makes it work and hopefully that community is getting bigger and stronger.
I'm so proud of so many people who expanded their repertoire and who had fun.
I'm praying to the weather gods NOW, for next years good weather.
I'll do a write up later but happy to hear any suggestions or comments.
I could have used more fruit...
Thanks everyone for playing, it wouldn't happen if you weren't participating.
Not just a great event but an excellent motivator to train locally in the “off season”. I can say that going to the Relay inspired my local pod to get into OW weekly and push their limits! They also caught the buzz of traveling to new swim destinations and meeting more of the global community. Thank you thank you Suzie!
Thank you, everyone, for making this such a wonderful, unforgettable experience! I want to share my FB post about the swim--and a photo I took at the end of my second dock shift (yeah, couldn't get enough of that!).
Photo here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/chUCn7BE3CInXV9s2
FB Post:
Sunrise over South End Rowing Club in San Francisco. The incredible @suziedods put together a truly amazing experience, a 24 hour relay swim in the San Francisco Bay. It was partly about the swimming and the challenge of immersing in 50something degree water, lowest water temp I swam in without a wetsuit. Yes, I brought it. No, it Never. Got. Wet. I thought it would be worth seeing if I could swim without a wetsuit in those temps. First swim went great. I lasted an hour, no problem! 2nd swim, a half hour and had some issues with rewarming, so chose not to do the night swims, but took an extra dock shift (so glad I did too--loved it out there!) to help my team in that way. But Sunday, I felt much better, and took one last plunge, no wetsuit, felt fine.... in fact, loved it and didn't want to go back to shore!
But this is not only about swimming. I met some truly wonderful ppl, passionate about life and swimming, full of laughter, yet also full of compassion when needed. My team was the Birdwatchers, a wonderfully zany group led by Captain Lisa, who rocked a silver swim dress and made swim dresses for the women on the team! Lisa's energy and enthusiasm for the relay and her teammates was contagious! Great experience!
Just amazed at the achievements of some of the swimmers....English Channel, Catalina Channel, and so much more! Yet bottom line was the camaraderie shared by veterans and rookies alike!
To swim in that beautiful bay was an immense privilege. .. and I enjoyed meeting some regular swimmers, some I'm sure at least 10 years my senior who swim there every day without a wetsuit! #starstruck!
@dpm50 It was great having you on our team. So glad you challenged yourself and also you realized taking the dock duty was a better choice at night/early morning. It was so much fun getting to know more about you and sharing our pool with you. Suzie puts on an amazing event but I have to warn you once you catch the cold water bug it's hard to shake. I volunteered as a kayaker for the first 24 Hour Relay Swim then saw how much fun everyone was having actually SWIMMING in the chilly water that I have been there for every year but once when a family crisis caused me to miss all but the last few hours.
The OWS swim community is a very friendly and supportive one. I consider lots of the members I have come in contact with my extended family. If you would have asked me 7 years ago to swim in the SF Bay I would have said "Hell NO" Now Lisa and the Birdwatcher crew have me swimming in a swim dress!
Thanks again @suziedods for putting on this very fun event! I always come away with a new inspiration to do MORE!
Thank you, Cathy! (@Cathy in CA). Not only was it super to meet and swim w you and the Birdwatchers, but those towels were life savers! Where'd yo get so many!
Im grateful to have had that dock time. Made me think night swimming might be a thing next time, seeing so many swimmers plunge ahead w such confidence and emerge unscathed (and, in some cases, unclothed, but that's a whole other comment).
Like you, I was dubious about cold at first, wondering what I was getting into, wondering if I'd made a huge mistake to sign up for something like this, wondering if I should cancel after all. But I had a gut feeling that I needed to go. And I'm so glad I listened to that inner prompting.
While I brought my wetsuit, I began to see the practical benefits of not wearing it....no wet neoprene crowding my already overstuffed bag, for one! Oh yeah, the superb goody bags needed that space! And then, seeing people swimming as I made my way to the Friday dinner, looking as if the water was their 2nd home and the temp was just a neutral fact of the swim, not a monster, I thought, if they can do it, so can I! So much was mental. Not to say there aren't real risks in cold water if one isn't acclimated. But what if I took just one step in....then 2....then a few more. What if I just start swimming....then put my face in... etc. I knew to pay attention to warning signs before I got into too much trouble; hence the half hour swim the 2nd time--mild queasiness was my signal to decline a second lap. Perhaps I could have pushed through, but it seemed wiser given I was new at swimming skin in that temp to err on the side of caution. Afterward, it took a lot longer tho warm up again than it had after the 1st swim.
It was, however, good to be out on the dock, seeing the enthusiasm and determination of the night swimmers. It was a privilege to help in that way and a joy to return to the water the next morning.
Finally, a question for the veterans....while warming up, I had the most peculiar sensation that I can only describe as the feeling one might get if s/he had swallowed Icy Hot. Heat and cold coexisting side by side inside me. I couldn't decide if if liked the feeling or hated it or both. Anyone know what I mean? Really fascinating in retrospect!
Another fabulous 24 Hour Relay! Thank you, @suziedods for organizing an incredible weekend of swimming in Aquatic Park with like-minded (goofy) swimmers. Although the lack of fruit was a huge topic of discussion and debate in the sauna room, you really knocked it out of the park with the beautiful weather. I do hope those cute hashers will whip up breakfast again next year. And all the fun suits and swimcaps! I'll really have to up my fashion game next time. Thanks to everyone for the camaraderie. Although, glad none of us got acquainted with Bitey :-)
Molly Nance, Lincoln, Nebraska
Blog with link to photos...
https://initforthelongrun.blogspot.com/2018/02/weekend-in-san-francisco-poem-that.html