My goal for this race, vacation vacation vacation! I literally just needed a break from life, and this was my opportunity to race and have relaxation. Time on the beach spent w/my besties and AJ was what I dreamt about. Tropical storms rolling through at the same time were not in my plan! I’d taken the Friday off before the race, Sarah and I’d planned to get our long bike ride done in the early morning so AJ could be watched by daycare and then head to Chucktown or Murrels Inlet. Our plan was modified once we got word from Regina that the weather was horrible. Sarah and I decided to roll on into Charleston and hit the market since the weather was bad, and hit the beach the next day after we swam.
After playing at the market all day we discovered that the race might not be held after all….the weather wasn’t cooperating for that either. I went to bed kind of hoping it wouldn’t be on but fully aware I’d be disappointed if it didn’t.
Race morning we woke up to cold temps and winds galore, and the race was still on. We showed up to the race site, found AJ’s babysitter (thanks Alex and Phil!!!), and got on our school bus to head to the start. I thought I might puke, I’m not sure if it was nerves or just still having a little vertigo. Once off the bus the full reality of what I had to do that day hits me. I’m freezing, nervous, and even a little whiney. Sarah and I hung out w/Greenville Splash peeps until we saw Forrest and Regina. They had Cherry Kent and Rose Wilson (superstar!) w/them. I could atleast breathe a little more now that I was w/them. It was literally so cold that I heard this noise and I thought it was a seal. It was really a beagle. Regina and Sarah were pretty calm, me not so much. I’m not a fan of cold and I had nightmares of a repeat performance of IMKY and the Ohio River (one of the few races I wanted to DNF during the swim). Forrest had assured me that the assistance of the current would be such a benefit I had nothing to worry about even though my swims had been virtually nonexistent until the last week and half.
The race had 2 waves, fast people and then meJ. The first wave was going off right before my eyes, and I knew what was next….I’d have to get in the water. Parker, Sarah, and Regina all jump in while I just stand there. I wasn’t ready to get in, ugh!!! I finally jump in and as we swim to the start something (not human) brushes up against me. Yet another fear of mine, I mean I don’t even open my eyes under water when I swim b/c I don’t want to see what might be below me. I was so ready for this da** swim to start just so it could be over.
The horn sounds, and it’s time to swim! This race goes along the shoreline, you keep boats on your left and buoys on the right, and you swim under the Cooper River Bridge at one point (later found out that’s at mile 1.75). I’d say about half way through the race I started to get a little frustrated. I felt like every time I looked up the bridge wasn’t getting any closer. Not to mention I was totally out of my element, I stopped at one point and looked around and there was barely a soul in sight. I tried to put the thoughts of sharks eating me, and lockness monsters swallowing me hole out of my mind. I told myself the less I worried and more I swam the quicker this would be over. Once I made it to the bridge I felt a little bit better. I had no clue how much farther I had to go and I was scared to look at my watch in fear I wasn’t even a mile into the swim. Luckily the water got pretty rough at this point. I secretly love rough water. Maybe it’s the challenge, maybe it’s the fact it gives me something to concentrate and focus on, I don’t know but I love it. After what seemed like an eternity I finally see pink buoys which mean the end is near. The washer machine of a river will be over soon if I can just power through this last part! As I finally get to the end I see Sarah and kind of laugh to myself. Sarah is a much better swimmer than me, but for some reason we get to a race and I’m normally right where she is. I couldn’t believe I was so close to her.
My finish time was 1:03:43, and Sarah came in at 1:00:11. Forrest, Regina, Cherry, Rose, and Parker all had great races but the times were much slower than the year prior. I’m sure the weather had a ton to do with it b/c I can truthfully say I didn’t feel much current assistance throughout that swim. I’m so happy I was able to do the race, it got me out of my comfort zone for sure. I will say I’d MUCH RATHER do a 2.4 mile swim w/2800 of my closest friends than the Low Country Splash. I’m not a fan of being in open water feeling completely alone. I’d rather be in the middle of the pack where the shark is full by the time he gets to me. I felt like bait out there by myself.
Thanks to www.Trisports.com I had a snazzy speed suit I tried out for the first time. It was great, and I’m sure it helped keep me afloat and the sharks away!
