Swim Report: Jim McDonnell Lake Swims

Sunday, May 25 I completed the Jim McDonnell Lake Swim. Swims, actually: both the 1 and 2 mile!! I last did these races three years ago, where I basically swam them at the same pace: 33:18 for the 1 mile and 1:06:35 for the 2 mile. I was just a half second faster per mile in the 2 mile. How crazy is that?! 

This past weekend I did not quite pace myself so well. I swam the 1 mile in 31:37 and the 2 mile in 1:07:03 (pace of 33:32). But I felt great for both swims, where I was again without a wetsuit. The water temperature was approximately 72 degrees and was just perfect! We had a lovely sunny day as well. Both of the races started a little late, but not too bad. In both I was in the same wave with at least two of the same people. One of which is a gal, Susan (aka Curly Sue) that I've known for 13 years and have swam with on occasion. It was great, because Susan has done the Bay Swim many times and I was able to chat her up about it! 

Jim McDonnell Lake Swim course map!

During the 1 mile race my goggles got a teeny bit fogged and I stopped to fix that at about the halfway point. All in all I felt like my sighting was good but I had some general sun glare during the second half of the race. Before long I had rounded the drain and was heading to the finish! I always swim until my hand touches the bottom. That way I have less to walk as I think it is easier to swim through the water than walk through it.

During the 2 mile race my goggles were just perfect! I don't think I stopped at all during the two loops. In fact, during the back half of the second loop I barely had to sight as I could clearly see the final turn buoy at the end of the lake by the drain and just did 'alligator eyes' and never really lifted my head. I got into a pretty good rhythm! Also, I did not have any sun glare problems at all during the 2 mile race. I felt really strong at the end of the race and felt like I was racing two guys to the finish. It was good to give a surge at the end, just in case I need to surge to fight any current in the Chesapeake Bay.

The best part of the races on Sunday was that my shoulder did not hurt. At all! That made me pretty happy, especially now that we are only 10 days and some hours away from the Bay Swim.

This weekend is the Rock Hall Sprint Triathlon. As I noted yesterday, I have not done a Sprint in nearly four years. Yikes! I did the bike leg of a relay, but that was also four years ago. I'm excited for 'short and sweet'! Granted over the past few years I have participated in the laid back and non-competitive Kick AST Tri, which is basically a fun, untimed Sprint distance event. But that is a bit different! 

A positive about Rock Hall is the opportunity for another open water swim! Granted the swim is only 750 meters - unless I get a  little warm up swim in - but it is in the same body of water as the Bay Swim! That is, it is the Rock Hall Harbor on the Chesapeake Bay. This will be a nice opportunity to check out brackish water again. I am looking forward to this race!