Triathlon - Encinitas Triathlon - 5.20.07

Hello,

It's my first open water/conventional tri. I've done a few reverse but with a pool swim. Hoping someone has done this event last year and give advise on what I can expect. Thanks in advance.

It's the first year for the event.

Have you swam in the open water?

I still have not. I will be going this week and next week leading up to the event.

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

I know this isn't tri related, but I have to know if this is a Chris Thile reference. I'm a huge fan, and I'm actually going to a show of his in 3 weeks.

isn't that just a saying?

I've seen it printed on life is good tee shirts...

isn't that just a saying?

I've seen it printed on life is good tee shirts...
Its capitalized like a CD title, though.

I know this isn't tri related, but I have to know if this is a Chris Thile reference. I'm a huge fan, and I'm actually going to a show of his in 3 weeks.

It's actually from the Lord of the Rings:

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renenwed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king.”

Chris Thiles used the quote for his album title.

All that glitters is not gold!

Main differences between pool and lake:

1) It's colder. Practise so it doesn't leave you surprised. It's not bad-colder, but it does take a little getting used to. If you surf or do other open watersports, this isn't much of an issue.

2) Sighting. Every half-dozen or so strokes, look ahead out of the water to ensure you're going in the right direction. I'm fantastically bad at this (due to lack of drill, lazy andy!) and I've pulled a 180 in a river and not noticed until I got back to the start. While this gives the safety boat guys a good laugh, it scores no points in the race. Zig-zagging really slows you down.

3) Visibility. Much open water is as clear as a latte. It can unsettle some people. Again, practice makes that just fine.

4) Other swimmers right up against ya. If you're happy to mix it up, get stuck in. If you're fast, start and the front and flee the frothing melee; if you're slow, let the bulk of the wave start before picking your pace. Our tri club do trampling drills where they set the slow guys off first and the fast guys afterwards. Cruel but fun, sorta. I'm a slow guy.

5) Currents. The beach may have rips one way or another. This is a local knowledge thing as rips change with the tides; ask a local :)

The site makes it look like a beautiful race! Have fun!

Hey Andy, what do ya do if you're neither fast nor slow? Mix it up, clobbering and getting clobbered in the middle with the swarm?

Something like that, I'm told :) I'm slow, and I veer to the left every time anyway, so I'm soon on my own!