Triathlon - Swim in 4' canal (downtown Indy)?

Even though it's been recently cleaned, the Central Canal downtown still has bit of a yuck factor: inexplicable color, suspicious flotsam, organic odor. I always thought of a canal as something you fall into. I got a leg in the water while rollerblading one time and a passerby ominously remarked "I'd go wash that off if I were you." On the upside, the canal area is a gorgeous venue.

So on Aug.17th, there's a sprint/olympic tri using the canal. It's 4 feet deep. If you were tall enough, you might be able to just high-step it (now that would be entertainment).

Anyone else doing this race or ever swim in a slightly yucky, shallow, or bizarre venue?

I can seem to get myself to sign up for this race. Now I know the eagle creek, Indiana downs and other are probably just as dirty. I just can’t get one thing out of my head. I was at the mini this year dropping off family to run. I did not run this year so I decided to jog around the canal when they were racing. I witnessed a guy on a John Deere tractor with a large brush on the front pushing the goose poop into the canal. I can remember thinking "no swimming in there for me".

I just can't get that picture out of my head. I do love the idea of a triathlon down town though.

Robert Smith

Even though it's been recently cleaned, the Central Canal downtown still has bit of a yuck factor: inexplicable color, suspicious flotsam, organic odor. I always thought of a canal as something you fall into. I got a leg in the water while rollerblading one time and a passerby ominously remarked "I'd go wash that off if I were you." On the upside, the canal area is a gorgeous venue.

So on Aug.17th, there's a sprint/olympic tri using the canal. It's 4 feet deep. If you were tall enough, you might be able to just high-step it (now that would be entertainment).

Anyone else doing this race or ever swim in a slightly yucky, shallow, or bizarre venue?

Last year at the Xterra Championship in Richmond we swam in a river that was way shallow in many spots with submerged boulders that you had to crawl over at some points.

It was like extreme swimming. You would be swimming along just fine for a minute them slam your hand into a rock. Then crawl over said rock and then there would be a sandbar with 3 feet of water where it seemed as fast to run than swim. then repeat. All with a decent current pushing you downriver. It was really only on the first half of the swim but talk about disorienting and rythym breaking.

I guess the water quality was ok though

I have also been contemplating this race, but signing up has been a chore. My reason, the canal swim, just as you are saying. Some days I think, what is the big deal, other days I think about how hot it will be since it will be mostly comprised of all the city runoff water from all the rain we have had. Now, with the goose poop story, I am thinking I will pass.... of course, that is just how I feel today. Who knows what tomorrow brings.

Even though it's been recently cleaned, the Central Canal downtown still has bit of a yuck factor: inexplicable color, suspicious flotsam, organic odor. I always thought of a canal as something you fall into. I got a leg in the water while rollerblading one time and a passerby ominously remarked "I'd go wash that off if I were you." On the upside, the canal area is a gorgeous venue.

So on Aug.17th, there's a sprint/olympic tri using the canal. It's 4 feet deep. If you were tall enough, you might be able to just high-step it (now that would be entertainment).

Anyone else doing this race or ever swim in a slightly yucky, shallow, or bizarre venue?

So, how did it go?
I'm doing the Accenture Chicago Triathlon this weekend which is in Monroe Harbor. I'm guessing the water in that harbor is full of gas and other crap from all the boats, so it will likely have a "yuck" factor to it as well. I figure it'll wash off. :thumb:

It was pretty cool. The swim was not that bad, though I was a bit squeamish at the beginning (placebo effect?).

I flatted out on the bike portion after overshooting a poorly marked turn, but other than that it was pretty good. They've got some kinks to work out for next year (to be expected for a first year race), though.