The swim start cannon went off at 7:00 AM and 2200 plus people poured into the 63 degree water of Lake Coeur d’Alene. The swim course was a two loop 1.2 mile counter clock wise rectangular. I started on the far outside and let most everyone enter the water in front of me. I had no desire to get kicked, punched and swam over for over for my predicted 1hr – 20 min swim. Even thought this was my plan, I still got kicked, punched, swam over and dunked. When these events happened, I stayed calm. The swim out to the far buoy seemed to take forever… because it did. I don’t know what the problem was. Was it the chop? Waves were breaking onto my head and forward moving arms. Was I swimming to wide? Perhaps if I got into the middle of the pack some of the waves could have been flattened out. Was my sighting off and causing me to not swimming straight? I had a hard time seeing the buoys so I sited off the top of a mountain in the background. Who knows but I swam a disappointing 48 minute 1.2 mile split. The month before I swam a 39 minute half ironman distance swim and thought that was slow but this swim was taking the cake. After completing the first loop, I headed out for the second loop. I decide to put the first loop and the miserable time behind me and just take it even easier on the second loop. I kept thinking … the swim is just a warm up ….. you have a long day ahead of you….. swim smart …. stay relaxed. The second loop didn’t feel as long but it took me about 55 minutes to complete. Wow, 1hr-43 minutes for the swim… how embarrassing. I exited the water and headed up to the grassy area near the swim to bike gear bags. Once there, a couple of volunteer stripped off my wetsuit, pulled me to my feet and sent me to my swim to my bike gear bag. Once I found my gear bag I entered the changing tent.
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