Venice Beach, California
Because I successfully swam the 2.4 mile distance in this race last year, I was qualified to compete in the 4.8 mile distance this year. The 4.8 mile race is divided into 4 x 1.2 mile legs. At the completion of each 1.2 mile leg you have to swim through the surf, up shore and go up and get a medical check to make sure you are able to continue. During the first 1.2 mile leg three people went shoulder to shoulder to hold the lead for the whole first 1.2 miles. If they were friends, they obviously are not acquainted with the benefits of drafting. I swam right behind the center of these three swimmers for the entire first leg. There were others who wanted to take advantage of the great draft they were creating too, so there was a little shoulder bumping, but a small price to pay for the benefits of a phenomenal draft. You never get a three person wide bull dozer like that for 1.2 miles. Never! Running up the beach to the check station is the hardest part of each leg for me. It shoots my heart rate up. After crossing the timing matt and a quick drink of water it was back into the surf for the second leg. The bulldozer trio had either broken up or ended up behind me after the first check point. For the second leg I found a guy who put out the biggest kick I have ever seen for a distance swimmer. He was pacing well towards the front and a decent sighter. I followed him for the second and third legs. He sure was easy to follow. I ate a cliff shot gel at second and third check in. I also gulped down about four cups of water each time. It was nice to hydrate for once while swimming. At this point it was hard to tell where I was in the mix. I definitely know I wasn’t passed in the water, but it was hard to keep track at the check points. Entering the water for the final leg I decided I needed to drop the big kicker, he just wasn’t going fast enough anymore. I spotted a long armed skin swimmer who was picking up speed as he started the final leg. The 4.8 mile swimmers wore bright orange caps in this race and he was the only orange I could see in front of me. I hit the gas and closed the 50 yard gap between us and then settled into a draft behind him. I had to swim hard to stay with him. He was a great swimmer. Then something happened that has never happened to me in all my years of swimming. A muscle in my left forearm began to threaten to cramp. I had to stretch it while swimming. I couldn’t lose one of my paddles. It continued to twinge now and then, but never actually fully cramped thankfully. I kept track of it as I swam trying to load my right arm a little heavier and kick harder every time it started to threaten a cramp. The Albatross guy I was drafting was an excellent sighter and there were actually were some orange caps in front of us, which we passed. This guy was flying and I was flying right behind him. I thought he could possibly be in my age category, so I mentally prepared for the last 400 yards to shore. As we turned the buoy, I pulled out from behind his draft and hit the gas. He hit the gas with me. He did not want to let me pass him. I increased to 95 percent capacity and still he hung with me at my shoulder. As we neared the breakers I began to pull slightly ahead of him. Whoever he was, he is a better overall swimmer than me, but I think his sprint abilities had been taxed. I was ahead of him and closer to the finish chute and I thought I had him until he caught a wave and I didn’t. That put him about 10 yards ahead of me. Once he hit the beach running I knew I wasn’t going to be able to catch him in a sand run up the beach. I ran hard and my heart rate must have hit the roof, because after I crossed that matt I could barely breathe. I ended up finishing second in my age category.
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