Corporate Games 2012 - 1km Open Water Swim (1st Place) - A Race Report

Medal Ceremony - 1st place!

On Saturday 24th Nov 2012 - I participated in my 2nd Corporate Games 1km Open Water Swim. I did this event last year. The race report from that year is here.

The event was again held at the South Melbourne Life Saving club. We had to register by 7:30-8am and once again, there was a small part of me that wanted to stay in bed as my body (mind) was still recovering from my half ironman last weekend. I talked myself out of the negative thoughts and just picked up my bags and just left the house quick before I had time to change my mind.

I arrived there at about 7:50am and scoped out the conditions for the day - the conditions for this event was picture perfect - no wind (therefore no waves), minimal current and the water being crystal clear. The relay race (4 x 250m loops) set off at 8:30am, Males at 9am and Females at 9:30. So my wave started pretty much an hour and a half after I arrived. As I no longer eat solid breakfasts before training or a race nowadays, it was an Up and Go in the car and that was it. I watched the relay teams start their race and then put on my wetsuit. I tore my TYR wetsuit on Thursday night at the combo session but luckily had enough time to patch it up ready to be used again.


Worst Conditions for a Swim - EVER!



When the males went off on their race, I did a quick 50m swim away from the shore to see which way the current was travelling (albeit a small one). There were some people who swam without a wetsuit (brave) and there was one Chinese guy who rocked up in his trunks and swam breast stroke! I don't think he realised what type of swimming this was and pulled out after 1 lap as people who were on their 3rd lap were already lapping him on his first. He spoke in Chinese (yes, I do understand basic Mandarin Chinese still) that he got tired to his mum. He swam breast stroke the entire way, I don't think he got his head wet!

There were about 25 females in total who started at 9:30am - 5 in my age group 30-39 (only 3 who registered), half a dozen 40+ and 15 or so under 30. There was a 100% chance I would get podium (3rd most likely I had planned). I recognised these ladies from last year too.

So like any triathlon, I started at the back of the pack but when the gun went off, I found myself swimming over people already and I wasn't even going that aggressively. I ended up just pushing myself through the crowd in order to find my own space to swim. I ended up doing this successfully and my sighting was spot on. Looking up every 6 strokes (not frequent enough but the conditions were flat) but I was consistently going the right way. At every turn of the bouy, I would sight the next bouy and just swam towards it not caring about where the other swimmers were placed. Around the 3rd lap, it felt like I was out there by myself - I didn't see anyone in front of me and I started to worry that I had done an extra lap but I knew I didn't.

Me running to shore!

I took a tip from one of the guys who I knew who did the event that we should count the green and yellow can which was placed on the course from the relay before. I kept count of the laps I was doing almost mathematically - 1st lap, 1/2 way through, 3rd lap and then last lap. I did porpoised out of the water even with my gumby run too until we hit the red tent where our times were recorded. When I finished my 1km, I went over the to the ladies who gave out the placement cards expecting to get the 3rd placement card and when she handed me 1st Place I was shocked!!!!! It was then I realised that I was about 3rd/4th person out of the water and then my friend Simon told me that I was way ahead of the field! I have never placed so well in a sporting event before (apart from the Triathlon Pink event in 2011 where I was the fastest on the bike for the day) let alone swimming - open water too!

The last few weeks have definitely been a highlight of my sporting career so far! My first half ironman last weekend (6:16) followed by coming 1st in my age category and top 5 for all females for a swimming event!

A few things which I wanted to note about the event:

• With swimming - you have to pay attention to every stroke. I did notice that I sometimes forget and realised that I am letting my arms through the water with the least resistance - counter productive
• I need to work on mental strength over the next 100+ days leading up to Ironman as there was a moment or two in the swim where my mind would drift off and I would lose concentration
• When the water is calm - it can sometimes get boring but easier for breathing and sighting
• My mind set for open water swimming has changed - it is no longer a fear (pending the bay dredging doesn't bring in swarms of jelly fish again)
• I am confident in completing the 3.8km swim in March as part of Ironman Melbourne.
• May need to invest in a new wetsuit early next year if more tears occur (will buy a Rocket Science one).
• LOVED IT!

RESULTS
Ok - so the results from the weekend's swim came out on Tuesday 27th Nov. My official time for 1km swim was 24:08 which is over just under 3 min improvement compared to last year's time of 27:04!! WOOT!