Open water swimming events Boston area

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Jthanmyfitnesspal
Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
edited May 2018 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi Folks,

I've been training for a few open-water mile events in the Boston area. It's really gotten me into better shape. My goal is to get below 28 minutes.

If anyone is interested, here are some links to a few events:

https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Boston/charlesriveronemileswim

https://www.bnseventmanagement.com/event/landshark-swim/

https://www.bnseventmanagement.com/event/wild-fish-open-water-swim-festival/

The first one is in the Charles River Basin. Sound scary, but they've been doing it for 10 years and no one seems worse for the experience! I did it last year and it was great.

The other two events get you matching medals that click together. My profile pic is me wearing my medal at the end of the Wild Fish last year. What a blast!

My training approach has been pretty simple: 3 swims a week. Two are "pace" swims of about 2500m total in a 50m pool, the third is 100yd and 50yd intervals in a 25yd pool. The other days are running or cycling. I also do some resistance band workouts. More swimming would certainly make me faster, but it's pretty hard on the shoulders!

Anyone else into it?
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Replies

  • cherylesq
    cherylesq Posts: 1 Member
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    Sounds like fun! I'm in NJ and have a few open water swims lined up for the year. First up is Lap The Lake. (https://runsignup.com/Race/NJ/FranklinLakes/LaptheLake)

    Good luck with your PR goal!

    -Cheryl
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
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    Thanks @cherylesq for the response.

    It really seems like not that many MFPers swim for exercise (although we do have some) and even fewer of us swim places other than pools.

    In fact, open water swimming is a pretty niche sport in general, although it is now an Olympic sport (10k).

    To any curious swimmers out there: Go try it at your local pond. It is really great to get out of that pool!
  • stephaniek511
    stephaniek511 Posts: 86 Member
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    Thank you for sharing your experiences on this. I'm a long time pool swimmer and currently swim with a Masters group and would really like to do an open water swim...wasn't sure if I could train in a pool for an open-water miler but you've inspired me!
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
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    stephaniek511 wrote: »
    Thank you for sharing your experiences on this. I'm a long time pool swimmer and currently swim with a Masters group and would really like to do an open water swim...wasn't sure if I could train in a pool for an open-water miler but you've inspired me!

    All swimming is good training for open water. It's a big advantage to be in a 50m pool, but they are hard to come by (at least on the east coast-- explaining why few Olympic swimmers come from around here). Next, you have to do some workouts in actual open water (e.g., once a week, at least).

    There are some new skills to learn:

    - Adjusting your breathing for chop. Sometimes you just have to breath to the side away from the chop or from other swimmers.
    - Navigating around other swimmers, particularly at the start. You are best off swimming with your head up for the first 100m or so. You can also pick up some speed by drafting behind or next to other swimmers.
    - Spotting the course buoys. You must learn how to raise your head out of the water just enough to spot the next buoy, repeating regularly (every 10-20 strokes or so).

    It certainly adds some new dimensions to a race!
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
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    @Jthan - Wow, a 28 minute mile is a great goal!

    Have you moved outdoors yet this Spring? I haven't left the pool yet, but will probably do so this weekend. I swim with a group who does outdoor swims on Friday nights at a local lake. So much more fun than pool swimming.

    Have you ever considered the Casco Bay Swim/Run event in Maine? That one looks like fun, since its a two person team event that combines swimming with running across the islands in Casco Bay. Maybe next year :)
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
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    @Djproulx: I had intended to do my first lake swim this past weekend. I wimped out due to cool weather. Next opportunity might be Sunday. It's been a cool spring and I expect my favorite pond (Walden in Concord, MA) is still in the 50s. I do have a full-length wetsuit and can wear a cap.

    As for my time goal: 28:00 won't even get me on the podium in most venues. There are some really fast male and female swimmers in the 55+ age bracket!
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    love OWS! i was supposed to be doing a 5K OWS early June, but honestly my training has sucked and its been too cold to really start OWS - so not sure if i'm going to do it or not
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    Djproulx wrote: »
    @Jthan - Wow, a 28 minute mile is a great goal!

    Have you moved outdoors yet this Spring? I haven't left the pool yet, but will probably do so this weekend. I swim with a group who does outdoor swims on Friday nights at a local lake. So much more fun than pool swimming.

    Have you ever considered the Casco Bay Swim/Run event in Maine? That one looks like fun, since its a two person team event that combines swimming with running across the islands in Casco Bay. Maybe next year :)

    there was a swim/run in MD this past weekend - a friend of mine did it - looked insanely fun! but the whole being tethered to someone else kind of freaks me out :)
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
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    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    @Djproulx: I had intended to do my first lake swim this past weekend. I wimped out due to cool weather. Next opportunity might be Sunday. It's been a cool spring and I expect my favorite pond (Walden in Concord, MA) is still in the 50s. I do have a full-length wetsuit and can wear a cap.

    As for my time goal: 28:00 won't even get me on the podium in most venues. There are some really fast male and female swimmers in the 55+ age bracket!

    A few of my friends have been swimming for 2-3 weeks in really cold water. One of them is doing the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon in June, so he's prepping for the cold.
    Yes, there are a bunch of fast swimmers in that age group. I can think of 2 in my club who are around 1:15-1:20/100 swimmers. Makes me realize what a turtle I really am. :(
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
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    deannalfisher wrote: »
    Djproulx wrote: »
    @Jthan - Wow, a 28 minute mile is a great goal!

    Have you moved outdoors yet this Spring? I haven't left the pool yet, but will probably do so this weekend. I swim with a group who does outdoor swims on Friday nights at a local lake. So much more fun than pool swimming.

    Have you ever considered the Casco Bay Swim/Run event in Maine? That one looks like fun, since its a two person team event that combines swimming with running across the islands in Casco Bay. Maybe next year :)

    there was a swim/run in MD this past weekend - a friend of mine did it - looked insanely fun! but the whole being tethered to someone else kind of freaks me out :)

    I refuse to believe a fish like you would be intimidated by tethering. You just have to choose your teammate carefully. ;)
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
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    deannalfisher wrote: »
    there was a swim/run in MD this past weekend - a friend of mine did it - looked insanely fun! but the whole being tethered to someone else kind of freaks me out :)

    Are you tethered to someone during the event? That's weird! :#
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
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    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    there was a swim/run in MD this past weekend - a friend of mine did it - looked insanely fun! but the whole being tethered to someone else kind of freaks me out :)

    Are you tethered to someone during the event? That's weird! :#

    Casco Bay Event. It is tough to get entry, since this race is an Otillo qualifier.
    Two teams from my tri club are registered for 2018.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP-qagWIBv0
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
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    I’m very interested in doing an OWS event. Haven’t been able to find one locally here in Connecticut, but am now serious considering Massachusetts and New Jersey!
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    edited May 2018
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    __TMac__ wrote: »
    I’m very interested in doing an OWS event. Haven’t been able to find one locally here in Connecticut, but am now serious considering Massachusetts and New Jersey!

    Believe there are a few in Connecticut....Think there is a "PigIronswim" at Bolton Lakes, The Lake Terramuggus 1,2,3 mile swims, the Quassy Sailing Center 1.5 and 3 mile swims, and the Sharkfest held in the Mystic river. There is also a nice race at Lake George in late summer, early fall.....
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
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    Charles river swim is in the books. (I came in 75th out of 150.)

    Next for me is the Land Shark on Saturday:

    https://www.bnseventmanagement.com/event/landshark-swim/
  • nhorton5
    nhorton5 Posts: 32 Member
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    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    Charles river swim is in the books. (I came in 75th out of 150.)

    Next for me is the Land Shark on Saturday:

    https://www.bnseventmanagement.com/event/landshark-swim/

    Well done and good luck for the next one. I am not the best swimmer and my first open water experience scared me to death. The salty water, current, thought of weeds and fish touching me sent me into a panic. I swore I was never getting back in the water but 3 weeks later I completed my first triathlon and my swim was actually fine. I need to continue to build my confidence and then I will look at doing some open water events for fun :)
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
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    Landshark is in the books! I was 3rd in 50+ men, 18/48 overall.

    The race featured some contact with other swimmers; someone knocked my mask off and (maybe the same person) hit my mask a second time later in the race. Not sure if it was intentional and/or preventable. Still, it was my first experience with swimming as a contact sport. No harm done, and I beat the second guy after passing him on the final stretch!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    edited June 2018
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    I've just committed to doing the swim in a tri sprint relay in Sept. I'll be joining a weekly ow training group when I get back from vacation.
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
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    It's a bit of a schlep to the closest Open Water Swim Club. Most certainly something to consider. We tend to swim out on our own, when we can make the commitment to do it. Joining a club pushes one to commit.

    Appreciate your sharing OP.
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
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    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    Landshark is in the books! I was 3rd in 50+ men, 18/48 overall.

    The race featured some contact with other swimmers; someone knocked my mask off and (maybe the same person) hit my mask a second time later in the race. Not sure if it was intentional and/or preventable. Still, it was my first experience with swimming as a contact sport. No harm done, and I beat the second guy after passing him on the final stretch!

    Do you wear the goggle straps under your swim cap? That would help avoid losing them if they get knocked off.

    I'm assuming you probably race in a non wetsuit division. If you do wear a wetsuit, you can take an extra pair of goggles and loop them through the pullcord on the back of your wetsuit as insurance. Congrats on a great finish!

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