Thoughts in my head… Osprey 2 mile open water swim “race report”

Today I did my first race of the year–a 2 mile open water swim. I contemplated doing a race report, but that would amount to something along the lines of “I swam in a relatively straight line for a mile. I swam around an orange buoy. And then I swam back.” So instead I thought I would give you a glimpse into some of the thoughts that went thru my head. This is by no means the entire list as I swam for one hour and 18 minutes–that’s a heck of a lot of time to think about stuff. I will also add that many of these thoughts repeated themselves more than I let on in my list.

I now present to you some of my thoughts in today’s 2 mile open water swim:

• Why did I think this was a good idea?
• I wonder how long I can draft off the pack?
• That wasn’t long.
• It’s sure choppy today.
• My stomach doesn’t feel well.
• Stupid wave in my face.
• Would my coach be mad if I quit?
• Would I be mad if I quit?
• What was that black thing in the water? Oh, just someone in their wetsuit.
• Made it to the 1 mile turnaround…yay. Maybe I should just swim the mile.
• If it’s this rough here, I wonder what the swim was like in PCB.
• Look at those people running on the bridge.
• Why do I always choose to swim in muddy gross water?
• What’s that noise? Could it be a dolphin? How cool would it be if a school of dolphins swam with us the rest of the way!
• <burb> I hope I don’t throw up.
• It’s the bridge…almost to the turn around. Don’t water creatures like to hang out around bridges? Like that giant squid in Gig Harbor.
• What was that?
• Has someone seriously been swimming behind me this whole time?
• Ah…the buoy!
• Yay, now we have the current in our favor.
• Let me try and stay with this guy that just passed me. Stay on his bubbles. Swim, swim, swim.
• That didn’t last long.
• What just touched my feet?
• Is that kayak hanging close to me because I look like I need help. Seriously that kayak is really close.
• Oh look there’s another person up ahead; I wonder if I can catch him.
• I wonder how deep the water is here.
• That orange buoy looks like a cheeto. I must be hungry.
• What is that smell in the water? Smells like clams. Is this what it’s like for fish? Can they smell the water? If they do I feel bad because it smells horrible.
• Why do I always choose to swim in gross muddy water?
• I can do this. 
• Where’s that boat I’m supposed to be sighting off of? 
• Oh good the kayak is back…I’ll sight off it. Oh no the kayak is back…am I that slow? 
• Remind me to thank the kayak afterwards.
• Finally, I see the boats.
• I can do this.
• Actually, I did this.
• Where did the water go? Should I stand up and walk? <walks in ankle deep water>
• Walking is hard…glad I can swim again.
• I see people on the shore.
• Wow…it’s over. 
• What time is it?
• Yay…it’s over!

Been wanting to do this race for a while but it’s never worked out. Had a great time–totally a race I would totally do again in a heartbeat.