On Sunday, August 19, I completed my first swim of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), which according to the Marathon Swimmers Federation is the minimum distance to qualify a swim as a “marathon swim.” Swim To The Moon took place in the Hiland Chain of Lakes near Hell, Michigan, and benefited North Star Reach, a camp for children with life-threatening, serious, and chronic medical conditions. The course was an out and back, taking us through three lakes connected by narrow channels: Halfmoon Lake (@87 feet deep at its deepest point and sits at an elevation of 883′), Watson Lake, and Patterson Lake (location of North Star Reach).
The 10K swim started at Halfmoon Lake Beach at 6:45am, with 154 participants starting one at a time, 3 seconds apart. The water temperature was about 78-80F and the air temp in the upper 60s, which created a light fog over the water. Support kayakers and paddleboarders were positioned along the course, with aid stations at every mile. Compared to where I typically train, the water was much warmer, with lower visibility and more organic matter. I had studied the course, but I was surprised by the connecting channels between lakes, which were extremely shallow and weedy, with one going through a drainage tunnel. I probably could have walked those sections faster than I swam them! Drafting was allowed, and I took advantage of that when we got to Patterson Lake, being very careful to avoid touching the swimmer’s feet in front of me. I reached the halfway point with a time of 1:48:46, better than I anticipated. We were required to exit the water there, so I spent a few minutes retrieving my special needs bag and consuming an Accel gel, water, an Allen Lim rice cake, and an Advil (due to an injury – more on that later). In hindsight, I could have made that stop much shorter, but I decided it wasn’t worth rushing through my one fuel stop.
When I resumed swimming, I had 2 kayak escorts and a swimmer directly behind me. I was aware that my pace was a bit slower than during the first half, but it was great having the escorts, which made it much easier for me to relax. The forecast had been for late morning thunderstorms, but luckily the sun came out and the winds remained calm. Between miles 4 and 5, it was obvious that the woman behind me was drafting and that would have been fine except she didn’t seem to be sighting well. The third time she touched my feet I stopped and asked her if she wanted to go around me, but she declined. When we were about mile from the finish, she finally made her move and quickly passed me, taking both kayakers with her. From that point I was completely alone until I reached the half mile buoy. Nearing the finish line, I had enough energy left to increase my pace and pass a few others swimmers. My official time was 3:46:37, placing 3rd out of 4 in females 60-64, better than I had anticipated.
I was pleased to do my first marathon distance swim in a low-key event that was so well organized and friendly, and one that supports a worthy cause. However, I doubt I would ever do it again. There was very little of interest to see along the way, and water temperatures over 76F are just too warm for me.
Frankly, the best part of the swim was being able to do it without any pain. I developed what was believed to be tendinopathy in my pec minor about a month before the swim, and even though I started working with a physical therapist there hadn’t been enough time to heal (I learned later that the problem was an issue with neck mechanics/posture). During the swim clinic day before the race I was experiencing quite a bit a pain in my left shoulder, but race day was the only time since early July that I had no pain at all! I’m not sure what will be my next swim event – I’ve got some work to do with my PT before I can think about that.
