First Open Water Swim This Year

Some of you have been reading my blog for a while, so you know that Todd completed his first triathlon last September, the San Diego Triathlon Classic. Next month he will be competing in the San Diego Triathlon Classic again. This tri is Olympic distance, which means it's 1500M (0.93 mile) swim, 40K (24.85 mile) bike, and 10K (6.21 mile) run. Todd has been training for it all year. He has been faithfully swimming, biking, and running. The last two months he's had a myriad of injuries to his quad muscle, his ankle, and his calf muscle that has set back his training schedule. But he is recovering and is back on track.

Friday night was his first open water ocean swim at La Jolla Cove this year.  He had been swimming at the YMCA by our house.


I always go with him and watch him like a hawk, just for my own peace of mind. I cannot fathom swimming in the deep dark ocean that far out, I'm so in awe of him.

Got his new Xterra wetsuit on. About to put his wax earplugs in.

Some friends have asked why people wear wetsuits to swim in the ocean in San Diego. Because the SUMMER ocean water temperature tops out at around 70 degrees. That's cold! As a comparison, the pool temperature at the YMCA is between 80-85 degrees.

Off to the ocean with a small group of swimmers.


Down the steps.




Almost to the ocean.


Looking back at me with a big smile.  I remember how his first-ever ocean swim went last year.  He's got so much more swimming experience under his belt now.  Stronger, faster, and more used to swimming in the open water, which is a completely different animal than swimming in a pool.




The first steps into the ocean is the toughest.  The water is cold.


And off he went.  In the next three photos, I've circled him in orange.






I followed him with my eye while I walked up the coast.  I also saw lots of birds and sea lions.


A mere 16 minutes and half a mile later, he came out of the water.  It's funny because I actually didn't see him come out of the water until he was on the stairs.  But I took this photo with my camera and apparently my camera saw him when I didn't.


I was relieved to see Todd coming back up the stairs.


So very proud of him.


We went to Porkyland, where he ate a burrito.  A well-deserved burrito.