Race day: Sunday, July 9. 7:30am
Length of swim: 11 miles (19,000 yards or so)
Biggest training week leading up to the race: 31,000 yards
Longest training swim: 8,000 yards (4.5 miles)
Estimated race finish time: 6-7 hours (cut off is 8 hours)
Estimated water temperature: Low 70s. Click for actual temp.
Details: The swim is in the Willamette River, through downtown Portland, so there is no set course except to stay to the east side of the river. Every swimmer has a kayaker in charge of navigation and providing nutritional needs. Brian will be kayaking, leading the way and I just have to follow him, eat when he says and keep swimming! Check out the race website here.
Follow along:
Run along the river and look for a kayak with balloons, I will tie some to Brian so people passing by can spot us!
Join virtually and see progress by downloading the free app, RaceJoy. Open the app and select Portland Bridge Swim. You can then activate alerts for any of the racers and see the race map and progress, it is super cool.
Quick shout out:
Below is a photo of me with Dave Radcliff. Dave has programmed all of my longest swims. Not only that, he has LED them in the pool with me, at his feet, trying to keep up. Dave is a former Olympic swimmer, the finest cheerleader of all and he keeps the lifeguards away when I am practicing eating in the pool. I am humbled trying to keep up with this 83 year old ass kicker. I have no words for how much help and support he has given me over the past months in my training. Of all the accolades he gets for his swimming, he gets double that amount from me for his amazing mentoring and encouragement over the past few months.
Length of swim: 11 miles (19,000 yards or so)
Biggest training week leading up to the race: 31,000 yards
Longest training swim: 8,000 yards (4.5 miles)
Estimated race finish time: 6-7 hours (cut off is 8 hours)
Estimated water temperature: Low 70s. Click for actual temp.
Details: The swim is in the Willamette River, through downtown Portland, so there is no set course except to stay to the east side of the river. Every swimmer has a kayaker in charge of navigation and providing nutritional needs. Brian will be kayaking, leading the way and I just have to follow him, eat when he says and keep swimming! Check out the race website here.
Follow along:
Run along the river and look for a kayak with balloons, I will tie some to Brian so people passing by can spot us!
Join virtually and see progress by downloading the free app, RaceJoy. Open the app and select Portland Bridge Swim. You can then activate alerts for any of the racers and see the race map and progress, it is super cool.
Quick shout out:
Below is a photo of me with Dave Radcliff. Dave has programmed all of my longest swims. Not only that, he has LED them in the pool with me, at his feet, trying to keep up. Dave is a former Olympic swimmer, the finest cheerleader of all and he keeps the lifeguards away when I am practicing eating in the pool. I am humbled trying to keep up with this 83 year old ass kicker. I have no words for how much help and support he has given me over the past months in my training. Of all the accolades he gets for his swimming, he gets double that amount from me for his amazing mentoring and encouragement over the past few months.
Photo to the left is me, swimming to the last bridge in the race and the finish line at the St John's Bridge. This was a practice swim but now you can picture where the elation of "almost there" will happen!
