June 26, 2009 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Event Alert
In case you missed it, I conducted a special seminar Wednesday early evening for the June Monthly Meeting of the Chicago Triathletes Unite! Meetup Group. We had a great turnout – about 15 swimmers showed up – and the weather and water conditions were absolutely ideal. Here are some of the key points we discussed:
- The “inner game” of open water swimming (attribution of physical states, “catching” emotions, deconstructing the fear/anxiety response)
- Preparing your body for colder water immersion (cold water “priming,” mammalian dive reflex)
- Water entry scenarios (beach, pier, ferry boat)
- Treading water and sighting
- Special scenarios (choppy water, currents, drafting, swallowing water)
Special kudos go out to Jill Lambert for organizing the Meetup group.
June 25, 2009 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Event Alert
As some of you might already know, I’m a big fan of Chicago Endurance Sports. I’ve had the pleasure of training under the direction of co-founder Mike Norman since I began my endurance sports hobby (obsession?) in 2004, and I can tell you that they offer some top notch programs – plus they’re a lot of fun, too!
Mike and crew have just introduced a new class on open water swim training that might be of interest to some of you. It’s a 3-week session that begins Wednesday, July 1st (6:15pm -7:30pm), and it covers topics such as:
- Stroke technique tips for Open Water vs. Pool
- Tips for practicing indoors
- Sighting skills & technique
- Equipment tips & tricks (wetsuits, goggles, etc.)
- Drafting technique and practice
- Starts
- Turns & negotiating buoys
- Exits
- Racing strategies
- Race specific training
One of the coaches is former World Champion Open Water Swimmer, Erica Rose. So it looks to be a fantastic program.
Check it out!
March 12, 2009 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Event Alert
Steve Munatones over at 10K Swimmer has published an updated list of his top 100 swims. Check out the list as well as the links on the left side of the page!
March 10, 2009 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Event Alert
I received this comment today from a fellow visiting Chicago from across the pond:
Hi – intrigued to read this. I am from the UK and was in Chicago a few weeks ago – mid-Feb 09 – and a colleague and I braved the waters, WITHOUT a wetsuit, at the little beach near the Museum of Science and Industry. The water was cold – I’d say about 1-3C – but quite bearable. We stayed in for five minutes or so.
What was intriguing were the bossy notices on the beach saying that what we were doing is illegal. Is this really the case – is swimming in open water in the winter illegal in the US?? It certainly isn’t in Britain
This is a significant observation. Chicago is the only major city in the U.S. that imposes a swim ban outside of the official open beach season (Memorial Day to Labor Day). And even during these summer months, the city criminalizes all non-motorized water activities (i.e. swimming, kayaking, surfing, etc.) outside of the hours where beaches are patrolled by lifeguards. And to make matters even worse, lifeguards will not begin their beach patrols until 11:00am this summer due to city budget cuts.
We’re working to get this swim ban changed to a “swim at your own risk” policy, and a big part of this campaign is public awareness. I publicize the issue as much as I can on this site, but we really need you and your friends to help us build more momentum. One easy way to do this is to sign the petition to open Chicago’s beaches to non-motorized sports.
Sometimes it takes an outsider’s perspective to shed light on Chicago’s archaic beach access policy…
February 12, 2009 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Event Alert
For those of you who are into multisport events, I will be conducting a talk on open water swimming next week for the Meetup group Chicago Triathletes Unite!. I am an assistant organizer of this group, and the focus of the presentation will be on how to maximize your swim effectiveness in colder water conditions.
I’m planning to keep this brief but very substantive with an emphasis on the following:
- Overview of human thermoregulation
- Cold water swim gear for various temperature ranges
- Pre-swim preparation
- Cold water immersion tactics
Here are the event details:
Chicago Triathletes Unite! February Meetup
Thursday February 19, 2009
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Crossroads
2630 N Clark Street (1/4 block north of Wrightwood)
Chicago, IL 60614
Register online (it’s free!) or just come on out!
September 3, 2008 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Event Alert
The granddaddy of Chicago open water swims is taking place this Saturday at Ohio Street Beach starting at 8:00am. If you’ve never done this one before, you should really check it out. Chris Sheean does a great job of putting it together, and people come from all over to test their mettle in Lake Michigan.
I did the 2.5K swim in 2006, and it was a real blast. I had thought about braving the 5K, but I had just come off of a half-ironman and was pretty beat at the time. Regardless, it’s a great course with some fantastic views of the skyline. Plus it’s right in our very own backyard!
August 4, 2008 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Event Alert
FREE SWIM CLINIC TUESDAY – LAST ONE!
Fleet Feet Open Water Swim Clinic
Lake Michigan – Ohio Street Beach
6:00pm – 8:00pm
Free! Wetsuits available for rental for $5.00 (bring a photo ID)
July 22, 2008 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Event Alert
FREE SWIM CLINIC TONIGHT!
Fleet Feet Open Water Swim Clinic
Lake Michigan – Ohio Street Beach
6:00pm – 7:30pm
Free! Wetsuits available for rental for $5.00 (bring a photo ID)
June 10, 2008 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Event Alert
Just a reminder, this Saturday the city of Lake in the Hills is hosting its annual Splish, Splash, 5K Dash event.
The swim takes place in Woods Creek Lake which is one of the neatest swim venues in the Chicago area. Also, for those who are more ambitious, you can tack on a 5K run to your swim. Be forewarned, though. The run course is VERY challenging (hence the name Lake in the Hills). Check it out!
