Half Mile Hudson Swim

To help prepare for the NYC Triathlon next month, on Sunday morning I did a half mile swim in the Hudson, organized by Urban Swim.  Just getting access to the Hudson is not an easy thing - it is normally illegal, probably because of the strong currents and amount of ship traffic, but for this event, Urban Swim managed to scratch a few backs and twist a few knobs with various people working for authorities like the NYPD, Coastguard, Port Authorities etc, and got the green light to lay this event on.

Rachel and I met with Kat and Tessa from Achilles around 9.00 am to be signed in for the event, with about 40 other swimmers taking part.  At about 10.00 am, we were taken out in 2 boats up to about 100th Street, and then had to swim back down the river to another boat that would take us back to the dock.

I still get quite a bit of anxiety about swimming, so I need all the practice I can get.  I've found there are so many components - getting used to being in a wetsuit (which can feel claustrophobic and constricting), getting the breathing, swimming, and kicking all in sync (easier said than done), as well as the sighting, to make sure you're actually going in the right direction.

After being taken up the river, we had to wait around in the boat until 11.00 am sharp, until we were allowed in the water.  The waiting wasn't ideal, as this is when the old nerves can build up, and as the day was starting to warm up we were starting to boil in our wetsuits.

We were finally told we could pass the timing chips on our wrists over the mat at the back of the boat and jump into the river.

When I first got in I just couldn't get comfortable; in fact for the first five minutes I'd say I was really struggling, doing my best not to panic.  The water was colder than I expected, and I was hyper-ventilating; I don't know if it was from the cold or from the anxiety.  I was finding it hard to get into a rhythm, and took a couple of mouthfuls of water in.

Coughing and spluttering, for a brief moment I thought I wouldn't be able to make it.  One thing Urban Swim had done though was provide volunteer kayakers to help any swimmers in distress, and when I looked up, I could see one who'd noticed me struggling and asked me if I was OK.  Knowing back-up was close by, and it would be VERY hard to drown in a wetsuit, I decided I should do my best to get a grip and try to get my composure back.

Sure enough, after a brief panic about my nose-clip falling off (obligatory in all my swims), I was able to get some rhythm, and slowly but surely the target boat started getting bigger and within reach.

The current in the Hudson is so strong that you wouldn't actually need to take any strokes and you could complete the swim; my final time was 13 mins 23 seconds to cover about 800 metres.  It would have taken me at least double that in a swimming pool, and the fastest swimmer did it in just 8 minutes.

After the swim:  John Nunez, Tessa, Kat, Rachel, Ben

Getting on to the boat proved a bit tricky as I couldn't grab the stairs on the back of the boat, due to the current being so strong, and for about 10 seconds I had nightmarish (and maybe slightly drama-queenish) visions of being sucked under the boat and dying a tragic, premature, watery death, before being hauled out by Rachel and another helper on the back of the boat.

This swim was great preparation for the tri next month.  Even though it was 800 metres, and the tri will be 1600, the important thing is to get used to the feeling nerves before getting into the water, to keep calm when you dive in, and to find your composure as soon as possible so you can be relaxed in your breathing and start concentrating on your stroke.  Fingers crossed, when I get into the Hudson next month, everything will be OK.