On Saturday I competed my first open water race!
It was a 5k swim in Keystone State Park’s lake. The course was a large 1k loop around buoys; 5 laps = 5k. My dad also decided to swim the race with me!! Registration was from 8:15AM-10:15AM
(Ignore my sleepy state of dress and my sloppy whiteish hair)
My dad and I decided to do this race the day before it was held. We were really excited because it was The Children’s Hospital’s first annual charity open water swim! We had to raise $100 dollars (each) and pay a $75 entry fee. LUCKILY my dad’s company sponsored us! SCORE!
We all had to get a number on our arm and wear a certain color swim cap. Green caps for individual swimmers and orange for relay teams.
I am very proud that my dad can swim 3 miles! It must have been all of that swimming in the Navy 😉
We warmed up about 50 minutes before the race. I was so happy the water was warm! It was so strange to not be able to see the bottom of the lake but I got used to it quickly.
The race director was the 833 person to swim the English Channel! I talked to him for a bit and he was so humble and excited about this charity event. Guess who else was there?! Jimmy!!! My boyfriend is so awesome for always coming to see me race 🙂
Love. Him.
After some safety briefings, all of the swimmers entered the water for a floating start because the lake bed is filled with rocks. Some people were intimidating because they had full wet suits on but when I race, I focus on competing with myself. The race director blew a whistle and we were off!
Yes, their was some kicking and roughness but thankfully it calmed down after everyone spread out.
Open water swimming is a lot harder than swimming in a pool but I enjoyed it! I had a hard time sighting all of the buoys because the sun was in my eyes. I didn’t stop once and I didn’t swim any stroke but freestyle. I saw a few glimpses of my dad along the way when I lapped him (lol!) and he always yelled “Hi!!”.
I swam the 5k in 1 hour and 23 minutes. I placed 5th overall and second in my age group. 
(We had to slap the buoy and call out our race # when we were done)
My dad hadn’t swam in a while-he finished in 2 hours and 40 minutes. He came in last place but he didn’t give up!! He also placed 3rd in has age group. Go dad!
I’m so glad we were able to do this race together and for a good cause! Wahooo!!!
Living My Full Life 
Oooh how fun! I bet that was really neat to race with your dad, y’all are awesome 🙂
That looks like so much fun! I wish I could get back into swimming! And congrats on doing that with your Papa! That’s awesome! 🙂
You are a fast swimmer! My goodness if I could only swim that far I would be proud, but your speed is awesome! It’s great that your Dad raced too! I really want to get my Dad into swimming or biking because he can’t run, yet I think he would love racing.
congrats to everyone!
Thanks!!
Well done to you and your dad! 🙂
Awesome job on the race girl!! I’ve never done an open water swim before, but it looks like fun!
Aww, thanks!!!
You go girl!!! This is one of my biggest fears … sort of. The thought of open water freaks me out. You did so awesome! Congrats to you and your dad 😀
You could totally do an open water swim! I know you are a swimmer girl 🙂
Ahh this is such a great post, you go girl! Congratulations on such this event, open water races are scurrryyy!
AMAZING! i would probably drown. swimming, or learning to swim is on my to do list
You did so awesome girl! I could not imagine swimming in lake but it seems like so much fun seriously. I’ll come tag along next year. I love that you and your dad do races too. Twinnies!
I love that you and your dad did this together! That’s fabulous! 🙂 Kudos to both of you. And you and Jimmy are too cute together!
That is awesome! I love the picture of you and your dad in the swim caps.
I think open water swimming (in a race) sounds kinda scary. You get major cajones points girl!
Congratulations to both of you! Open water swimming sounds super scary and a 5K is a pretty long distance, so awesome that you guys did this and for a great cause :).
A.L.
Awww, thanks!
Your dad is amazing swimming 3 miles when he hasn’t been swimming. That’s hard!! And of course you did amazing as usual. I forgot to mention… I was a gymnast back in the day too. Go us!
Yay, a fellow gymnast!!!
That is awesome! I too am scared to swim in open water…but may attempt a sprint tri for the first time next month in a lake. By the way, I love that you swim with your dad. How cool! You are both incredibly talented!
Good thing no lake sharks got you because there is obviously such a thing.
Haha.
You’re brave. I could never swim in a lake. At least not far out.
You are so adorable! Congrats on your finish. It’s awesome that your dad joined you – I am trying to get my dad to sign up for a race with me 🙂
P.S. What a GREAT cause!
You are so active, and that’s a great cause. Congratulations!
Wow! You got a FAST time–WOOP WOOP!! Awesome cause, too 🙂
That is amazing that you swam with your dad for a good cause! Nice final time, too–you are speedy!!
Wow!!!! Congrats to you, that´s a major success!!! I really admire you, yesterday I swam 1 km and fell like dying, so you are my hero 🙂
SO awesome! Congrats! I have so much respect for anybody who can swim long distances. Congrats to your dad as well. You and Jimmy are absolutely adorable!