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Phar lap
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Joined: 20 Jun 2003
Posts: 1006
Location: A flawed Utopia
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 Posted: 01/11/05 - 02:12 Post subject: 25th. Annual Pier to Pub. Worlds largest open water swim
The Pier to Pub began as a casual race among the Lorne surf life savers possibly some 40 years ago. In those early days they would dive off the pier, swim around the point, a distance of 1200 metres, run up the beach and over the road to the pub. Last one home shouted the bar.
The first offical race drew an entry of some 100 swimmers, growing over the next 10 years to where they have to close entries around mid December. This year there were 4,000 entries.
Competitors are sent off at 5 minute intervals acording to age, its always a bit of washing machine at the start.
Even among the silly old bugg@r division, this swim always develops into a contest between the 'tea bag swimmers' (you know, the pool swimmers; dip in, dip out, dip in.) and the shark biscuits - surf swimmers.
Conditions make all the difference. Smooth conditions with a moderate swell give the 'tea baggers' the advantage whereas the 'shark biscuits' prefer a big swell.
Not having a technically correct action I well and truly fit into the 'shark biscuit' division so from the gun I swam off to the side and out a further 30 metres or so, this makes the swim longer but I was trying to take advantage low tide and the increasing swell. You always swim faster if you can get into water moving in your direction also I would be able to cut the corner at the point and possibily pick up a wave to the beach.
The decision to go wide as it turned out was the right one, as I came round the point I could feel the waves building behind me. 50 metres to the beach I flipped over onto my back catching my breath and waiting for a wave to build. Let the first one go - waiting for just the right one. Then turning back over swam as hard as I could- kick hard, and swim down the wave - hold you body as stiff as possible. YOU LITTLE BEAUTY!!! Held the wave to 10 metres off the beach. Start to run. Desprate for a blood shunt to the legs; there's nothing there. Stumble, stumble, crash - do a face plant in the sand. On my feet again and charge over the timing gate. YOU BEAUT!!!
Now for all that I couldn't tell you what was my time or finishing place. I can tell you I have swam this race every year for the past 13 years and my times vary as much as 8 minutes. It is all about the conditions.
So standing in the bar of the Lorne Pub and knocking down a frothy top with 800 or so other swimmers, I'm asked what time did you swim?
As I have said before you run/swim for the running
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<------frothy top!!
That's right, it's summer for you now!!
