Open Water Swimming in Colorado

I guess the travel, the swimming, and the many social activities over the weekend with their accompanying accumulated sleep depravation took their toll. Since I've been waking up consistently at 5am for months, I thought I didn't need to set my alarm clock Monday night. This morning I woke up at 5:50am and realized that, at best, I could make it to practice 10 minutes late. I decided to catch an extra hour of sleep and hit an evening practice.

An hour and half later and better rested, I threw my swim gear in the back of my Hummer and headed to work. (BTW, if you ever rent from Thrifty, choose the "wildcard" car option. Apparently, you can sometimes get a Hummer for the price of a compact. A word of caution though: the Colorado Highway Patrol tend to notice quickly moving BRIGHT RED HUMMERS more than the average vehicle, but that is a story for a different blog.)

On Monday night I had discovered that the former Highlands Ranch Master's coach, Matt Beck, had started an open water swimming program on Bowles Reservior in Littleton. I left work at 5 and headed to the Grants Ranch Clubhouse situated on the lake's shore. I immediately found the coaches, Pete and Steve of Mile High Multisports, who showed me the locker room and the way to the Lake.


I started my swim at 5:30. The water was glassy and the top 2 feet of water was high 60s. A 1500m open water course had been laid out so I did 3 laps and a short loop on my own while the coaches keeping watch from the shore. I guess the crowds start coming after Memorial day. The simple set consisted of:

1. 1 loop (1500m) swim
2. 1 poorly sighted loop (1600m) pull
3. 1 loop (1500m) pull w/fins
4. 1 out and back (500m) swim
   =5,100 m (5,575 yards or 3.2 miles)

I finished before 7pm and felt great. It is a little wierd swimming alone in a fresh, still-water lake, but it was also nice not to worry about waves, sharks and jellyfish.