The first part of the swim was met with the expected chaos – caught a quick kick to the right temple and an elbow to the ribs but nothing major. Was able to plow around a couple of people (including Gar apparently) and headed straight to the buoy. I noticed during my warm-up that they were a bit crooked and just focused swimming straight toward the yellow turn buoy – good strategy. I was in pretty open water with really no one around – big crowd off to the left following the buoy line.
Still feeling good and swimming straight, I was reminding myself not to follow the purple caps (relay swimmers) as their day was much shorter than mine. Then I made the turn for the long reach down to the turnaround. Immediately I noticed the water moving in a different direction and realized that I was going to need to spot more off the far buoys to save energy. I also know that spotting more equals swimming crooked for me, so I took a quick second to look at my line and figure out where I wanted to be. I managed to not veer too far either way over the course of that leg and realized I was gaining on the lead pack.
It seemed like the further down that leg we went the stronger the crosswind was moving – I started to think that was because of the way the land was shaped (read: big ass hill down toward the lake – does wind have gravity, too?) , once I got out of the water I realized that point in the swim was when all hell started breaking loose in the sky, but that’s later..more swimming first.
Made the turn for the short leg at the far end of the swim course and was swimming basically across the wind. Holy hell did it get choppy quick! I was being pushed around a lot and fighting at almost a 45 degree angle to swim straight. I had waves breaking all the way over my body – not a feeling I’m used to – and actually started to get a little panicky. I had a few moments where I lost all sense of form and realized I was just flailing and not breathing right and was just basically swimming like crap. A few quick pep talks and I was headed back in the right direction and got the form back in line. Turned again to head back down the long stretch and was swimming almost into the wind. My shoulders were starting to feel the stress but I kept reminding myself to do the work under water and relax on the recovery – I was having to pull my hands through really high to clear the chop and that was starting to hurt. The front group had split up a bit and I was gaining on a few of them. I was also having massive problems figuring out where I was headed – it isn’t exactly a straight line and the final turn buoy wasn’t visible given the small mountains that were the waves. I wound up off to the right at one point and only noticed because I was getting caught by a couple of people – that didn’t seem right. So I took a second and realized I was all outta whack and was headed apparently to Arizona (screw your swim course Frank, I want to go this way…the long way to transition, across the lake).
At this point the sun was gone, the wind was howling and I was pretty sure I was swimming up a mountain. A kayaker efficiently herded a couple of us around the last buoy and now we’re headed for home and directly into the wind as it’s howling down a hill almost a mile long….I’m swimming to the right of a couple people (one very efficient male swimmer and a very efficiently drafting relay swimmer) and see this orange cap appear off to my right – he’d managed to cut the last buoy and was headed back into the fray. (I would normally whine about cheating – but not in those conditions, it wasn’t any easier regardless of where you were) For a short time I had a nice little lane lined up, catching a nice side draft from the two on my right and using the schmuck on my left as a guide. Schmuck then promptly closed the lane and swam directly into me (how do I manage to find contact and chaos 2.2 miles into a 2.4 mile swim?!). After a brief tussle he disappeared and I’m pretty sure the other two dropped back and onto my feet. 
Mom’s convinced I was the only person that actually swam straight in off the last buoy – I’m not entirely sure, but I know I spent a long time hauling ass. The wind was blowing so hard (and the water was so clear) that I was looking at the same piece of seaweed for entirely too long and swimming harder than I have in almost 10 years. I finally just got mad and started hammering – made a little bit of progress and suddenly my hand is dragging in the sand. I stand up and immediately realize that it’s cold – WAY colder than it was last time I was standing vertically. Also notice about that time that the wind is hell bent on not letting me out of the water….start plowing through the water and everyone is hooting and hollering – the guy ahead keeps saying 107, 107. I thought he had it wrong – my number was 189. Turns out he was calling my time to me, whodathunkit. Jogged up the ramp and was directed toward T1…what an epic freaking swim – uphill almost all the way. Swim time: 1:07.
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