It Never Rains in Santa Barbara (6/30/01)
But it fogs, it fogs. All pictures (see below) show bundled up oceanswimmers questioning their sanity just prior to the Santa Barbara One Mile. Today's the Three Mile, next weekend's the Six Mile (!) and where am I? You've got it – safely at home, doing some statistics (what fun!), and pondering a hottub soak. That Santa Barbara fog is hard to get out of one's bones. But as usual, I am getting ahead of myself.
Having earlier in the week received word that my homestead website would now cost money (the things I do for SCAQ!), I needed companionship and encouragement to brave the notoriously cold Santa Barbara One Mile. Fortunately, triathletes John J. and Richard E. had the same brilliant idea, separately I should point out (great minds and all that), of riding their bikes back after the swim. Yes, I know, you cannot imagine it. Anyway, they needed a chauffer, and what's ten years of college good for anyway? So I volunteered. Fortunately again, Jenny Cook needed a lift and graciously agreed to ride shotgun with me home.
We arrived at the swim and surveyed the scene. First, there were many young folks, children really, high-school/college types that looked fast, fast, fast. That did not bode well. Second, the water looked cold and the sun was nowhere to be seen. Again, no boding well at all. I took several pictures prior to the race with Loree's camera (click on the topic to see the pics that depict the gray and overcast sky rather too realistically):
Our fearless leader and Shannon Sullivan (nice to see Shannon again!) working hard to set up prior to the race.
The dynamic trio of Jenny, John J. and Richard.
After the race, I was shaking too bad to take any pictures, so I will just report the results. As always, go to swim.net and click the link at the bottom for full and accurate reporting. Alex, though he had expressed dismay that his archrival (me!) was in the field, produced another Kostich amazing upset and came in numero uno. He was closely followed by a local high-school woman, and then by our very own Dawn Heckman. Wow. Bart, a local guy in a Mac-imitation full suit, was quickly over the finish line in 8th (see more below). Jenny wowed the crowd by shivering in for 17th and continuing her rise to the top. Our famous triathlete duo John and Richard smashed home at 23rd and 25th respectively, and 3rd and 2nd respectively in their respective age-groups (I think I need a Thesaurus). Pat Dixon, who cleverly wore two caps (I should have followed his lead), was next for the SCAQer crew at 28th. Barbara Held, now local to Santa Barbara, did manage to make it over to the correct beach in time for the race (she had sat for some time at another beach just North, wondering where everyone else was) – and finished a strong 30th. I noticed several other brave SCAQers on the finish lists as well – Randi Grush, Tracy Luebbers, and Jean Wood. Congrats to all.
Kathy Mann and I finished together and agreed that while the rectangular course seemed clear enough from the shore, having the buoys and the race swimcaps the exact same color was probably detrimental to navigation. While Kathy by herself was more than enough reward for our two-hour commute, the fact she knew where the warm lifeguard showers were really endeared her to our hearts. We all recovered slightly, scoffed down all kinds of free protein bars and caffeine-zapper drinks, and our favorite triathletes took off down the coast. We three women, exhibiting slightly more sense (at least we thought so), retired to a local hotspot for breakfast, accompanied by 8th-place Bart and his better half Nancy. The oatmeal revived Kathy enough to go right back to the beach for a biathlon, Jenny enough so that she promised to do the three mile today, and me enough to write this report.
If anyone would like to submit a SB Three Mile report, just email it on in. July 4 promises an UNofficial oceanswim practice at 7:30am and 9am (two groups promised at this point -send email if you're interested) down at the Manhattan Beach Pier or you can race at Coronado. Stay tuned as the oceanswim season heats up oceanswimming buddies; at least let's hope future race spots are more heated up than Santa Barbara!