I am a frequent visitor to HNL. I recommend a first-class facility: Pacific Ocean.

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Where would you want to swim ?

Open water swims at Ala Moana or Kaimana Beach.

Check link to C&C parks: http://www.honolulu.gov/...ctivities/swpool.htm

I usually hit Manoa or Palolo pool(LCM). Close to Waikiki, 5-10min drive. Call them for times, usually 11am to 5pm. Also evening hours. Free.

Pray for sun. Its been windy,overcast, raining this past week.

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The true Master does not wish to lead,
Nor does he wish to follow.
He only wishes to place himself
Where he is needed most.

Yeah, I was waiting for someone to say that. I actually need a pool for a couple of workouts, however.

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Shawn
TORRE Consulting Services, LLC
http://www.TORREcs.com

There are actually two concrete pool-like, 'quadrangles' in the ocean right on the main downtown beach in waikiki. Unless you need to swim some very exact distance, you can do any workout you can think of there. I have done many.

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Where would you want to swim ?

Cool, I'll check'em out.

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Shawn
TORRE Consulting Services, LLC
http://www.TORREcs.com

Any idea what the ocean temp is or might be race day?

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Shawn
TORRE Consulting Services, LLC
http://www.TORREcs.com

Around 78' I would say. You are staying about a 3 minute walk from the course of the Honolulu Triathlon. Just swim the actual course.

Aloha,

Larry

There is a good Masters program at the University of Hawaii, http://www.uhmastersswimming.com/index.html

Raul Torres aka Boca runs a free workout @ Palolo pool on Monday and Wednesday evening. I think that the start time is either 6:45 or 7:00. You can call his shop at 591-9839 for accurate information. There are reasonably quick tri types at this work out--occasionally you can catch Tai there.

The Honolulu Tri course is a short walk from your Hotel. It is roughly 375 meters. The break waters on either end and the protective reef leave it relatively calm. Towards downtown is Ala Moana beach park. It is roughly 1000 meters from the Diamond head end to the white pole at the Ewa end. The distance between the middle pole and the Ewa end pole is a reasonably accurate 500 meters. You will find a large number of local triathletes working out here in the early A.M. and after work.

If you plan to swim off of Waikiki (which will give you the opportunity to see a whole bunch of marine life) remember to wear a bright cap. There are plenty of kayakers, outrigger and one man canoes and a few boats that you will be sharing the ocean with.

Last year wetsuits were allowed. If the weather stays the same as this past week, it'll be wetsuit legal (barely). Bring'em just in case. If they allow it, I'll be wearing them again. I need all the help I can get.

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The true Master does not wish to lead,
Nor does he wish to follow.
He only wishes to place himself
Where he is needed most.

Nah, going to leave them at home. This is a prep for FL 1/2 IM, so I want to swim in a warm water, non-wetsuit race. Hopefully the water will warm up a little over the next couple of weeks. Thanks to everyone for the tips, looking forward to it.

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Shawn
TORRE Consulting Services, LLC
http://www.TORREcs.com

You'll enjoy the race. Can you bring some old Kayanos size 12.5 2E you might have laying around and want to get rid of?

Aloha,

Bryant, Asics wearer for over five years;)

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The true Master does not wish to lead,
Nor does he wish to follow.
He only wishes to place himself
Where he is needed most.

Hey Shawn, There are a good number of places to swim depending on what you are looking for.

Sounds like you want a pool versus the ocean (can't imagine you'll have any problems finding the ocean...). If you want a coached masters workout the University of Hawaii Masters program is probably your best bet and only a few miles from Waikiki. We are ususally in a 50m pool but sometimes get kicked into the diving well if the water polo team is practicing. Think it'll be long course when you're here. Workouts are at 5:30am, 6:00pm, and 7:15pm M-TH, 5:30am & 6:00pm on Fri. Usually around 4,000 yd wokouts. The 6:00pm is pretty crowded butr that's my favorite tiem to go.

You can also check out the Palolo Pool which is a nice 50m public pool about 2 miles farther than UH. IT's usually rec swim and they don't have lane lines or a heater. Yes it's Hawaii but sometimes it can be damn cold. A local tri-coach, Raul Boca (www.bocahawaii.com) puts on a free masters swim (25m) on M & W 6:45pm. Shorter workouts rarely over 2500 but he's a great guy and it's fun. If not the pool is open most nights, if you want to check out the swim times PM me and I'll get you a phone #.

For the ocean, Ala Moana beach has a great 2,000m protected course but the water quality isn't that great. Nice though, no waves and it's parralles to shore along the beach. 1,000 down, 2,000 down and back.

Kaimana or San Succi beach as it's often called is down at Kapiolani Park on the Diamond Head end of Waikiki. Head along the road closest to the ocean towards Diamond Head. The Park will be on your left, beach on your right. You'll see an aquarium on your right about a quarter mile into the park, right after the Aquarium is a small beach where they start the Honolulu Rough Water 2.4mile (original Ironman) swim and where the Honolulu Tri was last year. Great swimming although most of us just swim a couple of hundred yards out in the channel to a windsock that serves as a channel marker. Out and back 3 or 4 times is a great workout and you'll find lots of swimmers and tri-guys out there. Right before the Aquarium is Queen's beach where this year's Honolulu Tri will be. I'd rather swim at Kaimana but Queens is very protected and about 400m long.

Just did the Lavaman in Kona and got to race against the Canadian natl team and a bunch of other pros. Damn those guys can run! I got a couple of them but I need to work on my run big time. It was a great tune up for Honolulu though. I sure hope they don't allow wetsuits this year at Honolu, it's Hawaii for gods sake.