Anyone race the Hansen Dam triathlon?
The swim portion is in their “recreational lake”. Right next to the “recreational lake” is their “swim lake”. The reality is the swim lake is just a giant pool so they shouldn’t really call it a lake cause it’s very confusing to people like me trying to find out if I can go TT the 500m loop in the “recreational lake” (which I discovered I cannot).
All that said, do any of you train for open water swims in the “swim lake” (the POOL) since the real lake is not open for swimmers except on race day? It’s a 120m (I have been told 150m by a local) length open water pool with no lanes, but 2 lines painted for lane swimming.
Here’s an article about this facility: http://swimminginla.tumblr.com/post/1062351879/hansendam
I completed the 2012 Hansen Dam triathlon. This is a man made lake. I know how to swim, just not competitively. I began training in May at the El Cariso pool in Sylmar and was told 10 laps would get me 500 meters. After two laps, I went home and took a nap. I have a friend who was a swim coach years ago and she critiqued and videod my swim which helped immensely. I worked my way up to 10 laps easily (over a period of time) got my speed up too. I am not a fast swimmer. I did some open water training in Lake Powell in July and felt confident.
The race folks were going to have a practice swim for those who were interested the week before the race, but the water was polluted (by the fish?) and we were not allowed in. They also offered wetsuit rentals for race day and instructions of suiting up/out. Park people set up a kinda course in the large pool adjacent to the lake, but in the shallow end its about ankle deep.
Race day the lake passed muster for people. With that many people 600-700?, it was crowded in the water especially when I’m in the almost last wave where all females were staged. First waves were already coming out of the water. You wade into the water down a ramp and try to get on plane with many arms and legs in your way who are moving way too slow. The traffic thins, and I found my rhythm, started going too far left (no lane lines) got a visual on the bouy, and it got much better heading for the other bouys.
I’m doing the 2014 relay tri. I’m the swimmer part of the team, so if I’m going back into the water, you know its OK by me. Team Name 3GOTTA TRI.