Summer colds, wet suit woes, and tough triathlon decisions

I’m struggling with wet suit decisions about the triathlon in Kincardine next week. The water is cold and I don’t like the cold. I could channel my inner seal but I  don’t think that will work.

Tracy’s post about wet suits (and other aspects of clothing choices) makes her decisions clear. My daughter isn’t wearing a wet suit. I think she wants to do the whole thing in a bikini and bare feet! I wrote about the marshmallow foot cushions that pass for modern running shoes but I think she’s more taken with barefoot aesthetics and the experience of it.  She’s also by temperament into gear minimalism and frugality. Good character traits for a university student and outdoor adventurer.

I really don’t want to swim in a wetsuit for the first time the day of. That was the mistake I made last time. Here’s where I say that I will be sure to do some lake swimming in advance in a wet suit. (Yikes. Oh well.) Swimming in a wetsuit is different. I really enjoyed reading Adventures in open water swimming #4: Of wetsuits and jellyfish about the experience. But my problems are all practical. I can’t afford to buy one, given other life choices I’ve made (hello rowing, hello Crossfit) and the range of rental sizes doesn’t seem to include me.

I thought maybe I’d work on getting faster. I’m a very slow swimmer, last out of the water last time (of the people who finished and weren’t rescued) but I’ve been battling a summer cold that’s made breathing tricky. Breathing is my big challenge with swimming at the best of times. I’m not getting faster.

So at the end of the day I may choose not to do this triathlon with Tracy. If that happens I’ll try to do one at summer’s end when the water is warmer, I’ve gotten smaller (ha!) or a wet suit that fits has fallen in my lap.

I’ll let you know what I decide to do. I’m not particularly anxious about it and either way I’ll be there to cheer on Tracy, my daughter, and Tracy’s friend Tara. It’s a fun event. And I’ve done it twice before and I can do it again in the future even if this time doesn’t work out.