Big Week Ahead

Very early on Monday morning I am leaving for a week in San Francisco. The main purpose of the trip is to get experience in real, cold ocean (i.e. salt) water. Each day I will do at least one swim, and hopefully two swims on a few of the days. I will also do my official six hour qualifying swim in "the Cove" (i.e. San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park - a reserved breakwater area that is wonderful for swimming). The Q swim, as the qualifying swim is known, has to be in water of 60 degrees or less (the water temp there is 58 today), and under Channel rules: no wetsuit or other insulation, no assistance other than food given to you, etc. The six hours shouldn't be too much of a stretch now, but if the conditions are rough that could make it interesting. I am also going to hire a kayaker one day to go outside the Cove into San Francisco Bay proper, to experience "real waves." That should be interesting. Anyway, the week will be fabulous training and I am looking forward to seeing how I do in salt water.