August 31, 2006 Dix Hills 50 Meter Outdoor Pool

Problem: The "Y" Pool was closed and it had rained for the past week so OWS at West Neck Beach was certainly "at your own risk".

Solution: Swim at the Dix Hills 50 Meter Outdoor Pool.


Thanks to Jean and Bob for setting it up -- some of us were getting a bit "water deprived"!

Next year we'll be trying out for a synchronized swim team.

Joe arrived a bit later than the 6:30am start but managed to get in a good swim.

Before you ask... the answer is NO. Bob did not do a full 50 meter Butterfly Lap, he just swam a bit for this "action" picture -- though I do admit to asking for several re-takes! Hee Hee.

Good Elbow position from Chris O. and check out his hand entry form... it's picture perfect.

Early Morning At Dix Hills Pool: 8/31/06

Air temperature was 62 degrees. But, NOBODY wanted to know what the water temperature was after a week of rain and NO sunlight to heat the pool.


No matter what the temperature was, you could see from one side of the pool to the other -- and this is a 50 Meter Pool -- talk about room for swimming!

Bob shows some near perfect stroke work. Want more underwater "stroke" shots? See below.

Underwater "Stroke Evaluation" Pictures From Dix Hills: 8/31/06

It really isn't as sunny, (ie. WARM) as it looks! It is amazing what you can do in Photoshop.

This is a great group of photos to use to check out stroke form. Chris V is above.

And, above is Ken -- a regular West Neck OWS'er trying out Huntington's ONLY 50 meter pool.

Thanks to Bob for my picture above. Now if I, (Mike), could only learn to swim and take pictures at the same time...

Scott or is it Ken (?) shows some really good extension. Maybe that's the secret of fast swimming!

Results: Vytra-Tobay Tri August 20 2006

In the Individual Age Group Category of Male 45 -49:

Harry took a FIRST Place with an overall time of 1:07:27 (Harry’s Swim time was 16:47)

Harry was also awarded TOP Male Master (40 and over)!

Don took a THIRD Place with an overall time of 1:13:43 (Don’s Swim time was 16:42)

Richard Y. finished 18th out of 108 with an overall time of 1:17:00 (Rich’s Swim time was 19:01)

Tim S. finished 46th out of 108 with an overall time of 1:25:16 (Tim’s Swim time was 16:56)

In the Individual Age Group Category of Male 60 -64, Armand took a THIRD Place (out of 14) with an overall time of 1:29:12 (Armand’s Swim time was 22:25)

In the Individual Age Group Category of Female 40 -44, Lynn took a SECOND Place (out of 53) with an overall time of 1:14:49 (Lynn’s Swim time was 15:37)

In her most impressive Tri to date, Lynn was 4th Overall Female! (in EVERY Age Group) Way to go Lynn!

In the TEAM CATEGORY of Family, Rich and son Austin took FIRST Place with an overall time of 1:14:35. (Rich’s Swim time was 17:20)

In the TEAM CATEGORY of Sibling, Joe, Steven and David C took FIRST Place with an overall time of 1:20:34. (Joe’s Swim time was 18:32)

The OVERALL TEAM WINNER was Team Bike Junkie with Rob R., Ned and Adam with an overall time of 1:01:32. (Rob’s Swim time was 15:38)

In the TEAM CATEGORY of Mixed 140-179,

Huntington swept to victory in both FIRST and SECOND Place. Bob’s team took first in an overall time of 1:09:59 (Bob’s Swim time was 17:56) followed closely by Mike’s team with an overall time of 1:15:13 (Mike’s Swim time was 16:41). One special note on Bob’s Team, his biker, James D. turned in the 5th fastest bike time of the day (25:58) with an average of 21.5 MPH!

I know that I’ve missed a FEW people, (including Jim), but I am getting older and my eyesight isn’t what it used to be (thank goodness – for those who remember all my eye operations!) – please pass along any results that should be included and I’ll be happy to add them.

Congratulations to all and enjoy the pictures below.

Mike

To the Victor Go the Spoils

... and apparently Teddy Roosevelt as well!

2006 Vytra-Tobay Triathlon & Tri Relay

The 2006 Vytra-Tobay Triathlon & Tri Relay was held on Sunday, August 20, 2006. I'm not sure of the exact number of atheletes who participated but one announcement said that there were over 1,400! Which based on the "Sea of Bikes" pictured below is probably pretty much right on the money. If you had left your house between 5 and 6am on Sunday morning, it certainly did not look ideal for a race. In fact, at times, it was pouring. It rained hard enough to leave fairly large puddles throughout the transition area but by race time, the sky began to clear and the course dried out fairly well. Except for the Swim, of course, which really had ideal conditions.

As usual, Bob pulled together another winning team as his relay pictured below took a First Place in their age group. But, if you get the chance, ask him if he beat the swimmer of the relay team that took Second in that same division. (Sorry Bob, I just couldn't resist!)

And, talk about your "usual suspects", check this happy trio below. Left to right, it's Tim, Jim and Rich (hiding under that Nike cap).

It's all in the transition... or is it?

Ok.. so its not ALL in the transition. You still have to Swim, Bike and Run -- but a good, (FAST), transition never hurts in the 2006 Vytra-Tobay Triathlon & Tri Relay.


But, before you can get to the transition you have to get out of the water. Is this part Swim or Transition? Mike's not sure, he's just running!

Don's approaching in perfect transition form but from here it takes teamwork.

Husband and wife team, Don and Ellie show some excellent Transition Teamwork in switching the chip from bike to run. Mike, the Swimmer on this Second Place 2006 Team (up from Third Place in 2005) does what he does best... he stays out of the way and takes a few pictures!

Take a look in the upper right hand corner of this picture... isn't that Rob R. and Bob M. engaged in some "after swim race" chatter?

More Pictures from Tobay Tri: 8/20/06

Jim was there!
A Father and Son Duo but Dad Rich let his Son take BOTH the Bike and Run leg!

Rich was there!

Don was there!

August 16 2006: A Picture Perfect OWS

Can you tell me that this isn't a "picture perfect" morning for an open water swim? Of course not! There were a few puffy clouds in the sky. The air temp was around 66 degrees but with NO wind at all, it certainly was very comfortable. And the water -- just look, not a wave or ripple to be found ant the water temperature was around 70 degrees. Best of all, it was high tide, so the walk to the water would be short and relatively rock free!

Rob, Ken and Chris have put their wetsuits on and are ready to hit the water off West Neck Beach. Did you notice the hand on the upper left of the photo?

It belongs to a late arrival, Nancy -- this comment is not intended to add any fuel to the debate that men are always waiting for women but...


Chris relaxes in the shallows. BTW, any picture of me in it is thanks to Chris for taking over some of the camera duties. Now if I could only get Rich H to start writing some of these entries!

Ken and Mike at the end of a very enjoyable swim. The first half swim to the yellow buoy was a bit longer than the return leg as the tide was going out but as you can see the water was VERY calm!

Last One Out Of The Water - August 16 2006

Mike is on his way in... OK, it is a bit of a posed picture since I had to run up the beach and get my camera, come back down to the water, hand the camera to Chris, swim out a bit and then swim back in toward the beach -- (thank goodness it was high tide and most of the "run up the beach" was on sand and not rocks!).

Nancy "shows off' her most recent biking scar. And you thought sharks were dangerous! (Note: "shows off' is probably not the best description but I couldn't think of anything better).

Nancy and Ken are engaged in a post swim chat. (Any comments on Ken and chatting? -- I kind of like it as I don't have to think of anything to talk about -- i can always rely on Ken!)

Rob was the "last one out of the water" but who can blame him on an Open Water Swim day that was as beautiful as August 16, 2006 was! We'll all pack this one up in our memories and bring it out some cold and snowy Winter Morning. You've been warned... come on out soon and make some Open Water memories of your own!

Cove to Cove Swim: July 23 2006

It was a grey and dreary Sunday morning in July for a swim in the Hudson River especially since the radio was proclaiming that the sun was out in Manhattan while we were driving in on the LIE.

It was warm when we left Huntington around 7AM but by the time we arrived at the Hudson River and the North Cove Yacht Harbor at the World Financial Center in Battery Park City, the weather had turned for the worse. The wind coming off Hudson was almost chilly and then the rain started. Not a downpour but an annoying drizzle. Ah well, I was going to get wet anyway and my Support Group remained happy. It was time to get on line and start swimming!

The cool air had one BIG plus... the water felt pretty good. No cold shock jumping in today!

No one, myself included was dressed for cool weather.

Kuddos to my large 3-person support group. Yolie, Tawni and Mike. They kept my spirits up -- line after line after line, till I finally got to swim the Cove to Cove Swim, just one of the Summer Swim & Aquathlon events for NYC Swim 2006.

Aquathlon you say -- who would do that? Read on as I meet one of our "old" Huntington Swim Team family members.

An "Old" Friend is Found

I went to lower Manhattan thinking I wouldn't know anybody -- hence the large 3-person support group. So there I am, wandering around in my usual pre-race daze when I hear "Mike!" and there -- not ten feet away was Joan!

She was entered in the Freedom Tower Aquathlon. The same 1/2 mile swim in the Hudson but followed by a 3 mile run. Way to go Joan! And it is always great to bump into "old" friends. Joan sends her regards to all of you and was way to polite to ask why YOU weren't there.

Carol Conquers The 5K In The Bay: July 2006

Happy, Proud, and Strong

What could be better after finishing your first 5K in the Bay

5K -- Now that's an OWS! (Open Water Swim). Congratulations Carol on your awesome 2nd place finish in your age group. Carol said "I came in 33rd out of 38swimmers -- not too shabby for my first attempt! Next year I'll swim it as a race!" We'll be waiting.

Here's more of what Carol had to say about her swim in a recent email: "Photographic evidence attached! Note the head-down,-elbow-high,-feet-not-breaking-the-water form!" (Editors Note: See the 4th picture).

June 21 2006 OWS: The First Day of Summer!

Summer is here and the living is easy!

And so is the Open Water Swimming!

June 21 2006 OWS: Tim Eats His Goggles

June 21 2006 OWS -- What a group!

Well, it can't be too cold as everybody

is taking off their wetsuits IN the water!

The picture above is AFTER our swim. The picture below is BEFORE the swim... but notice that we already have lots of daylight at around 6:30am -- nothing like swimming on the first day of Summer and the longest day of the year.

June 21 2006 OWS -- Boys At Play