Review of Midmar Mile - 08 February 2015

Sport Swimming Race
Event Midmar Mile
Date 08 February 2015
Where Howick, South Africa
Distance 1.6 Km
Finishing Time 00:47:15
Race Number 8514
Result 1253/1575
Top % 80%
Pace 29:32 m/km
Speed 2.03 km/h
Click here for details about Midmar Mile
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My experience at the event:

After two crap events in succession (the xterra lite in Buffelspoort, where I broke my bike , and the marathon in Ottosdal, when I ended up cramping), it was time to complete for the first time the biggest swimming race in the planet: the Midmar Mile.

Swimming is slowly becoming my favorite individual sport, even if I'm still very bad at it. Over the past year, thanks to the lessons I'm taking, my style has improved a lot, and so my stamina (I don't get that tired at all), but speed remains a concern, it's something I don't seem to be able to crack.

After driving to Howick with Lindsey (and staying as usual at Shari), we got at the Midmar Mile in time to fetch my number for my Sunday's race (there are 4 races each day of the weekend, some crazy people take part in all 8 of them!). Unfortunately someone died (drowned) during the Saturday even, so Sunday's races were a little overwhelmed by emotions. A lot of first timers like me decided to swim with safey devices attached to them. I didn't. I felt confident and just a little sad because it always sucks when someone dies during a sport event that is supposed to bring joy to contestands and supporters.

The organization of the race was incredible, and the course was quite easy: swim straight from point A to point B, 1 mile in total. We were constantly surrounded by life savers, and, after letting everyone go ahead at the start of my race, I simply run into the water and focused on my stroke.
Sure, sometimes I did not go straight at all.  But after 47 minutes I was emerging quite happy (and not too tired) from the murky waters.

Details of the race here:  http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/692853722

Some pictures here:

Saturday's races
Race on saturday

Next morning: time to race
All ready

I'm ready!
Ready to swim

My medal
My first mile

Midmar mile: completed
It's over!

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