Open waters swimming...

In a tri race, swimming is the first event and for most beginners, it's the hardest and most feared part; especially for me. Well, I've gone from swimming like an elephant to a water hippo :D. Last weekend I went to do a pre-race simulation - meaning I did cycling, running and swimming - at Barton Springs. My supervisor told me that I should try to swim in open waters first before the race so I won't freak out during race day and so I did, at Barton Springs Pool.

It's a natural pool whereby the pool is filled by spring waters and its temperature is maintained at a cold 22 Celsius during summer. That's colder than most offices are and the pool is not only "blessed" with cold waters but also water plants and fishes. And did I mention that it's DARK and DEEP. The deepest part is 6 metres deep and it's dark there. The first time I put on my goggles and started swimming, I panicked! I'm so used to swimming in swallow bright swimming pools that I freaked out when I swam among plants and fishes in extremely cold and dark waters.

As I managed to control myself from shouting for help and continued with my swim, many dark things started to go through my mind. Here's an example: Would I find a badly decomposed body? Would the scary fungus coated plants becomes alive and grab my legs?

And this is another thing that scares me; sometimes when I was swimming, the water would become warm then after a while and almost suddenly becomes extremely cold. Of course I know why it was that way (shaded area are colder than non-shaded area) but reasoning doesn't get into your mind when you're at the edge of fear...

So yea, I'm still here and even managed to get 20+ minutes of swimming before I had to run then ride back home. I have never been so afraid like this in a long time but I had to what I have to do... I don't have time for fear...