Ironman Swim

What is the Ironman swim like? It's chaos and crazy and in a weird way beautiful. On top of the water there is nothing but arms and legs and colored swim caps and white water. Below beautiful fish and turtles and the occasional scuba diver flashing a picture. Oh to be able to swim down with the fish where there is ROOM to move!

Kona pier in background. Whitewater = swimmers.

I try to remind myself in Ironman swim starts that nobody is trying to hit me. Or punch me. Or get in my way. It just happens. 2500 nervous people all trying to swim as fast as they can for 2.4 miles = crowded! Paddleboarders are yelling at me to stay to the left. I hear "bubbles, STAY LE . . . bubbles . . . LEFT . . . bubbles".

And at some point (sometimes) the crowd spreads out. And then WHACK, I get smacked on the head again. The super salty water starts to make my skin tingle after a while. And if my suit is chaffing as I head back to the pier it starts to irritate my skin. And then, as quick as it all started, I am scrambling up fake-grass-covered stairs to the little garden-hose-showers. And the ocean becomes calm again. 11 Days!