Race Report:

Lake Berryessa, June 5, 1999

Executive Summary: 2 miles (half a league) in 50:59. About a minute slower than what I was shooting for, but still a pretty good swim for me, despite what was maybe the most crowded open-water swim I've done. Greg (age 10) did his first open water swim (500 yds), and Carol placed 5th in her division in the 1-mile swim. Most amusing part of the day was when an entire wave of the 1-mile section swam the wrong way. All in all, a very fun day.

Longer version, with apologies to Al Tennyson:

Charge of the Swim Brigade
a tale of the 2-mile, over 40 division at the Lake Berryessa swim

Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the river of froth
Swam the six hundred.

"Forward, old swimmers!
Charge for Goat Island! " he said:
Into the river of froth
Swam the six hundred.

"Forward, old swimmers!"
Was there a stroke disturbed?
Not though the swimmers knew
Some one had blundered:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to swim and try:
Into the river of froth
Swam the six hundred.

Elbows to the right of me!
Elbows to the left of me!
Kicking in front of me!
Pummeled and pounded;
Stormed at with splash and swell,
Boldly I swam and well,
Into the freezing cold lake,
Into the water ski wake
Swam the six hundred.

Flashed all their shoulders bare,
Flashed as their hands split the air Propelling the swimmers there,
Charging a navy, while
All the world wondered.
Plunged in the faltering stroke
Right through the waves they broke
Forty and over.
Reeled from the towering waves,
The markers they rounded.
Then they swam back, all, yes all,
All the six hundred.

Elbows to the left of me!
Elbows to the right of me!
Kicking on top of me!
Pummeled and pounded;
Stormed at with splash and swell,
While swimsuit and goggles fell,
They that had swam so well
Came through the shores of oak,
Back from the bottoms of swells,
Giving all that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild splashing they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made!
Honor the Swim Brigade,
Tired six hundred!