Sunday, October 1st, 2023

It hurts to write it this but we had a beautiful fall day at Avila beach today.  

It is no longer summer.

The 'shoulder' months in the spring and fall are often our best; no choice between ripping afternoon winds or fog along the beaches, sunny, the beaches and roads are empty of tourists and the weather can be the best. So, I'm working at embracing the colder water and getting into enjoying fall.

At 10:30 Avila was sunny with no clouds and in the low 60's. It was not crowded. There was a light breeze, small waves and the water looked clean. There was enough of a wind to put a small to medium chop on the water. 

Duke and I were on the beach getting ready when Tom Lorish and Jamie got out. They had swum out to the end of the Poly Pier.  Tom's toes told him that the water temperature was 54°.

Duke was aiming for 1000M and I was planning on an easy 2 miles. We got in on the right side of the pier. Duke went out and back around the pier and I found the energy to do two triangles. The chop had a decent push to it and was enough to make each leg a different swim. Fortunately, by starting on the right side going counterclockwise and then doubling back on the same route I had the easiest conditions on the second lap. My thermometer read 56° at the end of the Avila Pier. It felt just like yesterday's 56° to me. 

Afterwards Duke and I hung on the beach for a while. The temperature was prefect with the light breeze.  It could have been nap time but both of us needed to get going on the rest of the day.

I'm panning on swimming Tue., Thurs., and Saturday at 7 and next Sunday at 11.  

I'm getting a COVID booster tomorrow. I've not had a strong reaction to the previous ones but I may not feel like swimming Tuesday morning.  

GH Sports is having their annual 3 Day Sale on this coming Thursday - Saturday. 

Product Review - Orca Wetsuit Sizing

I bought a Orca RS1 Thermal wetsuit about a year and a half ago and just replaced it when they went on sale. I like swimming in their wetsuit. It is very flexible and comfortable.  The feel much better than an XTERRA and the Orca is easier to put on and take off. However, their sizing is wonky. I have been happy with a MT in many Patagonia and XTERRA wetsuits. I checked Orca's height and weight chart and ordered a 6/MT. I swam in it right away and it seemed short in the torso, and observation that Hillary Trout's experience with these wetsuits confirmed. It was hard to get the suit up far enough for the collar to fit right. There are no returns after you have swum in their suits so I pull the legs and the torso up as best I can and deal with it. My new one is a size 7 and fits better but still could be longer in the torso. I compared the Orca 6/MT to my Patagonia MT and from shoulders to crotch the Patagonia suit is 2.5 inches longer than the Orca. The arms are the same length. The Orca is cut more for a gorilla than a triathlete. If you want to try their wetsuits the best sizing information is in the drop down menu where you pick the size of the suit you are ordering. Entering your sex, height and weight in the tool will give you three sizing options with remarks about how each size will fit.

niel