Hamahiga Ocean Swim

Today was the big 3.2k ocean race! We were at the beach of the Hamahigashima Resort for 7 hours. Now, understand that we do live on an island, and things are run on "island time." So, the schedule said that we needed to check in between 8 and 8:45am. It is a small beach and we wanted to make sure that we would be able to claim space to set up for the kids, especially Jessy. We took the kid's old play tent that they got from Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas some years ago so that Jessy would have a place to get out of his chair (without covering himself in sand) and get out of the sun (which worked well-he was the only one who did not get sun-burned.) We had plenty of time for the kids to play at the beach. They enjoyed finding pieces of coral, ryuku glass, and hermit crabs. They also shared their beach toys with some cute Japanese children.





The first race (the 400m) was supposed to start at 9:00. Most people weren't checked in until after 9:00, then they had everyone participate in a beach clean-up prior to starting any of the races. (I liked that idea, they promote conservation and who better to keep it going than those who love the beach and ocean the most.) I lost track of time, so although I know that we didn't start on schedule, I really don't know what time I actually finally got to swim. I was originally scheduled to race at 11:15, but I know it was closer to noon by the time we actually took off. They rearranged the course between the shorter races and longer races to move out the bouys so even my race only had to complete two laps around the circuit. When they moved the 2nd bouy, it was placed around a cove area, so from the start of the race, we couldn't even see it. That was a bit daunting considering the 400/800 course looked so close together. Here is a look of the short course taken from up above on the Resort grounds. The first 2 bouys (parallel to the beach) were the "gate" bouys. Contestants had to swim between those 2 bouys before turning right to go counter-clockwise around the loop. The 400 swimmers went once around, twice around for the 800.



Here we are gathered for the start of the race (and listening to the race instructions in Japanese). A very nice female competitor and her male friend took pity on me and drew a picture of the directions in the sand! Thank you! (Coach Mat was also there to help us. He understands enough Japanese to get the jist of what was being said and pass it on to us.)


The different color caps signified which race you were competing in. Green caps did the 1.6k, I was wearing orange for the 3.2k.
The Start.
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming! For the majority of the race, I was off by myself with a jet skiier popping up beside me every now and then (see the wake?) I truly had lost track of what happened to everyone else. I really believed I was in dead last and that they were worried about this crazy lady who decided to swim a race that was too long and she wasn't prepared for it. Boy was I wrong.

My finish. I wasn't in a rush. I was still convinced I had to be one of the last ones out of the water. I was very surprised when I got up onto the beach (after I had crossed the finish line) and turned around and saw all the orange caps still in various locations on the course. At this point, I still didn't want to think about doing the relay (which was to begin directly after the finish of this race.) But, I went back to sit down with my family, eat some lunch and relax a bit. I love this picture, it is almost the perfect mother's day picture, but Jessy was asleep in the tent.

I had plenty of time to recover. There were still quite a few people finishing the race. Then, they had to reset the course back to the original shorter course for the relay. Here is our relay team (From right to left, Jill, me, Rachel, and Martha.) Jill and Martha also both work for the school district. Martha is a PE teacher at the other middle school (not Greg's, the new one that was just opened this year) and Jill is the autism consultant, so she helps me out from time to time.

The colors of our caps this time signify the swim order. Martha swam first (and is wearing red), Rachel swam second (with the blue cap), Jill 3rd (with yellow) and I wound up with orange for the second time today as I was the anchor of our relay. It was a fun experience to swim on a relay (and I'm not the oldest!) :) There was only one other all female relay. We beat them, but that is the only team we beat. We placed 6th of 7 teams.


Me dressed in my event T-shirt with my certificate (all in kanji). The important parts can be figured out, though. You can read my name (except the "s" is dropped off Haynes. My number (81, which is now tattooed on my arm due to my lovely sunburn), my time, and my place.


I placed 1st in my age-group (40-49) for the 3.2 swim and 4th overall in the female division. I don't know where exactly I placed within the men, but looking at the times of the other American men (and where they placed within their age groups) we can guess that I placed in the top 20 overall. Not bad, if I don't say so myself. I completed the race in 53:30 (but, remember, I walked to the finish thinking I was last. Nothing like wanting to kick yourself in the fanny now. I guess all those years of coaches saying "finish strong" had a reason behind them! Oh well, I won't do that again!


I had an amazing day and I can't wait to do it again! (But, for now, I think I will rest my tired arms and my sunburned body.) By the way, the family had fun, too. They got to go look at the resort and at tide pools, as well as swim in the ocean (which Erika and Michael did not like at first because of the Sea Cucumbers and the grass.)