END-WET 2013

Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
edited November 2014 in Event Announcements
Registration for this year's END-WET swim (26.7 miles in North Dakota), is now open.

Register here: http://www.endracing.com/end-wet

-LBJ

“Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

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Comments

  • ForeverSwimForeverSwim Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaCharter Member
    This is a great marathon swim, and I HIGHLY recommend the challenge!
    It is very reasonably priced at only $250, and well run by a great staff of passionate endurance athletes. The people of Grand Forks, ND and Oslo, MN are very kind - I promise you will not be disappointed. If I did not plan to be out of the country at the swim date, there is no doubt I would be back in North Dakota again!

    www.darren-miller.com
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania U.S.A.

  • ChickenOSeaChickenOSea Charter Member
    Omg thanks for reminding me! I was so mad I didn't hear about it last year because I had a "floating downstream" theme...
  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    edited January 2013
    I am 100% in agreement with Darren.

    Also, this swim is the perfect opportunity for someone who wants to "stretch" their abilities in terms of distance/time. I say this because:
    1) The water temperature is reasonable without lots of cold training. (You CAN wear a wetsuit if you really need to do so.)
    2) The river is clean, gentle and there is a slight current.
    3) Safety issues are addressed very well.
    4) Race management, support people and participants were very supportive and fun - a mellow group and a happy camaraderie.
    5) It seemed to go by very quickly. There was something almost hypnotic about the river/scenery and in the last mile I actually found myself wishing that it was another 10-15 miles in length.
    6) Good community support.
    7) Insanely-reasonably priced entry fee and staying there is relatively inexpensive.

    In addition:
    1) Last year they had a paddleboard clinic on the day after the race for anyone who wanted to try it. I discovered that I had NO aptitude whatsoever for paddleboarding.
    2) I saw bald eagles during both the race and paddleboard clinic. ( I love to watch birds of prey.)
    3) You get to meet me because I signed up for the 2013 race!!! (OK, most people would consider that a reason to avoid the race, but I promise to behave. Trust me.)

    -LBJ
    dpm50

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    I want to do this swim. Not sure if I'll do it this year or not, yet. Hmm...
  • MandaiMandai Charter Member
    I second Darren & LBJ, I flew 12,000 miles just to get there and it was all worth it.
  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    edited January 2013
    Niek wrote:
    Makes one wonder. Is it related? ;)

    Not really. More a question of money and vacation time. I'm excited to get married, but it's using up a lot of my vacation for the year, and in the first month of the year.
  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    Niek wrote:
    1st and only requirement is to keep the spouse happy.
    (Who else is there to kayak for you.)

    Unfortunately, she has even less vacation than I do. She's paddling for me the week before that in Vermont, though, and paddled for me in my 25k last year.

    Based on Leonard's review of the swim last year, I'm still bouncing around the idea.
  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    timsroot wrote:
    Niek wrote:
    1st and only requirement is to keep the spouse happy.
    (Who else is there to kayak for you.)

    Unfortunately, she has even less vacation than I do. She's paddling for me the week before that in Vermont, though, and paddled for me in my 25k last year.

    Based on Leonard's review of the swim last year, I'm still bouncing around the idea.

    If you are a gambler, you COULD do it with as little as 1 vacation day off. Last year, I flew in on Thursday and left on Monday. I flew in on Thursday because I sometimes get motion sick when flying and wanted a day to recover if I did (I didn't, thank God.) I left on Monday because they push the race back to Sunday if there is bad weather on Saturday. However, you could fly in on Friday (I think Darren did this) and leave on Sunday if you are feeling lucky.

    I'm just sayin' - not trying to cause a divorce here...

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • ForeverSwimForeverSwim Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaCharter Member
    @leonard_jansen - Yes, I now recall I flew in Friday night around midnight, slept a few hours, did the swim then flew out Sunday AM. Needless to say, I don't recommend that approach unless you don't mind the travel/no sleep approach to marathon swimming!

    www.darren-miller.com
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania U.S.A.

  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    If you are a gambler, you COULD do it with as little as 1 vacation day off.

    No divorce yet, the marraige doesn't start until a week from tomorrow...

    If I went, I'd have the organization provide a kayaker for me. I had pretty good luck in the last 10k I swam, even though that guy hadn't paddled for anyone before that swim.

    I haven't thoroughly researched flights, but the only way to get to Grand Forks with only one connection is to drive down to New Orleans (only an hour, not bad), but flights are still looking fairly expensive. Ideally, I could avoid a rental car, but I'm not sure how feasible that would be. I also am not sure how difficult it would be to get a hotel room. I doubt Oslo days draws a huge crowd, but that isn't a big town, so I don't know how much space they'd have anyway.

    Still thinking the idea through, probably won't make a final decision until after I get back from the honeymoon.

  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    timsroot wrote:
    No divorce yet, the marraige doesn't start until a week from tomorrow...

    "Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who wants to spend their life in an institution?"
    - Groucho Marx
    timsroot wrote:
    If I went, I'd have the organization provide a kayaker for me. I had pretty good luck in the last 10k I swam, even though that guy hadn't paddled for anyone before that swim.

    Yes, a kayaker comes with the entry fee and I heard absolutely no complaints about anyone's kayaker.
    timsroot wrote:
    Ideally, I could avoid a rental car, but I'm not sure how feasible that would be. I also am not sure how difficult it would be to get a hotel room. I doubt Oslo days draws a huge crowd, but that isn't a big town, so I don't know how much space they'd have anyway.

    The airport is a little ways out of town, but they may have a bus or shuttle - I don't know because I rented a car. At worst, if we could coordinate our schedules, I'd come get you - it's not really that far to the airport. Getting a hotel in Grand Forks is no problem. There are 2 good hotels (price approx $60-75/night) within a trivial walk to the starting line. If you decide to go, I can point them out to you. Forget about staying in Oslo - Grand Forks looks like New York City compared to Oslo. Besides, the race organizers provide transport back to GF from Oslo.

    Good luck next weekend. Mazel Tov!

    -LBJ


    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    Good luck next weekend. Mazel Tov!

    -LBJ

    Thanks. I'm excited for the weekend and the marraige. Some of my friends who are coming in, I haven't seen for a while. And I found an awesome woman that I feel very lucky to have.

    Looked again at Expedia, and travel isn't too much worse than what I'll end up paying to go to Kingdom Swim the week before (probably a bit less, since Amanda can't come with me to North Dakota).

    It's tempting. I'll see how I feel about it after the honeymoon.
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    Are any of the END Wet organizers members here? I can't find an email contact for them on their website. I'm wondering how up to date their END Wet Roster is. I'm still debating about entering this race, and I'd hate to finally come to the decision only to find out the roster is out of date and the race has been filled for X number of days.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • jendutjendut Charter Member
    I contacted them with a question on FB page and they got right back with an answer...
  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    jendut wrote:
    I contacted them with a question on FB page and they got right back with an answer...

    What about those of us who aren't on Facebook?
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    I heard back from them. The website is up to date.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    From LBJ's secret email stash:

    e*n**d*rac***i*n**g**a*t******g*m***a**i********l**d*o****t**c***o*m*****

    zap the *'s

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    From LBJ's secret email stash:

    Thanks, Leonard. The more I think about it, the more I want to do it. Do you know what they cap the field at? I don't remember hearing that they had to do that last year.

  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    timsroot wrote:
    From LBJ's secret email stash:

    Thanks, Leonard. The more I think about it, the more I want to do it. Do you know what they cap the field at? I don't remember hearing that they had to do that last year.

    Last year the field was capped at 15 and they had 12 soloists and a few teams, if I remember right. In speaking with the race director last year, he said that he was thinking of a cap of 30 this year, but I have no idea if that is still his intention. It would be best to email him and ask in case he decided something else.

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • molly1205molly1205 Lincoln, NebraskaSenior Member
    26.7 miles in 13 hours or less? Id love to give this a go, but just did my first 10k pool swim in 3 hours. Is the current THAT strong?

    Molly Nance, Lincoln, Nebraska

  • MandaiMandai Charter Member
    If you swim 10k in 3hrs you will have no problem finishing in 10hrs. The current wasn't strong last year due to the extremly low water level in 2012. But still, we had ~1km/h current support. Go for it...
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    The field is capped at 30.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    molly1205 wrote:
    26.7 miles in 13 hours or less? Id love to give this a go, but just did my first 10k pool swim in 3 hours. Is the current THAT strong?

    I'd say Mandai is spot on in his analysis and it is likely that the current will be a bit stronger this year given the severity of the drought last year. Of course, who really knows. However, I'd be willing to stake money on you being able to finish in the time limit given the "right" mental approach. (The "right" mental approach is that immediately before the race, we shine a flashlight in one ear and if we can see it out the other ear, you're ready.) Worst that happens is that you swim much farther than you ever have before, bag it a bit early and come back next year with rage in your heart and crush the thing.

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • molly1205molly1205 Lincoln, NebraskaSenior Member
    Thanks for the encouragement! It'll give me a big goal to work toward. I'm signing up :-)

    Molly Nance, Lincoln, Nebraska

  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    I'd say Mandai is spot on in his analysis and it is likely that the current will be a bit stronger this year given the severity of the drought last year. Of course, who really knows.

    I hope the weather cooperates this winter. I know it's the other side of the Laurentian Divide, but I know that the Mississippi in St. Louis is below their nominal 0 stage, and dropping. I think that the river is closed to commercial traffic, at least partially.

    I'm thinking I'm going to end up signing up for this swim. Your review is a big part of the reason for that.
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    timsroot wrote:
    I'm thinking I'm going to end up signing up for this swim. Your review is a big part of the reason for that.

    Likewise, if I sign up, it'll be because of his review. So I can blame @Leonard_Jansen if I hate it. ;)

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    I've committed. No turning back now.

    How about we all stay in the same hotel so we can have a Forum Party night of?

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • molly1205molly1205 Lincoln, NebraskaSenior Member
    Yay Mike! I'm looking forward to meeting you folks. I am just starting my foray into marathon swimming and have been very inspired by your posts.

    Molly Nance, Lincoln, Nebraska

  • ChickenOSeaChickenOSea Charter Member
    Is it full yet? With kids and work it's so hard to plan anything in advance and I spend way too much on fees for things I end up not being able to make...
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    @ChickenOSea, it's capped at 30 and only 12 registered now.

    JOIN US!

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    IronMike wrote:
    I've committed. No turning back now.

    How about we all stay in the same hotel so we can have a Forum Party night of?

    I'm in, too. I could be persuaded to do something like that. I've booked a flight, but not a car or hotel room yet.
  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    Is it full yet? With kids and work it's so hard to plan anything in advance and I spend way too much on fees for things I end up not being able to make...

    Amanda -
    You are REQUIRED to attend this race. There WILL be a quiz after it and it will count for 50% of your open water grade for 2013.
    Besides, a new FINA rule says that no open water race will be recognized unless there is at least one Australian in it and other than Rondi, that means you.
    If you need money, just sell the kid you like least for medical experiments.

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • molly1205molly1205 Lincoln, NebraskaSenior Member
    I'll have a car and can help with transportation - airport pick-ups and whatnot.

    Molly Nance, Lincoln, Nebraska

  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    IronMike wrote:
    I've committed. No turning back now.

    How about we all stay in the same hotel so we can have a Forum Party night of?

    The two closest motels to the start and pre/post race activities are:

    GuestHouse Inn
    710 1st Avenue North
    Grand Forks, ND 58203
    (701) 746-5411

    and

    Plaza Motel
    309 Demers Ave, East Grand Forks, MN
    (218) 773-1179 ‎

    I stayed at GuestHouse Inn (about $70/night) and it was fine. They have an indoor area around a small pool for hanging out, free wifi, etc. As an added bonus they didn't yell at me when I totally depleted the ice machines twice. Not sure about the Plaza Motel, but I heard it was reasonable as well.


    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • molly1205molly1205 Lincoln, NebraskaSenior Member
    I made reservations for a room at the GuestHouse Inn.

    Molly Nance, Lincoln, Nebraska

  • firebahfirebah Charter Member
    Wow, 2013 is already booked solid and now that I know about this swim I will look for it come 2014!
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    @firebah, who told you it was full? Registration is still open according to the website.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    I'll try and get in the GuestHouse Inn as well.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • ChickenOSeaChickenOSea Charter Member
    Hoping Firebah's dance card is full and not End Wet. Ill get on tonight and see....
  • ChickenOSeaChickenOSea Charter Member
    In!
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    Yeah @ChickenOSea and @Franco! See you there.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • ChickenOSeaChickenOSea Charter Member
    Looking forward to it!!
  • FrancoFranco Chestertown, MDCharter Member
    Thanks Mike. I wasn't sure if I made it in. Looking forward to seeing you all again and meeting other forum members.
  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    I'm in at GuestHouse Inn.

    Looking forward to the swim.
  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    Not being on Facebook, have they said what their special announcement is?
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    Not yet.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • ChickenOSeaChickenOSea Charter Member
    I can't get in to the Guest house! Have tried a few times over the last couple of months...will try some others..
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    Damn! Well I'll go wherever you do.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    I wonder if it's sold out for those night. I'm glad I booked that one early
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