All Wet

Yesterday I drove up to Lake Zurich, IL, to pick up my triathlon packet for today's race. The packet includes such goodies as a swim cap and a computer chip to strap to my ankle.

A lady working for the race told us that the lake was very warm - 81F - and that consequently it was very unlikely that we would be allowed to wear wetsuits. (Wetsuits make you warmer, and they become dangerous when you swim in very warm water because you can overheat.)

She didn't just say "very unlikely." She said it was "99.99 percent certain" that wetsuits would be banned. That means there would only be a one in ten thousand chance that wetsuits would be permitted.

So I didn't bring my wetsuit with me this morning. And, in an apparent application of Murphy's Law, wetsuits were indeed allowed. And all the other guys my age seemed to have wetsuits.

The result was that I had a poorer swim placement that usual. You see, wetsuits make you faster, too! Oh, well. I still had a fun race.

Unless the ban is absolute
Make sure to bring your suit.