10K La Jolla Shores — Tactical Blueprint

Jul 3, 2026 · 7:00 AM · Children's Pool → North Turnaround → Return

Course Overview

Out-and-back, northward along the coast. 17 checkpoints. Flood tide runs north the entire swim — assists outbound, requires correction on return.

CP	Landmark	Cumulative (km)	Notes
0	Children's Pool entry	0.0	Stairs → water. Rocks exposed at -0.22 ft low tide — enter left of seawall
1	La Jolla Cove headland	0.08	Round the rocky point, open water begins
2	¼-mile buoy (yellow)	0.48	First sighting fix — swing wide of the Cove kelp bed
3	½-mile buoy (yellow)	0.88	Cross the bay — Hotel La Jolla tower picks up on horizon
4	La Jolla Shores / Kellogg Park	1.90	Main lifeguard tower + white rectangular house above it
5	Marine Room Restaurant	2.35	White building right at water's edge — south of pier
6	Scripps Pier base (shore)	2.58	Pier comes into full view
7	Scripps Pier tip (ocean end)	2.90	Q2 anchor fix — salmon house aligns on pier tip from water
8	5.0 km Turnaround	5.00	~1.1 km north of pier tip. Torrey Pines bluffs visible ahead. Turn here
9–16	Mirror return	5.0–10.0	Reverse landmarks. Cove Pavilion red-cross tower = home bearing
17	Children's Pool finish	10.0

Estimated finish time: 3:00–3:20 at aerobic pace. Budget 3:15. Target out of water by 10:15 AM ahead of 11 AM swell peak (3.5 ft) and sea breeze.

Pacing — 4 Quadrants

Q1 · 0–2.5K · Outbound: Children's Pool → just past La Jolla Shores

Target	Value
Pace	2:55–3:00/100m — deliberate hold-back
HR	90–100 bpm · do not allow drift above 105
Stroke rate	36–38 spm — long, relaxed
Feed	Min 55 → gel + water (20–25g CHO)

The body will feel ready to push. Do not. The opening 2.5K should feel almost too easy — any surge here costs 3–4 min in the final 2K. The northward flood current gives a free ~0.1–0.2 knot assist. Let it work. Round the Cove headland wide (50m clearance) to avoid surge against the rocks. Once past the ¼-mile buoy, settle into rhythm.

Watch for: HR creeping above 105 on the Cove-to-Shores crossing (open water, slight swell, adrenaline). If it does, drop stroke rate two counts and lengthen the glide.

Q2 · 2.5–5.0K · Outbound: La Jolla Shores → Turnaround

Target	Value
Pace	2:45–2:50/100m — find and lock aerobic cruise
HR	97–107 bpm · Jun 13 PR range
Stroke rate	38–40 spm
Feeds	Min 90 (gel), Min 110 (salt tab + water)

This is the engine room of the outbound leg. The body is warm, stroke mechanics are grooved, and the current is still pushing north. Scripps Pier comes into full alignment — use the salmon-colored house on the bluff: when it appears to sit directly on top of the pier end, you are exactly on the offshore pier line. From there, swim 1.1 km further north until Torrey Pines bluffs are clearly elevated ahead — that is the 5.0K turnaround.

The turnaround itself: take 15–20 seconds to look south, identify the Cove Pavilion red-cross tower on the horizon, lock it as your return bearing, and start south slightly angled 5–8° east of it to compensate for the now-adverse current.

Watch for: Urge to accelerate on reaching the pier (a natural psychological landmark). Resist. The back half earns its pacing here.

Q3 · 5.0–7.5K · Return: Turnaround → La Jolla Shores

Target	Value
Pace	2:45–2:55/100m — hold, not push
HR	100–110 bpm — slight natural rise is expected and fine
Stroke rate	38–42 spm — may need to add a beat to maintain pace against current
Feeds	Min 130 (gel), Min 150 (salt tab)

This is where most 10K swimmers drift — mentally and literally. The northward current is now a headwind equivalent. Your pace per 100m will feel harder for the same output. Accept it. Use the extra stroke rate (not force) to maintain momentum. Sighting frequency increases to every 8 strokes rather than 10–12 — the current will push you left (north) of your bearing if you let gaps open.

Physiological reality at 6K+: What you feel is neuromuscular proprioceptive drift — your brain's map of where your limbs are becomes slightly imprecise. Stroke mechanics feel "off" even when they are not. This is normal. It is not metabolic depletion (at your aerobic load, glycogen is not the problem). The response is: slow the stroke slightly, focus on the catch entry, let the pull happen. Do not grip. Do not muscle through it.

Watch for: Any HR sustained above 115 for >3 min. If it occurs: drop to 34 spm, breathe bilaterally for 10 strokes, check if it falls. If HR stays above 115 for another 2 min → reduce pace to 3:05/100m until it drops below 110.

Q4 · 7.5–10.0K · Return: La Jolla Shores → Children's Pool Finish

Target	Value
Pace	2:50–3:00/100m — deliberate and resolved
HR	100–112 bpm — controlled rise toward finish is acceptable
Stroke rate	40–42 spm
Feeds	Min 170 (gel), Min 190 (salt tab), optional Min 210 if needed

The body will offer a clear signal somewhere between 7.5K and 8.5K: a general sense of heaviness, slowed mental processing, the urge to check distance constantly. This is the fatigue barrier. It is perceptual, not physiological collapse. Your glycogen stores at this aerobic load are nowhere near depleted — you have 400+ g in reserve.

Mental anchors by km (7–10K):

Distance	Anchor
7K	"I have swum 7,375m before. I have 3K left. I know this water."
7.5K	Check HR. If under 110 — the body is fine. The mind is offering noise.
8K	Cove Pavilion tower is visible. Count strokes between sightings — this keeps the prefrontal cortex occupied and suppresses distress signaling.
8.5K	Shift focus entirely to the catch. One stroke at a time. The finish is geometrically certain.
9K	½-mile buoy will appear. You are past it. Round the Cove headland — 1K left.
9.5K	The Cove rocks mean you are inside 500m. Smooth finish, no surge.
10K	Children's Pool stairs. Exit on the left of the seawall.

Do not look at total distance after 8K. Check landmarks only. Distance numbers in the final 2K are psychologically expensive and offer no tactical value.

Navigation & Sighting Plan

Segment	Primary Landmark	Sighting Interval	Current Correction
Cove → ¼-buoy	Yellow buoy	Every 8 strokes	None — protected water
¼ → ½-buoy	Yellow buoy	Every 10 strokes	None
½-buoy → Shores	Hotel La Jolla tower	Every 10–12 strokes	None — current assists
Shores → Pier	Scripps Pier structure	Every 10 strokes	None — current assists
Pier → Turnaround	Torrey Pines bluffs	Every 8 strokes	None — current assists
Turnaround → Pier	Salmon house / pier alignment	Every 8 strokes	5–8° east (right) of bearing
Pier → Shores	White rectangular house above tower	Every 8 strokes	5–8° east (right)
Shores → ½-buoy	Cove Pavilion red-cross tower	Every 8 strokes	5–8° east (right)
½-buoy → Cove	Cove Pavilion direct	Every 6 strokes	Hold bearing tightly

Sun management: On the return leg heading SSE, sunrise (~70° ENE) will be low and ahead-left. Switch to amber-tinted polarized lens for the southbound half. Keep head sighting brief (0.5–1 sec) and favor breathing to the right (west) to keep sun out of your eyes during the stroke cycle.

In-Water Nutrition

Total CHO target: 195–230g in-water, on top of the pre-swim 120g. All feeds from tow float dry bag — stay horizontal, roll to back briefly, consume, roll forward, resume. Target under 25 seconds per feed stop.

Feed	Time (min)	Distance (~km)	Content	CHO
1	55	~2.0	Gel + 100ml water	22g
2	90	~3.3	Gel + 100ml water	22g
3	110	~4.0	Salt tab + 150ml sports drink	25g
4	130	~5.0 (turnaround)	Gel + 150ml water	25g
5	150	~5.8	Salt tab + 150ml sports drink	25g
6	170	~6.5	Gel + 100ml water	25g
7	190	~7.3	Salt tab + 100ml water	15g
8 (optional)	210	~8.0	Gel if pace feels labored	22g
Total				~181–203g

Do not skip Feed 4 at the turnaround — this is the most important feed of the swim. You are exactly halfway and entering the adverse-current return leg. Stopping 20 seconds here is worth 10 minutes of sustained output downstream.

Pre-Swim Morning Protocol (Jul 3)

Time	Action
4:00 AM	Wake. 500ml water immediately.
4:15 AM	Pre-swim meal: oatmeal (1 cup dry) + 2 eggs + 1 banana (400–500 kcal). Coffee 1 cup OK. "1 toast + banana is NOT enough."
5:30 AM	½ banana + 4 oz apple juice (top-up blood glucose)
6:00 AM	Arrive Children's Pool. Go/No-Go check:
	✓ FM-080 bacteria: sdbeachinfo.com — GREEN
	✓ Surf: visual + surfline — ≤2.5 ft at launch (3.5 ft arrives 11 AM — you must be in the water by 7 AM)
	✓ Wind: calm — if >10 kts onshore already, delay or abort
6:15 AM	Gear check: Apple Watch Ultra on (HR tracking active), FORM Goggles Pro 2.0, Sharkbanz right ankle, wetsuit, tow float loaded (7 gels + 4 salt tabs + sports drink), amber goggles in tow float for return leg
6:30–6:45 AM	Enter water at Children's Pool stairs. 200m easy warm-up in the Cove.
7:00 AM	Effort begins

Safety: Lifeguards arrive at 9:00 AM. You are in the water solo for 2 hours pre-staffing. Tow float is mandatory for visibility to boat traffic. Notify a shore contact of your plan, expected return time (10:15 AM), and entry point.

Post-Swim Recovery (Jul 3)

Within 30 min of finishing:

• 500ml sports drink immediately on exit

• Sit or stand — no lying flat for 20 min (orthostatic pooling)

• Light walk 5–10 min to keep circulation moving

• Recovery meal within 45 min: white rice + chicken + banana + electrolyte drink (~100g CHO, ~30g protein)

Signs of good execution: HR under 115 at finish, able to hold a conversation within 10 min, no cramping in shoulders, hunger returning within 90 min.

Signs of overcooking it: HR still above 120 after 15 min rest, uncontrollable shivering (hypothermia risk at 66°F in 3+ hrs), shoulders locked, nausea. If any of these appear: warm fluid, warm layer, horizontal rest, monitor for 30 min before driving.