That looks very cool! I grew up in the DC area (Maryland) but didn't start racing until I moved to the Boston area. I did one triathlon in Baltimore, and also the Baltimore Marathon in 2008 (with meri_oddities), but have never done any races in DC.
Swimming in the Potomac would give me the heebie-jeebies for multple reasons. :-) Open water swimming isn't really bad, though, if you practice breathing on both sides so you can take sights on where you are, and it sounds like they're actually marking the swim course with more than just turnaround buoys so it should be easy even if you can't breathe both sides. 11 months should give you lots of time! Do it! Do it!
no subject
Swimming in the Potomac would give me the heebie-jeebies for multple reasons. :-) Open water swimming isn't really bad, though, if you practice breathing on both sides so you can take sights on where you are, and it sounds like they're actually marking the swim course with more than just turnaround buoys so it should be easy even if you can't breathe both sides. 11 months should give you lots of time! Do it! Do it!