Crowded Swims

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2009-06-22 3:52 AM

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Subject: Crowded Swims
I did my second Sprint on Saturday and the swim sucked. There were too many people and I could barely actually "swim". My arm strokes and kicks were very limited by bodies in front of me and in back of me. I had to sort of crawl through the water. It wore me out for the rest of the race.

This was an ocean swim. I think I am going to just swim farther out next time. It that the way to go?

2009-06-22 4:26 AM
in reply to: #2233067

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Bob
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Binghamton, NY
Subject: RE: Crowded Swims

11746 - 2009-06-22 4:52 AM I did my second Sprint on Saturday and the swim sucked. There were too many people and I could barely actually "swim". My arm strokes and kicks were very limited by bodies in front of me and in back of me. I had to sort of crawl through the water. It wore me out for the rest of the race. This was an ocean swim. I think I am going to just swim farther out next time. It that the way to go?

I don't enjoy the "washing machine" experience either.

Even as a strong swimmer I used to start to the outside and follow a diagonal line to the first buoy. It takes most of the crowds out of the picture and only adds a few yards to the overall swim. You can also start a little farther back in the field and try to catch a draft off some swimmers a little faster than you are.

2009-06-22 5:44 AM
in reply to: #2233067

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Elite
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Roswell, GA
Subject: RE: Crowded Swims

I like to start on the outside and little bit back.  I generally swim around 2 min per 100 yards and I find I don't belong in the front.  It's important to find the right place to start so you don't wear your self out swimming in a crowd.  On longer races I tell myself that I should seed my self so I pass a few people, but don't get passed by my wave.  This way I'm in clean water and can swim smooth and I'll post a better time than if I battled it out in the front of the wave.

 

2009-06-22 5:50 AM
in reply to: #2233069

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Sneaky Slow
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Subject: RE: Crowded Swims
rstocks3 - 2009-06-22 5:26 AM

11746 - 2009-06-22 4:52 AM I did my second Sprint on Saturday and the swim sucked. There were too many people and I could barely actually "swim". My arm strokes and kicks were very limited by bodies in front of me and in back of me. I had to sort of crawl through the water. It wore me out for the rest of the race. This was an ocean swim. I think I am going to just swim farther out next time. It that the way to go?

I don't enjoy the "washing machine" experience either.

Even as a strong swimmer I used to start to the outside and follow a diagonal line to the first buoy. It takes most of the crowds out of the picture and only adds a few yards to the overall swim. You can also start a little farther back in the field and try to catch a draft off some swimmers a little faster than you are.



Yes, 100% correct... for example, if it is 250m to the first buoy, and you start 25m to the outside, if you do the whole a2 + b2 = c2 thing, the length you'd swim comes out to 251.2 meters.
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