Swim Speed Wersuit?

A lot depends on how fast you are without one.  Slower/poorer swimmers get more benefit.  For me, I guesstimate about :10 per 100m or about 6-7min over an IM swim.

I did a little unplanned comparison.  There is a half mile swim set up near me and I have been training with my new wetsuit(blue seventy reaction) for the last few weeks.  Last week I did 5 laps and my best lap for the half mile was 14:29 and worst lap was 15:50.  I do notice that my stroke is altered somewhat in the wetsuit, so I might not be as efficient with it YET. 

The other day I rode 80 miles and since I had started at the pond I decided to go for a swim after the ride.  I did the first 1/2 mile with the wetsuit, I didn't time myself as I was just doing it to refresh after the ride and had no swim planned for that day.

 It was a warm day ~85 degrees and I was getting hot in the wetsuit.  So, I took it off and decided to do another lap without it and cool off.  This time out of curiousity I timed myself.  For the 1/2 mile my time was 14:42 which is in the same ballpark as my wetsuit times.

I might do a couple more comparisons but was wondering if it might be worth swimming without it for my first IM in 3 weeks.  I like the freedom without it but I bought it to save time and was hoping it would have had a bigger time savings.  I'm 45, a clydesdale and not a terribly fast swimmer.  If I get out of the water in under 2 hours I'll be thrilled.  I should be fine but swimming with 2500 other people I'm giving myself a little buffer for mishaps.

6-7 minutes would be great and if that's about average I'll definitely work on my stroke with it!  I was wondering what other people's experience with time saving using a wetsuit?

Bob

Im an average swimmer..somewhat on the thin side. I usually will go about 15-20 seconds faster per 100yards. Mind you this isn't a closed system experiment. I always wear my wetsuit in OWS, and my timed non wetsuit swim is in a pool.  The numbers are usually 2min/100 w/out and 1:40ish with. 

Edited by wildcat1 2009-07-06 10:48 AM

If your wetsuit fits you, there is NO way you will not be faster and/or use less energy with it.  Your advantage in a wetsuit should be substantially larger than mine.

I agree.  I'm a decent swimmer, and I'm still about 10 seconds faster/100 with it.