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74 degree water temp without wet suit?
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 2012-08-08 1:30 PM |
 106 |  Subject: 74 degree water temp without wet suit?I'm going to be doing the Pigman long course triathlon on the 19th in Palo, IA. This is the first wetsuit legal race for me. The water temperature is forecasted to be around 74 degrees. Aside from not having the buoyancy and streamlining benefits of a wetsuit, do you guys think I'll have any trouble with the cold-ish water temperatures? I'm used to swimming in a pool that's usually closer to 80 degrees. I'm sure the first 100 yards or so will feel pretty cold, but once I get going do you think I'll be fine? It's a 1.2 mile swim. |
| 2012-08-08 1:31 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
Elite 7783     PEI, Canada | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? Personally I wouldn't put that anywhere near the "cold-ish" category.  |
| 2012-08-08 1:34 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
| 106 | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? Okay. That makes me feel better. I guess since I'm accustomed to swimming in a pool, and my only open water experience was recently when the air temp was over 100 and the water temp was probably close to 90, I was a little afraid that I might be in for a shock. We have a cold front moving in which should cool the lake to near normal temperatures for this time of year, which is estimated to be around 74-76. |
| 2012-08-08 1:36 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
Master 2167 Livonia, MI | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? If I'm reading this right, you're saying you won't be wearing a wetsuit, yes? 74 will still not feel cold. Maybe a little cooler to you if you're used to 80 but you'll be used it after a few seconds. I think most people would say 74 is a bit warm and may even defer to non-wetsuit even though it's legal if they tend to overheat. I sprinted a few weeks ago and it was 74-75. I didn't use it since it was a 500m so I was in and out in less than 10 minutes. And I get cold easily. 74 and no wetsuit feels comfy to me. |
| 2012-08-08 1:39 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
| 106 | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? Yes, you're reading it correctly. And your comment gives me more confidence that I'll be fine. 1.2 miles is good distance to swim, but I'm still only looking at about 38 minutes or so at my normal pace (yeah, I'm kind of slow). So I think there's a good chance I won't get too cold. |
| 2012-08-08 1:44 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
Veteran 312 Southern Pines, NC | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? My first race of the year was a pool swim with the water at 74 degrees. It felt cold getting in, but didn't even notice the temp by the end of my first length in the pool.
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| 2012-08-08 1:49 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
Pro 5011 Twin Cities | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? A) 74 is way warm. And B) I can't imagine that it won't be substantially warmer than that. Pigman is often almost 70 for the sprint at the beginning of June. After the extremely hot summer, I would be surprised if the race is even wetsuit legal. |
| 2012-08-08 2:00 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
Expert 1224 Is this Heaven? No, it's Iowa. | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? I'm doing Pigman too and will be bringing my wetsuit. If its legal then I will probably wear it. We did okoboji a few weeks ago and the fastest overall participants all had on wetsuits. I like the buoyancy it offers and its only a little extra time in transition. |
| 2012-08-08 2:08 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
Veteran 1384 Panama City, FL | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? If you can wear a wetsuit, wear a wetsuit. You would probably be ok without it temperature-wise, but that's cold. Also, the other benefits of a wetsuit at that distance will be significant. |
| 2012-08-08 2:16 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
Expert 2192 Greenville, SC | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? sounds brutally cold. better get in the water before hand to get adjusted to it. |
| 2012-08-08 2:20 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
| 106 | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? Well, I don't have a wetsuit and can't really afford one; so that's why I'm asking. If I absolutely had to I could scrounge enough money together to buy one, but it's getting pretty close to race day to be getting a wetsuit and finding time to train in it. I'd rather just forgo the wetsuit if I can, as affording one right now would be difficult. |
| 2012-08-08 2:22 PM in reply to: #4353322 |
| 106 | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? mmrocker13 - 2012-08-08 1:49 PM A) 74 is way warm. And B) I can't imagine that it won't be substantially warmer than that. Pigman is often almost 70 for the sprint at the beginning of June. After the extremely hot summer, I would be surprised if the race is even wetsuit legal. I hope you're right. I'll make it through the swim one way or another if I'm cold, but hopefully it won't be an issue. |
| 2012-08-08 2:25 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
Expert 945 , Michigan | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? My second tri this year the water was 75* It was an Oly and I just about cooked in my full suit. You don't need the suit for temperature reasons. 75* will feel real good throughout the swim. |
| 2012-08-08 2:30 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
| Member 763 | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? Agree with all the comments about 74 degrees being warm - you won't have any problems. I've done a bunch of tris without a wetsuit in similar temperature waters, and been totally fine. Good luck and enjoy.
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| 2012-08-08 2:31 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
| 1055 | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? Since you're not used to 74 degree water, I do suggest getting in and warming up pre-race. For me, it takes about 50 yards for me to feel comfortable in that temp. water. But I do agree with the others, its a great temp. for non-wetsuit swimming.
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| 2012-08-08 3:30 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
Veteran 276 | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? Quad Cities this year was 74 degrees and felt great without a wetsuit. The difference there is that the outside temperature when we got in was like 68, so 74 was terrific. 74 after being in 85 may feel different, but yeah once you get in and get acclimated I think you'll be just fine. |
| 2012-08-08 3:35 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
| 106 | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? As of this afternoon, I emailed the park manager and the current water temperature is 90 degrees. But she wasn't sure what the coming cold front could do to the water temp. But, I don't think there's any danger of it going below 74. It takes a long time cool a lake off by 16 degrees, and I don't think it will be getting much below normal seasonal temperatures around here. I'm heading out there tonight to swim, a friend from work is going to follow me in a canoe so that I can legally swim outside the roped swimming area. Edited by shepherdsflock 2012-08-08 3:42 PM |
| 2012-08-08 3:44 PM in reply to: #4353398 |
Veteran 1384 Panama City, FL | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? If you don't have one, no worries. You'll be fine it. Here in FL, we're babies if it's below 78-76. I"m sure you'll be fine. |
| 2012-08-08 4:32 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
Extreme Veteran 930 Fort Worth, TX | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? 74 degrees would be perfectly fine without a wet suit. PERFECTLY FINE. In fact, you will feel refreshed upon exiting vs. possibly being overheated from the wet suit. The more you can work on swimming technique and open water swimming without a wet suit the better swimmer you will become. I feel that too many people use the wet suit for speed and buoyancy instead of what it was really designed for - to keep your body temperature in a safe zone while in cold water. At 74 degrees you would be in no danger of hypothermia unless you suffer from certain medical conditions, at which point you'd have a real need to ask this question to your physician. As for the comment from another person that the fastest people all wore wet suits, well...I definitely believe it to be true, but I don't think it's admirable for them to be "suiting up" for speed when the conditions don't truly merit wearing a wet suit. I know races allow people to wear wet suits when it's warmish water to bring in more people ($$$), but I think it's creating some really poor swimmers who will be in trouble if they ever have to swim without the security of the suit. I am all for wet suits, but I think we need to be tighter on the rules with them. |
| 2012-08-08 4:59 PM in reply to: #4353718 |
Pro 5011 Twin Cities | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? I feel that too many people use the wet suit for speed and buoyancy instead of what it was really designed for - to keep your body temperature in a safe zone while in cold water... As for the comment from another person that the fastest people all wore wet suits, well...I definitely believe it to be true, but I don't think it's admirable for them to be "suiting up" for speed when the conditions don't truly merit wearing a wet suit. The conditions that merit a wetsuit are: wetsuit legal race. He11 yes you swim faster (how much depends on how good of a swimmer you are to begin with, of course, but...). People wear them for the same reason they have aero helmets and deep section wheels and all that other happy crappy. They are marketed as making you faster--the "not freezing to death in a lake in minnesota in June" is merely a side benefit. |
| 2012-08-08 5:43 PM in reply to: #4353754 |
Extreme Veteran 930 Fort Worth, TX | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? mmrocker13 - 2012-08-08 4:59 PM I feel that too many people use the wet suit for speed and buoyancy instead of what it was really designed for - to keep your body temperature in a safe zone while in cold water... As for the comment from another person that the fastest people all wore wet suits, well...I definitely believe it to be true, but I don't think it's admirable for them to be "suiting up" for speed when the conditions don't truly merit wearing a wet suit. How they make you fast, or are marketed, doesn't come into play with the USAT's decision making on wet suits: 4.4 Wetsuits. Each age group participant shall be permitted to wear a wet suit without penalty in any event sanctioned by USA Triathlon up to and including a water temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water temperature is greater than 78 degrees, but less than 84 degrees Fahrenheit, age group participants may wear a wet suit at their own discretion, provided however that participants who wear a wet suit within this temperature range shall not be eligible for prizes or awards. Age group participants shall not wear wet suits in water temperatures equal to or greater than 84 degrees Fahrenheit. The wetsuit policy for elite athletes shall be determined by the USAT Athletes Advisory Council. The AAC has set the wetsuit maximum temperature for elites at 68 degrees for swim distances less than 3,000 meters and 71.6 degrees for distances of 3,000 meters or greater. Effective January 1, 2013, any swimmer wearing a wetsuit with a thickness measured in any part greater than 5 millimeters shall be disqualified. I think it's clear from here that the main reason to wear one would be for combating water temperature. This is why I get peeved at people using them when they don't need to due to water warmth, but they elect to anyway because it will make the swim easier and faster. Comparing the aid that a wetsuit gives via flotation help to the aerodynamic benefit of a wheelset isn't apples to apples. While both can reduce drag, the wetsuit actually aids performance by creating a non-natural buoyancy for the person. This would be apples to apples if the wheelset offered less drag and also added propulsion aid. Again, I think the rules should be tightened. JUST my .02, though. |
| 2012-08-08 6:47 PM in reply to: #4353289 |
| New user 327 | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? shepherdsflock - 2012-08-08 11:34 AM Okay. That makes me feel better. I guess since I'm accustomed to swimming in a pool, and my only open water experience was recently when the air temp was over 100 and the water temp was probably close to 90, I was a little afraid that I might be in for a shock. We have a cold front moving in which should cool the lake to near normal temperatures for this time of year, which is estimated to be around 74-76. Good Grief, I would probably bail on a swim if the water temp was 90. I have a hard enough time when it's 80-85. |
| 2012-08-08 7:40 PM in reply to: #4353279 |
| Veteran 478 Hoosier heartland | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? O.k I guess I'll be the odd ball here. To me 74 degrees is cool. I did an Oly earlier in the summer and the lake temp was 75 degrees. I wore a wetsuit because for me the water felt cool. I was perfectly comfortable swimming the 1500 meters in that temp. I didn't overheat at all and felt fine when I got out. But that's me. On a side note, I did an Oly this past Sunday and swam in a canal that was 80 degrees. I wore my regular tri suit and I felt comfortable the whole 1500 meters. Did not overheat. What can I say, I thrive in warmer water. It sounds like the water temps will be warm enough to not even be wet suit legal anyway, so enjoy your race. |
| 2012-08-08 9:41 PM in reply to: #4354014 |
Veteran 1384 Panama City, FL | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? cggale - 2012-08-08 7:40 PM To me it's tis simple, if legal and distance is 800 or longer yards, I wear wetsuit. O.k I guess I'll be the odd ball here. To me 74 degrees is cool. I did an Oly earlier in the summer and the lake temp was 75 degrees. I wore a wetsuit because for me the water felt cool. I was perfectly comfortable swimming the 1500 meters in that temp. I didn't overheat at all and felt fine when I got out. But that's me. On a side note, I did an Oly this past Sunday and swam in a canal that was 80 degrees. I wore my regular tri suit and I felt comfortable the whole 1500 meters. Did not overheat. What can I say, I thrive in warmer water. It sounds like the water temps will be warm enough to not even be wet suit legal anyway, so enjoy your race. |
| 2012-08-08 9:56 PM in reply to: #4353282 |
Champion 8766 Evergreen, Colorado | Subject: RE: 74 degree water temp without wet suit? axteraa - 2012-08-08 1:31 PM Personally I wouldn't put that anywhere near the "cold-ish" category. x2. |
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