Subject: Reality Check: open water swim Went to an open water swim clinic Saturday morning off Clearwater Beach (Gulf Coast). Coach Matt (Tri3 Racing) had us do a light jog to warm up, stretch, then instructed on dolphining into/over the waves. We practiced this in the water a couple of times then we did a swim. The water was cold but it wasn't as bad as I imagined it might be (swimsuit only). No shivering or discomfort at all. Visibility was terrible; I could see a foot in front of me only when I was about 8 inches from it. The waves were rough; it was very chopping. I was swimming forward quite a bit without actually moving forward (waves kept sending me back or keeping me in place). I was pleased with my ability to breath and not take in water even during adverse conditions. Coach Matt said if we could swim in those waters, we should have no problem in our tri as 99% of the time the water will be much calmer than what it was Saturday morning, and the distance was only a little bit further than what we swam. Also, discovered that April waters were not so cold that I need a wetsuit. I learned that I am more than ready for the swim portion and am going to focus my training on running for the next 6 weeks, along with getting comfortable on the road bike. I'm glad I did the clinic because I faced my fears and realized I could handle the swim during my May triathlon. Oh, and I wasn't attacked by any sharks. I know everyone always says this and I'm going to give it a hearty second: I highly recommend that you get in an open water swim if only to assess where you are in your training and what you need to work on for your tri. |