Scared um...shirtless of my first open water swim...any advice?

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2009-09-16 8:10 AM

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Subject: Scared um...shirtless of my first open water swim...any advice?
Completed my first sprint last weekend...what a rush, I'm totally hooked. That first event had a pool snake swim configuration. Now I am really in "over my head" since I went ahead and signed up for another event which has an 875M open water swim...yikes. Swimming is by far my poorest leg.

I need some savvy advice ASAP (event is in less than three weeks!!) I plan to do some open water work over one weekend prior to the race and use a local 50M pool for training. My bike/run conditioning is good so I can focus on the swimming primarily.

Some questions I have...
1) I am getting a Neosport sprint john 5/3mm tri wetsuit...a good choice for a beginner suit? Water temp should be 68degF-ish at the event with low to med salinity.

2) is it possible to wear a wetsuit in an indoor pool to get acclimated to swimming in it, or is that just too hot?

3) Good gracious there has to be another question but I just don't know what I don't know...

Thanks in advance for any tidbits you may be able to throw at me. As I said, I'm really in over my head

2009-09-16 8:34 AM
in reply to: #2409148

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Subject: RE: Scared um...shirtless of my first open water swim...any advice?
Your best bet is practice, practice, practice!  The more time you spend in open water, the more comfortable you will become.  Just try to relax as much as possible and have fun!
2009-09-16 8:35 AM
in reply to: #2409148

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Subject: RE: Scared um...shirtless of my first open water swim...any advice?
I got the same wetsuit online and have been happy with it.  I never took it to the pool, but don't see why you couldn't.  If you get too hot, just stop and take it off!  Just make sure to give it a freshwater rinse before drying.

Good idea on getting in some ows.  They are a lot different than pool swims.  Race conditions are also quite a bit different with the crowded start along with bumping and jostling and adrenaline rushing through your system.  Count to five after the gun and start behind the crowd.  Don't panic if you run into someone or someone runs into you.  In fact, be prepared for it because it WILL happen.  Take the swim nice and easy, especially at the start, stay calm, breathe well, remember to sight your buoys and you will be fine.   Good luck!
2009-09-16 8:39 AM
in reply to: #2409148

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Subject: RE: Scared um...shirtless of my first open water swim...any advice?
First off: Congrats on your first tri in the books. Nice work.

Second: with regards to your next event, I would talk yourself out of the "Im over my head" psyche. If you think that, you will be. Train. Prepare. Be confident, and it will work out fine. If you convince yourself that you can't do it or that you are beyond your limits, you will panic in OW, guaranteed.

On the wetsuit choice, I cannot give advice on that, as I am not familiar with that type and brand. I prefer full-sleeves, no matter what the temperature. Its the fastest choice, period. But, I am sure it will be a fine choice. Any suit is better than no suit.

Next, you can absolutely wear a suit in a pool to get acclimated (and you absolutely should if you have no OW option). Do it a few times if you can.

On race day. Get some practice during the practice swim session before the race (assuming they have one). That should allow you to get used to the water and get out some butterfliies. Keep in mind that at high 60s, you may experience some cold water hyperventilation. Its basically your brain forcing you to exhale so that you get your face back out of the water as its a bit cold. DON'T PANIC. What I usually do is stand in the water for a minute or two, and then put my face down in the water like I am breathing during a stroke, turn to the side and exhale, repeat, etc. Do that a few times, let your face get used to the water, and then you should be fine. Don't forget to give a big grin at the swim exit!!

Good luck!
2009-09-16 8:44 AM
in reply to: #2409148

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Subject: RE: Scared um...shirtless of my first open water swim...any advice?
My advice is to get in the water plenty of time ahead of the start of the race.  Let some water slip into your wetsuit to get your heart rate up and get it stable before you start racing.  I found that once the race started I was swimming harder than I had in my warm up and the water would actually take my breath away when it got into my suit. 

Try not to get caught up in everyone else's pace.  Stick to YOUR game plan.  Another mistake I made.. I got excited about the fast pack and started swimming with them.  I had not practiced swimming that fast for that long so it caught up to me.

Test your goggles out to make sure you can see as well as possible.

Practice sighting!  Also practice sighting mutiple directions.  I had never thought about trying to swim in toward the finish with foggy goggles while looking directly into a sunrise.  Learn to use the shoreline or other markers.

Finally, relax, relax, relax.  Realize that when you do everything wrong out there, you can simply stop and float easily with your wetsuit.  I didn't get tired but with my heart rate pounding, not being able to see, and trying like heck to breath I finally stopped and rolled to my back to take about 5-6 big breaths so I could get back into my own game plan.  It went great after that.  There is zero reason to panic.. it's all about having fun.
2009-09-16 8:51 AM
in reply to: #2409148

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Subject: RE: Scared um...shirtless of my first open water swim...any advice?

Well good luck!.......the "tri" bug has found another "victim". 

Don't make the mistake I made and let the first time you OWS be race day.  I was confident in my swimming ability and grew up swimming in lakes, but I never took in to consideration the fact that I would be swimming in a very large pack of people.

Here are some things to consider:

1.  You will take a wave in the face and the exact moment you are taking a breath at some point during the race.  Causing you to cough, spit and gurgle.  This will likely draw the attention of one of the life guards who will begin moving your way in order to "save" you, requiring you to say...."no.....(phhp).....I......(cough).....am.......(choke).....fine!" before continuing on.

2.  You will see feet coming at you from every direction, even in murky water.

3.  You will catch a slower swimmer who thought they were faster than they really were.  Thus requiring you to navigate around them.

4.  You will be caught by a faster swimmer who thought they were  slower than they really were.  They will try to climb over your back to get in front of you.

5.  Unless you are swimming out of the "pack", you will find it hard to get in to the normal rythym of your stroke.

Now I say this not to worry you and I am halfway joking, but OWS's are quite different than pool swims.

I can't speak to your first question....I will leave that to more experienced members.  I know that my wetsuit is good for me.  It fits and has enough "give" in my upper body so my shoulders and arms don't fight it much.

I tried mine out in a pool....again I didn't want the first time I used it to be on race day.  The chlorine is hard on the material so I didn't use it much.  Definitely wash it off well after each pool swim. 

I never became overheated when I used it.  Some people have posted on here that they experienced some hyperthermia symptoms when using a suit in a pool. 

My guess is that water temp and how hard you push yourself play a large factor in that.  I can go for a nice leisurely run in 100+ degree weather and feel fine, but if I push myself in that weather I get overheated quickly.

Don't know if any of that helps........good luck!!!!

2009-09-16 9:02 AM
in reply to: #2409148

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Subject: RE: Scared um...shirtless of my first open water swim...any advice?
Thanks all for the sage advice. After my first event in a 78degF pool, where I hit the water and my lungs just collapsed, I know I need a bit of work. Toungue is firmly planted in my cheek with the "over my head" comment as I know I can finish the swim, even if I end up flopping onto my back and just float/kicking my way as a last resort. I'm really excited at the challenge, heck I'm pumped just thinking about it. I'm a bit of a perfectionist (OK, totally gonzo OCD according to my wife) so I really want to be able to complete the swim with good style points.

Smiles are not a problem, esp. when I'm done with the swim and headed to my nice comfortable bike ride which is my specialty. 17 miles flat as a pancake, I'm going to cook baby. Going up to a 53t chainring and adding on an aero bar for the event. Should give me a great kick there. I finished 24th of 66 overall last weekend in the bike leg (5th of 17 in my old man 45-49 age group) which I felt pretty good about. Some of those "old men" don't really look so old! I guess the fountain of youth may be filled with sweat after all...
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