General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Swim time in Pool vs Open Water Rss Feed  
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2010-05-04 4:38 PM

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Subject: Swim time in Pool vs Open Water
I average 9:00 minutes in a 500 yard swim in a pool.  Eventually, I would like to get this down to 8 minutes.  However, I was wondering if my times will be faster in 1/4 mile swim with a wet suit in open water.  I stop in the pool every time I touch the wall and I have to fight through the current that I created from swimming towards the wall (I don't do flip turns). So I feel like I would be faster in open water.  Is this the case? If so, how much time would I save?


2010-05-04 4:55 PM
in reply to: #2836868

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Subject: RE: Swim time in Pool vs Open Water
It depends.  How straight can you swim without a black line to follow?  How windy is it?  How choppy is the water?  How many times do you get kicked in the head by other racers?  How much current is there, and are you swimming with it or against it?

Assuming you can swim a straight line, and none of the things above is an issue, then most people are faster in a wetsuit.  How much faster depends too.  Most people seem to be between 1 sec and 10 sec per 100 yds/meters.
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General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Swim time in Pool vs Open Water Rss Feed