General Discussion Triathlon Talk » First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek! Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2011-08-31 8:39 PM

User image

Member
21

Victoria, MN
Subject: First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek!

This weekend I am doing my first International Distance triathlon (Hyvee!).  I am completely comfortable with the bike and run distances, but the swim portion has always made me the most nervous since I signed up for this eons ago.  In my head, I kept thinking "Well, I'll be in my wetsuit so it wont be so bad"

Turns out .... there's a 99.9% chance I wont be able to wear my wetsuit!  Current water temp is 83 degrees....and as you all know, at 84 ... no one is allowed to wear a wetsuit.

I am now much more nervous!  The distance was scary enough ... but now doing it without a wetsuit has me extra scared!  I have been pretty comfortable in Sprint distance swims , but swimming the .93 mile sounds incredibly daunting. I have done that distance in the pool (and more), but havent been able to swim much for the past 3 weeks due to a severely scratched cornea (thanks to a pair of goggles that got suctioned a bit too close to my eyeball ... but that's another ugly story!).  I went and cheered on a friend at another tri last weekend, and kept looking at the Olympic distance swim markers in the water and squirming!

Any advice on how to not freak out? I know I can do the distance .. and I know I need to just keep telling myself that .. my attitude will play a huge role.   I also know that if I need to, I can side stroke, do breaststroke for a while, or even float, if need be ... and I know that it's just fine to do that!  Another idea I had was to count strokes. I've done this before in swims --- counting strokes in between buoys.    It feels like if I can find a way to mentally break the swim down into more palatable "chunks", then it wont be as scary. 

Thanks!!!

 



2011-08-31 10:15 PM
in reply to: #3668338

User image

Pro
4360
200020001001001002525
Baton Rouge area
Subject: RE: First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek!

You sound like me a few weeks ago.  I have done upto an IM swim OW but it was with a wetsuit.  In the pool I have done IM swims but open water with no wetsuit scared me.  But I did complete my first Oly a few weeks ago.  I decided I would go for an easy swim for the race and hang onto kayaks if I really needed to (logically I knew I wouldn't need to but emotions and logic are two different things).  Turns out the only issue I had was that at the end of the swim I was kicking myself for taking it too easy (still took 3rd in my AG for the swim).

Just take it easy, start at the back of the back and have a fun swim.

Good luck!!!

2011-09-01 10:33 AM
in reply to: #3668338

User image

Master
2770
20005001001002525
Central Kansas
Subject: RE: First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek!
JeannieMcN - 2011-08-31 8:39 PM

Any advice on how to not freak out? I know I can do the distance .. and I know I need to just keep telling myself that .. my attitude will play a huge role.   I also know that if I need to, I can side stroke, do breaststroke for a while, or even float, if need be ... and I know that it's just fine to do that!  Another idea I had was to count strokes. I've done this before in swims --- counting strokes in between buoys.    It feels like if I can find a way to mentally break the swim down into more palatable "chunks", then it wont be as scary. 

Thanks!!!

This is what I do. I make it a "game." How few strokes can I take between buoys -- knowing that they aren't really evenly spaced, but it still keeps my mind busy and keeps me stroking.

2011-09-01 10:38 AM
in reply to: #3668338

User image

Master
1883
1000500100100100252525
San Antone, Texas
Subject: RE: First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek!
JeannieMcN - 2011-08-31 8:39 PM

 I know I can do the distance .. and I know I need to just keep telling myself that .. 

You can do it. The wetsuit is just a crutch, you don't need it.  You've trained long and hard for this, and you can handle it.  You would just be hot and uncomfortable in the wetsuit anyway, this will be better for you.

Trust me.  Better yet, trust yourself.  YOU CAN DO IT!

2011-09-01 11:12 AM
in reply to: #3668338

User image

Master
2010
2000
Falls Church, VA
Subject: RE: First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek!
When I first started, I just concentrated on swimming buoy to buoy. Just swim to the first buoy. Find the next buoy and swim to that one and so on.
2011-09-01 11:31 AM
in reply to: #3668338

User image

Expert
1608
1000500100
Grapevine, Texas
Subject: RE: First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek!

If it makes you feel any better, I'm in the same situation.  1st OLY this weekend, too hot for wetsuits even though in this race they normally are allowed.  Sounds like you are on the right track mentally, and I'm betting we will both be fine.  Hope you have a great race!



2011-09-01 11:36 AM
in reply to: #3668338

User image

Extreme Veteran
887
500100100100252525
Lake Placid, NY
Subject: RE: First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek!

I'm a total Nervous Nelly in open water even WITH a wetsuit, but here's what I've used to calm me down:

1.) My biggest trick is to find feet.  Aside from the drafting benefit, it gives me something to focus on and calms me, plus I don't have to look up and see how far out in the middle of the lake/river/whatever I am as often. I just focus on the feet until my hand touches ground again.

2.) x2 on swimming from buoy to buoy.  This got me through my first completed HIM swim last year.  Breaks it up nicely.

3.) x2 on counting strokes. Not one of my "go to" methods, but I have used it from time to time to calm down.

4.) Look where the rescue boats are. Usually just seeing how close by help is calms me immensely.

Hope this helps! I would be totally scared in your situation too, but I *know* you can do it! Think of it this way: Since it's your first Oly, you'll have a swim PR just as long as you keep moving forward and never give up.



Edited by PinkPrincess 2011-09-01 11:37 AM
2011-09-01 12:18 PM
in reply to: #3669092

User image

Expert
1480
1000100100100100252525
Somewhere in the Swamps of Philly
Subject: RE: First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek!
Did my first HIM this year sans wetsuit - prior furthest distance was an Oly with a wetsuit. My advice is to try and count the number of buoys in each direction and swim buoy to buoy. It is lot easier to get your mind around something like "swim out 5 buoys, turn left and two more buoys and then 5 more buoys back" than it is to envision swimming 1.5K in a single shot. Just like swimming laps in a pool, play the mental game with yourself to get you through the grind. Once you knock off half the buoys, go into countdown mode and knock them off one by one.
2011-09-01 1:06 PM
in reply to: #3668338

User image

Member
191
100252525
Bountiful UTAH
Subject: RE: First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek!
I think you are suppose to picture everyone naked....


Oh wait I don't think that's what you are suppose to do. I had/have the same fear, not being a strong swimmer. I did my first "real" OWS a few weeks ago with a friend. She swam in college and we swim on the same team currently (me lane 3 her lane 8) We just eyes 3 bouy out in the lake and started to swim. I couldn't see in the water and had a hard time sighting with the wind and the waves. I just kept my head down and kept moving my arms and kicking. When we got back to shore I took off my swim cap and looked at my Garmin I was shocked to see .9 miles. it wasn't as bad as I thought it would have been. I was tired but no more tired than my usual 1 hour practice in the pool. Your mind is strong, just don't let it get the best of you. I am sure you can do it. If you are covering that much water in your pool swims you will be fine keep us posted!
2011-09-01 1:07 PM
in reply to: #3668338

User image

Extreme Veteran
331
10010010025
Lawrenceville, GA
Subject: RE: First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek!

The wetsuiit will only make you "possible" faster...

You've done the work in the pool without wearing the wetsuit (even without the last 3 weeks, you are fine)... stop worring about it and get it done!  You may be a minute or two slower, but who cares... just do your best, that's what it's all about anyway.  If you're wearing a wetsuit at 84 degrees you're not able to compete for AG finish anyway, that cut off is 78 or 79 degrees I think... so you're only competing with yourself.

 



Edited by Davisjl 2011-09-01 1:09 PM
2011-09-01 3:31 PM
in reply to: #3668338

Veteran
143
10025
Waterloo, Ontario
Subject: RE: First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek!

One confidence booster I've told my friends (and they've said has helped) is to just practice floating using minimal energy in the pool.  You'll be much less nervous if you know that, if all else fails, you can just float and rest.

One floating thing to try:

1) Go to the deep end
2) Stop and take a deep breath
3) While doing absolutely nothing else, hold your breath and see if you float.
4) Unless you're skinny like a rail, you will float.  You might sink to your forehead, but you'll float.
5) An improvement to this is to kick slightly to stay on your back and keep your mouth/nose above water .  Otherwise you'll need to periodically kick or scull to get your mouth/nose above water to breath.

Having that in the back of your mind could help stave off panic.  Your worry-wart brain might say "omg I could drown!", but your rational head will say "wait a minute, I proved to myself last week I can float and not sink while using zero energy, so how could I possibly drown?"



Edited by AHare 2011-09-01 3:32 PM


2011-09-01 3:39 PM
in reply to: #3668338

User image

Melon Presser
52116
50005000500050005000500050005000500050002000100
Subject: RE: First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek!

Good luck! I agree-- you are prepared and the wetsuit is merely a MENTAL crutch. So you might to well to give yourself some additional mental support. You've gotten a lot of good tips, such as start at the back and off to the side. Let the scramblers go first and duke it out.

I strongly suggest learning a breathing meditation or relaxation technique and doing it in the few minutes before the race begins for you. THIS IS KEY ==> CONTINUE doing it the first few minutes of the swim. GO NO FASTER than being able to maintain the same even, calm breathing rhythm. For those who have done this and tried it, not only does it hugely mitigate those first few often panicky minutes of OWS, but ultimately makes you go faster since you stay smooth, calm, and strong when otherwise you'd be expending a lot of mental and physical energy when you don't need to.

New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » First International Distance Swim --- no wetsuit, eek! Rss Feed