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2012-02-01 10:23 AM

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Subject: 1st Open Water Tri Coming Up - Need Advice
I've signed up to do the HITS Corpus race on the 18th.  This will be a first for me in several categories:  Olympic length, open water, ocean swim, wetsuit.  That being said, I'm I a bit anxious, mostly about the swim portion.  Is it likely that my goggles will get knocked off at some point from other swimmers?  And if they do, what's the best way to put them back on.  Do I tread water while trying to re-adjust them?  Or should I float on my back?  I'm not a fast swimmer, so I don't expect to be in the FOP, but I worry a bit about getting them knocked off and getting salt water in my eyes (won't that burn???).  Thanks, in advance, for your help.


2012-02-01 10:32 AM
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Subject: RE: 1st Open Water Tri Coming Up - Need Advice

Don't make the race the first time you are in open water or your first time in a wetsuit.  Go practice.  Now.  Go.  GO!!

2012-02-01 10:34 AM
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Subject: RE: 1st Open Water Tri Coming Up - Need Advice

BREATH!!!

That usally helps!!

Seriously try to do a few open water swims prior to the race to get used to sighting, wetsuit, waves, currents. This will make you more comforatble!!

Good Luck!

2012-02-01 10:43 AM
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Subject: RE: 1st Open Water Tri Coming Up - Need Advice
A lot of people put their goggles on first and swim cap second, so the swim cap goes over the straps. That way, if they do get kicked off you won't lose them entirely. 
2012-02-01 10:58 AM
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Subject: RE: 1st Open Water Tri Coming Up - Need Advice

Couple of things:

1. Great advice above about practicing ahead of time. Do it frequently w/ your wetsuit, swimcap, etc as if you were racing.

2. If you're concerned about contact at the start, start at the back of the pack and outside the bouy line. You'll likely minimize contact.

3. If your goggles come off, just put them back on as quickly and as calmly as you can, then keep swimming.

4. Be prepared to deal with the unexpected, as things can/do happen. For example, my first tri of the season last year - my goggles broke & fell off my face about 10 seconds after the start of the swim. I stood in the water about 100 feet from the start line for about 2 minutes trying to fix them. Finallly got it settled, then just swam. Stuff happens

But most of all, get out there and practice! You'll be much better off for having done it!

2012-02-01 9:03 PM
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Subject: RE: 1st Open Water Tri Coming Up - Need Advice

goose1126 - 2012-02-01 11:23 AM I've signed up to do the HITS Corpus race on the 18th.  This will be a first for me in several categories:  Olympic length, open water, ocean swim, wetsuit.  That being said, I'm I a bit anxious, mostly about the swim portion.  Is it likely that my goggles will get knocked off at some point from other swimmers?  And if they do, what's the best way to put them back on.  Do I tread water while trying to re-adjust them?  Or should I float on my back?  I'm not a fast swimmer, so I don't expect to be in the FOP, but I worry a bit about getting them knocked off and getting salt water in my eyes (won't that burn???).  Thanks, in advance, for your help.
Is it likely that your goggles will get knocked off at some point from other swimmers?

Knock on wood, but in the 20 OWS starts I've done, I have yet to be kicked in the head.  I've been swam into, swam over, bumped into people, but never kicked in the head.  Guess I have been lucky.

Why do I think that is?  FOP, MOP, BOP - the place where it is the calmest with the fewest people is on the far outside, which is usually where you will find me.  I typically hit the first few turn bouys about 10 feet wide as well, at least the congested ones.  Does that add distance and time - yes but it is negligible given that a High HR battling it out with the group takes more out of me forcing me to slow down quicker, then if I stay calm and smooth around the outside

Point #2, will salt water burn? No, you shouldn't have an issue there.  Clorine burns.

Good luck!



2012-02-01 9:18 PM
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Subject: RE: 1st Open Water Tri Coming Up - Need Advice

Relax.

Try to get a swim or two in with the wetsuit and in the salt water (your bouyancy will be quite different and the constriction around your chest might be...disconcerting...

Don't worry about the crowd.  When the gun goes off, stand there and count to 15 slowly and don't worry about the people thrashing around in the water ahead of you.  Then...after you've counted...start swimming.  You'll quickly pass the slower thrashers and after you've passed them, the crowd ahead of you will have thinned out a lot.  If you've never done open water swims, try to keep someone on either side of you so you don't drift too far off course (if you start to the outside, you can swim way wide and not realize it). 

If your goggles get knocked loose or leak or fog, float on your back while you take care of them.  You'll burn far less energy floating on your back than you will treading water. 

2012-02-01 9:26 PM
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Subject: RE: 1st Open Water Tri Coming Up - Need Advice

Agree with others - practice in open water with your wetsuit before the race!

I have had my goggles stripped off of my face during the race. I believe I treaded water while I put them back on. It really was not that big of a deal (besides the fact that getting smacked in the head really hurt). It only took a few seconds to put them back on.

Have fun training!

2012-02-01 10:00 PM
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Subject: RE: 1st Open Water Tri Coming Up - Need Advice
I wore my racing goggles (TYR socket rockets) for one of my first OWS.  I got an elbow in the face, it didn't knock off my goggles but it did make one side fill up with water.  Now I always wear goggles that go around my eyes (into AquaSphere Kayenne right now) rather than fit into my eye sockets.  But gotta say, I think getting kicked in the head is pretty much a low likelihood event.
2012-02-01 10:28 PM
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Subject: RE: 1st Open Water Tri Coming Up - Need Advice

1.  Start in the back and if you breathe right, start in the back left side of the pack so you can watch/sight others when you breathe.  Don't worry about starting fast, just get your breathing rolling smoothly and relax.

2.  Warm up the day of the race in the water, face down, getting used to the temperature on your face so you aren't surprised when you start the race.  If you have trouble breathing at start of the swim, just slow down, do breaststroke if you need to to regain relaxed breathing, and get going when you are ready.  Warm up for several minutes w face down in water so it's no big deal.

3.  Just before the start of the race, when you are in wetsuit, at the line, take a moment to look around and enjoy the fact that you made it to the start!  Most don't get to experience that, so enjoy the moment.  Trust your training and enjoy it all.

2012-02-01 11:41 PM
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Subject: RE: 1st Open Water Tri Coming Up - Need Advice

I've done 5 OWS starts in Triathlon races and never been kicked in the head at all.  I also did a swim race last week 1.4km and didn't get touched!  I'm a considerate swimmer and i think I just avoid the other people - I'm MOP to FOP so i tend to start towards the outside, middle to back.  I soon catch everyone up except the truly fast ones - I figure I can't draft if i'm up the front!

OWS last night the slower group in the squad (me included) had to swim straight out but the faster group had to swim to the right - and this was done in race mode.  Carnage but even with people going in different directions I didn't get kicked in the head, I got manhandled a bit but the more you do it the less daunting it is.

Salt water doesn't burn and if I happened to lose my goggles I could make it through without, no drama.

If you can practice....it really helps.  And don't let the start be your first time in the open water, warm up get the heart rate a bit elevated that way it's not a shock to your system and you won't have the dreaded panic attack adrenalin rush!

Good luck - let us know how you go!



2012-02-02 6:15 AM
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Subject: RE: 1st Open Water Tri Coming Up - Need Advice
jobaxas - 2012-02-02 12:41 AM

I've done 5 OWS starts in Triathlon races and never been kicked in the head at all.  I also did a swim race last week 1.4km and didn't get touched!  I'm a considerate swimmer and i think I just avoid the other people - I'm MOP to FOP so i tend to start towards the outside, middle to back.  I soon catch everyone up except the truly fast ones - I figure I can't draft if i'm up the front!

OWS last night the slower group in the squad (me included) had to swim straight out but the faster group had to swim to the right - and this was done in race mode.  Carnage but even with people going in different directions I didn't get kicked in the head, I got manhandled a bit but the more you do it the less daunting it is.

Salt water doesn't burn and if I happened to lose my goggles I could make it through without, no drama.

If you can practice....it really helps.  And don't let the start be your first time in the open water, warm up get the heart rate a bit elevated that way it's not a shock to your system and you won't have the dreaded panic attack adrenalin rush!

Good luck - let us know how you go!

 

i never knew that... thanks!!!!

2012-02-02 6:30 AM
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Subject: RE: 1st Open Water Tri Coming Up - Need Advice
McFuzz - 2012-02-01 9:18 PM

Relax.

Try to get a swim or two in with the wetsuit and in the salt water (your bouyancy will be quite different and the constriction around your chest might be...disconcerting...

Don't worry about the crowd.  When the gun goes off, stand there and count to 15 slowly and don't worry about the people thrashing around in the water ahead of you.  Then...after you've counted...start swimming.  You'll quickly pass the slower thrashers and after you've passed them, the crowd ahead of you will have thinned out a lot.  If you've never done open water swims, try to keep someone on either side of you so you don't drift too far off course (if you start to the outside, you can swim way wide and not realize it). 

If your goggles get knocked loose or leak or fog, float on your back while you take care of them.  You'll burn far less energy floating on your back than you will treading water. 

^^ this.  I practiced multiple times, clearing my goggles, taking them off and repositioning them as if them fell off all while floating on my back in the pool.  As others have said, the chance of it happening are small, but if it happens to you it is 100%.  Better to be prepared for everything.   If you can't practice open water, look up with search thread,  TriAya has a cool thread about ows.  Practice sighting in pool as well.  Hope it helps and good luck.

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