General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Sprint tri in 68-70 degree water. Rss Feed  
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2018-08-13 12:44 AM


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Subject: Sprint tri in 68-70 degree water.
I'm doing my first sprint tri next week. I did a clinic yesterday in open water at the same location without a wetsuit and did fine. Now, I'm considering getting one because I'm learning a wetsuit is safer because of the buoyancy. Problem is I'm not sure I will have time to train in a wetsuit by next week. Any thoughts on this matter??


2018-08-13 8:38 AM
in reply to: Ann3

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Subject: RE: Sprint tri in 68-70 degree water.
I wouldn’t wear one for the first time in a race. The first few times I wore one it threw me off because it felt like my body position was all out of whack. IMO I don’t like the description of “safer”. There’s buoyancy but it’s not a life jacket. If you said faster that’s a different discussion but I’d still stand with not in a race for the first time.
2018-08-13 9:26 AM
in reply to: Ann3

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Subject: RE: Sprint tri in 68-70 degree water.
Originally posted by Ann3

I'm doing my first sprint tri next week. I did a clinic yesterday in open water at the same location without a wetsuit and did fine. Now, I'm considering getting one because I'm learning a wetsuit is safer because of the buoyancy. Problem is I'm not sure I will have time to train in a wetsuit by next week. Any thoughts on this matter??


Can you get a pool swim in with it on before your race? I swam about 10 min in my backyard pool a few days before my first time using one. Its really not that different, just need to get the feel of it.
2018-08-13 9:54 AM
in reply to: hessma

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Subject: RE: Sprint tri in 68-70 degree water.
If you were fine at that temperature without one, I wouldn’t bother buying one so close to the race. They do take a bit of getting used to and if you won’t be able to try it before the race, you might find it a problem on race day.
Plus if it turns out that triathlons are not your thing after all, it would be a shame to spend money on a thing you’ll only use once.
2018-08-13 1:01 PM
in reply to: Goggles Pizzano

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Subject: RE: Sprint tri in 68-70 degree water.

I wouldn't.  As said, it is most definitely not a safety device, not really even 'safer'.  Do not think of it that way.  If you get into any kind of trouble in the water, it will not save you.  Not even a little bit.

It will likely enable you to swim a tiny bit faster, time that you are very likely to give back (in a sprint), quite possibly with change, while you attempt, for the first time in a race, to remove the thing.

2018-08-14 11:18 AM
in reply to: Ann3


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Subject: RE: Sprint tri in 68-70 degree water.
It's a sprint, don't bother with a wetsuit.
At 68-70 degrees the water will only be cold when you first jump in, then you will get used to it. At sprint distances, it will probably take you longer to get the wetsuit off than it will save you in the swim.
What temperature do you set the thermostat in your house? Probably around that temperature +/- a few degrees. You'll be fine.


2018-08-14 1:15 PM
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Subject: RE: Sprint tri in 68-70 degree water.

Swimming in a wet suit isn't much different from swimming without a wetsuit.  If you are a strong swimmer you will be able to complete the swim with or without a wet suit.  If you are weak swimmer you will struggle with or without a wet suit.  The advantage of a wet suits is speed.  The weaker a swimmer you are the more time in the water a wetsuit will save you.  Strong swimmers will have good form with their hips high in the water whether they have a wet suit or not.  Weak swimmer will benifit from the boyancy because it will aid at keeping hips high in the water and the improved position with will reduce their drag through the water.  This mean you go faster, but it also means that you won't have to work as hard to move through the water so you will be fresher coming out of the water.  Wet suits also have slick finishesh, grip panels, etc. to move you through the water faster. 

 

The only problems I have had with wet suits are:

1) Leg Cramps : I don't know if the wet suit caused these but think it was a factor due to the compression on the legs.  I have got cramps 50% of the time I have swam in a wet suit and only about 1% of the time when I have swam without a wet suit.   

2) Shoulder restriction:  My first wet suit was probably too small for me (which put extra compression of the legs to cramp) and pulling my arms through the water felt like pulling elastic medicine bands.  I was 15 sec/100m faster so I was okay with that but it felt like I was shortening my stroke.  

3) The Kick:  I think my 2nd wet suit had the maximum allowable buoyancy in the legs.  I couldn't get my legs to go down in the water to kick.  They just floated on the surface(this reduced leg cramping because I didn't do as much kicking but I still had to kick some for balance in the water).

It would be good to swim at least once in the wet suit before the race to know how it feels in the water and what you can and can't do in it.  Once in the water is enough before race though.  You should be faster and save energy in the water (which in turn makes things safer).  You also should be able to float on you back really well in a wetsuit (this also makes you safer).



Edited by BlueBoy26 2018-08-14 1:16 PM
2018-08-14 1:38 PM
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Subject: RE: Sprint tri in 68-70 degree water.

Originally posted by Rollergirl If you were fine at that temperature .....
  I was on staff at a Scout Camp 10,300' above sea level (Camp Steiner, Ut).  The lake temperature was typically 55-60 degree.  We swam in that lake without wet suits all summer long.  Big Hole on the Crow Creek in Fairview, Wy wasn't any warmer and we swam there with my cousin every summer too.  Growing up in the Rocky Mountains cold water was the only water I knew that excised outdoor and it never stopped us from swimming.  None of us had a wet suit or any other flotation devises (unless we were floating the creek in an old car inter tube). 



Edited by BlueBoy26 2018-08-14 1:40 PM
2018-08-15 12:29 AM
in reply to: BlueBoy26

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Subject: RE: Sprint tri in 68-70 degree water.
Originally posted by BlueBoy26

Originally posted by Rollergirl If you were fine at that temperature .....
  I was on staff at a Scout Camp 10,300' above sea level (Camp Steiner, Ut).  The lake temperature was typically 55-60 degree.  We swam in that lake without wet suits all summer long.  Big Hole on the Crow Creek in Fairview, Wy wasn't any warmer and we swam there with my cousin every summer too.  Growing up in the Rocky Mountains cold water was the only water I knew that excised outdoor and it never stopped us from swimming.  None of us had a wet suit or any other flotation devises (unless we were floating the creek in an old car inter tube). 




We all experience cold in different ways. What I meant was that, as she has tried it and was fine, then.....

2018-08-16 11:56 PM
in reply to: #5247828

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Subject: RE: Sprint tri in 68-70 degree water.
I think what you said was understood. I have just seen a bunch of questions about predicted water temperatures on race day and wether a wetsuit is needed or not. It always seems laughable to me. My family had memberships to a large gym growing up that had two Olympic sized indoor pools next to each other. One was for recreation and was kept at about 80 dregs. F and the other was for lap swimming and was kept at about 70 dregs F. I was told at the time that for lap swimming and swimming competition that cold water what preferred. I never heard different until I started doing Triathlons three years ago. Then I started to see triathletes warning about the dangers of cold water and why you should never swim in water under 72 degrees F with out a wetsuit and then only for limited time. So... every time I see temperature and wet suit used in the same sentence I know think back to plolar bear swimming in 55 drag water at Camp Steiner.
2018-08-18 7:07 PM
in reply to: BlueBoy26

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Subject: RE: Sprint tri in 68-70 degree water.
Originally posted by BlueBoy26

Then I started to see triathletes warning about the dangers of cold water and why you should never swim in water under 72 degrees F with out a wetsuit and then only for limited time.


lol 72 ... elite cutoff for ITU is 68/20C

OP will be just fine without


2018-08-19 4:48 PM
in reply to: #5248078


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Subject: RE: Sprint tri in 68-70 degree water.
I did my first sprint triathlon without a wetsuit and without a tri bike and managed to come in 3rd for my age group. Thanks for all your support!!!
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