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OPEN WATER SWIMMING TIPS

The open water swim in a triathlon can be a scary and uncomfortable experience, but with the proper preparation and mental attitude, it can be the easiest part of your race. Sally Drake, coach and manager with TrainingBible Coaching, has come up with a list of tips to help you kick of your day relaxed and race-ready!

Wetsuit Legal

If the water temperature is below 78 degrees or below, the race directors will allow athletes to wear a wetsuit. Usually if the temp is border-line, it will be announced on race morning. A wetsuit can improve your swim time 20% or more due to the buoyancy that it creates and the drag that is decreased. A wetsuit will help keep you warm in colder water (or extremely warm if you are in Missouri!). If it is a warmer day, remember that you will sweat under your wetsuit, so sipping your favorite electrolyte replacement drink before the race is a good idea. You can also use cooking spray or wetsuit spray on the outside of the suit (forearms and shins) to aid in removal. (Don't use petroleum base spays or lubricants, due to the detrimental effects on the suit)

Head for the Beach

In most races, the race director allows athletes to warm up in the water. As you enter the water let some water to enter the suit, this will allow your body to warm the water and thus keeping you warm for the rest of the swim. Just swim easy--some easy, gliding strokes (100 yards or less-stay close to the shore) towards the first buoy will help with warming up your swim muscles and help to calm your nerves.

The Start

The race may start in the water, treading or standing, or it may be a beach start. Find out ahead of time so that you are mentally prepared. For athletes new to open water, it is a good idea to avoid that "center field" "middle of the pack" position. Just stay to the outside of the group, and/or wait until the faster swimmers enter the water (if it is a beach start). If you have experience with open water, you know your strategy! Go for the front or middle of the pack. After the starting gun fires, it's difficult to get into a rhythm and breathing is a challenge. You will expend a lot of energy swimming over, around, and through other swimmers. Just try to stay calm and have fun at these moments.

Take Advantage of the Draft

The nice thing about open water swimming is that it is draft legal. It will reduce your overall effort to tuck in behind a slightly faster swimmer. If you are close enough to feel the bubbles of their feet you are in a drafting position. Be considerate, not touching their feet and if you see them on the way to T1, be sure to thank them.
Buoy Sighting

There are many different strategies for open water sighting. The problem is, lifting your head, even slightly will cause your hip and legs to drop and cause drag. So, if you sight too often may slow you down, but not enough and you will likely get off course. About every 5 or 6 strokes should be an optimal goal. If you have a straight swimming stroke you might be fine with every 10 strokes. Most triathletes will sight during the exhale, then lower their face back into the water, turning to the side for a normal breath. Just lift your eyes high enough to see the buoy or other landmark that you are using for sighting. It is very wise to practice all of this in the pool, ideally the 2 weeks before your race. A helpful drill is to swim with your eyes closed on the middle 15 yards of the 25yd length and open your eyes when you are going to sight. Try doing this every 3rd stroke to get the feel of sighting and closing your eyes will give you the sensation of swimming in murky lake or ocean.

Know the Course

It is very important to check out the layout of the swim course before you jump in to race. Locate the key buoys (first, turning points and last) wave conditions, swim direction, sun direction, etc. Try to find landmarks that you can sight on your way back in. A building or other object on land might be easier to sight than the buoys.

The Last Stretch

You can see the last buoy! Now is the time to get you prepared for the next leg of the race. During the swim you have been using mostly upper body muscle groups. To help get the blood flowing to the lower extremities and warm up your legs, increase your kick cadence the last 100 yards of the swim. When you see the swim exit, keep swimming until your hand touches the ground, then you will be able to stand up and run out of the water. If you are wearing a wetsuit you can start peeling down the top to save some time at T1.

OFF TO T1 & THE BIKE! GOOD LUCK!
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sdrake@trainingbible.com