Any thoughts, comments, suggestions, ideas would be greatly appreciated....
Gotta TRI
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I don't use one - personal preference. So I have to work harder to keep up with people when they use them -- I see the difference in their speed, if I swim with them when they have one and when they don't.
70 water is fine for me.
68 is a pretty fine for me too
I've noticed that different people have different temp thresholds also.
MTA: wet suits are probably a benefit too if jellyfish are a possibility
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
Husband and father of 4
Had my first open water swim tonight ever. Not really sure what to make of it. I have been swimming consistently for a little while now, but all in the pool. I got to the lake and noticed that EVERYBODY (except maybe 3 or 4 people had wet suits on). I didn't. The buoey was 100 yards from the shore. So the plan was to go out and loop back. I went out and felt ok for the first 50 but was pretty fatigued by the time I got to the turn around point. Did I mention that the temperature was just under 70, not really sure what that means since I have never been in the open water before. I'm guessing that is bad, since I couldnt feel my arms and chest by the time I reached the turn around point so I held on to the kayake before heading back for a minute. The way back was surprisingly easy, I got into a better rhythm. But the race i'm doing is in about 6 weeks and the swim is 500 yards. In the pool, this really isn't that bad, but today I was hoping to feel a little better than I did. Not really sure what to do from here, should I get a wetsuit? I know I HAVE to do more open water swimming. Any thoughts, comments, suggestions, ideas would be greatly appreciated....
I don't wear wetsuits either, but I have seen significant advantages gained by wetsuits. As far as getting ready for your race, keep swimming in the lake. You'll become more comfortable with water temp and the chop. Even if the conditions aren't choppy they will be at the start as a result of other swimmers creating turbulence.
Get used to it. This is a link ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_YuZYsYrEs ) to a start of a race I do (the Gatorman at the La Jolla Rough Water Swim). It starts crowded and then everyone spread out. Your event, I would guess, is smaller and will therefore thin out sooner. As you noticed you might be a little tight and short of breath at first, but you'll get into your rhythm and strech out your stroke.
One other link that might be more helpful is this one with some specific guidance for open water triathalon swimming. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QBezkHsXd4 There are lots of others out there too.
My preferance is to swim with a wetsuit, but even with that I usually find that it takes me a while to "get into' the swim. Especially on my first couple of OWS's of a season. You said the way back was easy. This might be because your breathing and heartrate settled. Even though you might not feel that they were elevated.
It does get easier and like anything the more you are able to practise it the better it gets. Initially I battled but now it is my favourite part.
I had a similar experience my first time this week, I got in and the water was very still, but yet I was gasping for air when I wouldn't normally have in the pool... 200 yards out, and I was like that the whole time, had to stop in the middle and hold on to a buoy. I calmed down also, and was able to do the 200 back much easier, plus another out and back without mental or physical problems.
I took that as either first time nerves, or if it's a regular thing, I guess I will be doing a warmup swim before any tri!
I'm too cheap to buy a wetsuit this season, since I'm just starting, but I probably will next year, mostly for warmth, but I guess a little extra buoyancy sure wouldn't hurt. I think 6 weeks out for your race is plenty of time to see if you do get more comfortable with it in time, or at least to figure out how long it takes for you to relax.
Good Conversation going here.
Wetsuit....My take.....I have one but wear it only for a very early season sprint Tri where the water temp is around 68 deg or less and on Oly distances and up. Wetsuits give you definite speed advantage.
For sprint distances any time advantage gained from the wetsuit is lost in transition peeling the damn thing off and bagging it up.
I suspect on thing you'll find in open water is that you are actually swimming harder than you think. It is very difficult to judge your speed in open water and the tendancy is to go harder. Also I find that many 1st timers who have great body position in the pool don't exhibit the same position in open water. Primarily head position.......Head is more up, eg, Top of forehead is out of the water. And the last thing I notice is the pull gets changed from a nice forearm fulcrum to a straight arm. All of these things are a natural reaction.
As for cold water. 70 deg is cold....for me anyway......If you dove straight in and started swimming I could see where it would take 50 yards or more to get your breath back.
As far as getting a wetsuit..... the water temp can warm up alot in 6 weeks. If you're comfortable in the water and have confidence in your swimming I'd skip the wetsuit for sprint distance tri's. There is sense of security with the wetsuit and it's added flotation.
If you can get some more OWS time in take it. It'll be a huge investment.
Forgot to mention, I need to learn to go on my back. I can kind of do it, but really need to practice it that way I can catch my breath that way opposed to just hanging on to something. I'm hoping for at least one OWS a week and maybe two if I can squeeze it in to my schedule.
In terms of the race, I'll probably just wait and see how the water is in July. Its my first sprint so I just want to finish (thats the non competitive side of me).
Thanks again for all of the responses and insights......
BTW bzaganjo
Very impressive log. If it we're a crystal ball I'd say there's an Ironman in your future !
And you really hit it dead on with this:
I felt I worked to hard early on, I felt I looked up way to often (the people running the clinic said every 3 or 4 strokes look up but I looked up more than that), and my whole arm was tired from triceps to forearms.
No Ironmans....I trained for Wisconsin last year but had too many obstacles in the last 3rd of my training and ended up pulling out.
I learned alot though and will try again when life is a little simpler.
My bike is really lagging this season, thats the big hole in my log right now.
Puttin' on the foil
I agree with everything that's been said here. I recently began using a pull buoy in the pool. Funny thing - I swim faster with the pull buoy. Conclusion? My body position stinks. That is why I swim WAY faster with a wetsuit. It helps with my body position. I find that a lot of good swimmers like to use the sleeveless wetsuits. It gives the benefits of the wetsuit while allowing for better shouder range of motion and better water feel. For "adult onset swimmers" like myself, I like all the advantanges of a full suit. I heard that wetsuits help poor to average swimmer much more than they help good to excellent swimmers. I find that to be true for myself. Thank goodness for technology!
I'd also suggest practice sighting in the pool. Just peak up right before you turn your head to breathe. Try of get your googles just out of the water without lifting your head too much. You might also give some consideration to drafting. It perfectly legal in the swim and it provides a significant advantage to the following swimmer.
Don't be obsessed with your desires Danny. The Zen philosopher Basha once wrote, 'A flute with no holes, is not a flute. A donut with no hole, is a Danish.'
I agree with everything that's been said here. I recently began using a pull buoy in the pool. Funny thing - I swim faster with the pull buoy. Conclusion? My body position stinks. That is why I swim WAY faster with a wetsuit. It helps with my body position. I find that a lot of good swimmers like to use the sleeveless wetsuits. It gives the benefits of the wetsuit while allowing for better shouder range of motion and better water feel. For "adult onset swimmers" like myself, I like all the advantanges of a full suit. I heard that wetsuits help poor to average swimmer much more than they help good to excellent swimmers. I find that to be true for myself. Thank goodness for technology! I'd also suggest practice sighting in the pool. Just peak up right before you turn your head to breathe. Try of get your googles just out of the water without lifting your head too much. You might also give some consideration to drafting. It perfectly legal in the swim and it provides a significant advantage to the following swimmer.
Thanks T Bone, my body position is fine in the pool, but towards the turn around point the other night I felt like I was treading water more than swimming. I have been trying to sight in the pool, each lap I try to look up at least once and look for the clock or something else.
So I did buy a wet suit last night, I was kind of torn. Dicks sporting goods had a bunch under $100, but didn't want to get one that would rip on me or one that was not designed for swimming. I ended up spending about $200 on the Zoot Flash Triathlon wet suit and planning on going out with it next Friday.
I don't wear wetsuits either, but I have seen significant advantages gained by wetsuits. As far as getting ready for your race, keep swimming in the lake. You'll become more comfortable with water temp and the chop. Even if the conditions aren't choppy they will be at the start as a result of other swimmers creating turbulence. Get used to it. This is a link ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_YuZYsYrEs to a start of a race I do (the Gatorman at the La Jolla Rough Water Swim). It starts crowded and then everyone spread out. Your event, I would guess, is smaller and will therefore thin out sooner. As you noticed you might be a little tight and short of breath at first, but you'll get into your rhythm and strech out your stroke. One other link that might be more helpful is this one with some specific guidance for open water triathalon swimming. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QBezkHsXd4 There are lots of others out there too.
Get used to it. This is a link ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_YuZYsYrEs to a start of a race I do (the Gatorman at the La Jolla Rough Water Swim). It starts crowded and then everyone spread out. Your event, I would guess, is smaller and will therefore thin out sooner. As you noticed you might be a little tight and short of breath at first, but you'll get into your rhythm and strech out your stroke.
Finally had time to watch these, that first video is terrifying..... the second one is good, very informative. Thanks.
bzaganjo
Just an FYI
My swim in the QC Triathlon this weekend sucked. I bombed it......I did everything I mentioned in my orginal post.
Head up, legs down, went out way to hard, .......one of the worst swims I've had in years. Actually is was more reminiscent of one of the first Tri's I've ever done. Lost my breath and was never able to regain it.