I am on the eve of my tenth triathlon!!! I am not an elite "top three" athlete but endurance is my thing. I can tough it out and hold my own.
I would love to share tips on the open water swim of a triathlon and some week of, day before tips!
I got a lot to say about the swim because it is the one thing you can't just endure. You CAN gear way down on your bike and spin through, you can walk the run, but in the swim, you gotsta swim!
OPEN WATER SWIM TIPS:
This is the first leg of the triathlon, and having experience and a plan can really make this part so much more successful.
First, you may want to make your first triathlon an indoor one, or an event where there is a pool based swim. This may be nice to eliminate any anxiety regarding being out in lake or river for the first time especially if you are not super comfortable in open water.
However, I think you can address this discomfort by making sure you do a few things along the way if you really just want to try to do an open water triathlon without a pool-based tri experience. It is 110% doable with preparation. I also don't want first timers to avoid trying an open water swim triathlon either! Just wanted to highlight some options if the idea of being out in the water is a road block for you.
Never swim outside without a buddy, or a kayak, or some kind of support. Common sense is your guide!
Second, learn to swim using a freestyle stroke. If you are not a high school or collegiate swimmer, get some coaching. An efficient stroke makes all the difference. I grew up on an inland lake in Michigan, half-fish from the age of 2 to right now. I adore the water, and "swam" my whole life in clear and murky waters. I thought I'd be golden in this leg. Yelling through a traffic cone, "MWAAHHHHH mwahhhhhhh!". This is not what went down.
I DID train for my first tri mostly in a pool, and DID one little open water swim with my mom kayaking beside me. I did not have an efficient stroke. I did ok...but I almost balked at the beginning of the swim, I couldn't get my face in the water, had a kayaker kindly tell me I was swimming in a circle, and lost my wedding ring! What a storm of crazy!
I felt kinda like a dog getting a bath. Dogs love the water! But they always look so sad in the bath and just want it be over. Man, I love the water, but was so happy when that first swim was over! I felt so thankful to get out the water, and so proud to have made it. And I knew there was room to grow!
Afterwards, a kind friend who witnessed that first triathlon and is a swim coach showed me the freestyle way! And my subsequent triathlon swims were much faster and I did not feel traumatized as I emerged from the water.
Refining form is a lifelong endeavor for me, I can always get better at this. I use videos, coaches, and experience to keep growing my skills.
Third, get a lesson, coach, and/or join the local triathlon team or master's swim team. There are a lot of ways to gain swim experience and knowledge. Get someone to look at your stroke and take in some expert feedback on how to be more efficient. Finding a friend to tri with you, or make new ones through the triathlon team or a swim team. This will boost your first timer confidence! Triathlon teams often have biking, swimming, and running workouts and welcome newbies. The feedback on form and the buddyship as well to access to supported (kayakers, group outdoor swim) will give you a massive leg up come race day.
Fourth, swim straight and continuous. The problem with lakes and rivers is the lack of lines and lanes! Most lakes will have minimal visibility, and it can be disorienting to look through those goggles and not see your friend, Liney. That line in the pool is helping you make lots of adjustments. And if you are stopping or touching that pool wall, even for a second between laps, it provides a lot of reassurance. With a triathlon, there are kayaks in the water, and usually a rescue boat, but you ideally want to be prepared so that is not an issue. IF you do get in trouble, wave arm overhead and support will come and get you!
Getting open water practice and learning to pull even with each arm will reduce wasted energy zig zagging through the water. The straighter and more efficient the more energy left for the next two legs.
FIVER! Temperature! Wetsuits are sanctioned typically when the water is 78 degrees or less. Between 78 and 84 degrees, it's optional but you will excluded from awards. Above 84, no can do! These are the official USTA rules.
The bennies are warmth and buoyancy! The negatives are extra time in transition to get your wetsuit off and sometimes a bit-o-restriction in the leg and shoulder region.
This is where getting in water and the water you'll be competing in matters. Depending on your own cold tolerance, you will know a little better once you get a feel for the water.
Once again, don't make race day your first time out in a wetsuit. Practice and train how with all the equipment you will use race day. The piece of mind, experience, and familiarity is invaluable!
Wetsuits can be spensy! Think rental or used or borrow if you are not 100% sure triathlon is for you. This is where your local tri team and store come in handy!
Here is an online wetsuit site, but it's always nice to try one on in-person.
Keep in mind, it's supposed to be tight! Also don't be shy to ask another competitor to help snug you up or adjust. Where plastic bags on your feet when trying on or suiting up, it's so fast! And use gardening gloves to put on so your don't rip or tear it the wetsuit.
Curious about rules and stuff, including wetsuit rules, see below!
USTA RULEBOOK!
Number six, am I on track? LOOKING ABOUT! The swim course is marked by big ole' bouys. You want to be able to swim and look up at those guys every now and then, without stopping if that is possible. Practice this in the pool, look at videos online. I hesitate to advise on the "how" because it is a work in progress for me. Any stoppage slows your momentum, and decreases efficiency.
Lastly, anticipate group swimming. You will be swimming in a "wave". To aid flow of the race, the elite-sters go first so they are not swimming over you and then the waves go off by age group.
You are going to be in a pack. I used to get way behind the pack or on the outside. Now that I am more comfy and calm, I like to get in the pack, I know there will be kicking and nudging and chaos but you get a little drafting by hanging in a group. Just like the flying V of a goose-like formation. The goose in front is powering through and everyone else gets a break and a bit of a draft, not having to work quite as hard.
Same thing with the swim. SO if you get practice with being in a group and get comfy with arms and legs swimming about, maybe tuck into your pack. IF you don't you may want to be more towards the back.
This is totally another awesome reason to get into a safe situation with outdoor practice so you can gain experience here and decide what will work best for you!
Scary disclaimer, people have drowned during triathlon. Not to scare you, but you want to the possible risks! It isn't common, but it is possible.
Prepare! And optimize your success.
MANY PICS from tomorrow race coming next week.
FINAL THOUGHT!
AS YOUR RACE APPROACHES, don't lay down a new brick paver patio, or throw in a pub crawl, or overexert your body!
The taper period and days before race, mentally bolster, hydrate, and think success.
I am chilling, gently stretching after a little walk and drinking lots of water. Seeing myself smile across the finish line, thinking about my training buddies, knowing they are out there laboring too!
ALSO, I am adjusting my expectations. Not only am I at a higher elevation, but a heat wave is passing through. Bend, Oregon typically is in the 70's this time of year. Today it will be in the 90's and the same for race day. I have been training in 65 to 80 degree weather. The body is less good at shunting off heat and performing in hot so I know I might be significantly slower and need to be really careful about getting overheated.
My plan is to finish between 3hrs 55 minutes and 4hrs and 30 minutes. 50 minutes for the swim, 2 hour bike, and an hour of running was my original plan, about 5 minutes of transition. But with the heat...I lengthened the time.
ALSO, there is a slim possibility, SLIM, that the race director may consider it dangerous, if the heat index hits a certain level. I am open to all possibilities tomorrow.
Other goals:
-finish healthy
-run with good form despite the prior legs
-have a less than 3 minutes wet suit transition
-ice after event
Good luck to my body, mind and soul and all the other Pacific Crest competitors today and tomorrow!
http://www.aasportsltd.com/events/pacificcrest/
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