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Cold while swimming

078RR

I’m 78 and I am a 49 + year USMS swimmer.  As I grow older I am increasingly feeling colder, but lately it seems to be much worse! When I get in the YMCA competitive pool (79 degrees) I  have a lot of trouble staying in the pool for a full workout. This is a 2000 yard swim at a very fast pace with a pulse 133 + or - (although slowing year by year)!  I used to warm after 300 to 500 yards into the swim, but now I am still cold at 2000 yards.  When I was younger, I was always warm and my wife was cold; now we have changed places.  Anyone else having similar experiences?

  • 0

    oh yes, I’ve had that experience. I’ve always had trouble with warming up in cold water ever since age group. Now it’s just a lot worse. I’m 77 so you’re slightly older than me, but I’ve been noticing this increasing cold intolerance for about the last five years. I went to a meet three years ago where the water temperature was probably 77 definitely below 78 and after trying to warm up the first day, I just did dry land, warm-ups for the rest of the meet because I was colder when I finished my warm-up than before I started

  • 0 in reply to Allen Stark

    I can relate, King Frog! At the National Senior Games in Des Moines, the water temperature was 75-76 degrees, according to the estimates of most people I asked. I was literally shivering during my 200 butterfly race!

    Georgia Tech's pool is also FREEZING (76-77), and I have had to give up swimming at the annual St. Nick's meet because of it. I have dysautonomia, and at that meet in 2023, both the water AND air were cold. Bruce was sitting on deck in a long sleeve shirt and was cold. I had to keep running to the shower to warm up, which messed up my thermoregulation even more. After the meet, my body temperature was 95.7, and it didn't climb above 96.5 until more than a month later. It was a month of hell!

    You both have my sympathy!

  • 0 in reply to Elaine Krugman

    I am afraid that this phenomenon is simple physiology.  As we age our metabolic rate slows down resulting in you producing less internal heat.  I addition our skin thins (which I am afraid is too obvious) so there is less insulation.  These two factors result in less cold tolerance.

    One other factor to consider are medications which can also affect metabolism as well as underlying medical problems such as diabetes, hypothyroidism.  

    One of my workout groups swims at 80 degrees and the hot tub is completely full following practice!  

    One other warning:  Be very mindful of open water events particularly in late May and early June.