I will be turning 50 this year, and in celebration of this I would like to start doing open water swims. Never done any real swimming except in a pool and was wondering how to get started. Do you just pick an event and show up and hope for the best in such a foreign environment or are there ways to train or are there any clinics to attend specializing in open water. I am in Northern California but would love an excuse to travel some place for a clinic. Thanks. Paul
Parents
Former Member
Paul,
I've started OW races just this month and I'm hooked!
As a beginner, besides working on longer training sessions and the suggestions of the other in this thread, I found it really important to get into the lake or ocean environment and get comfortable with waves, fish, salty water in your mouth, and all the rest, AND at the same time to feel the great pleasure and freedom I find to swim without the confines of a pool around you.
I think if you swim seriously already, a 1 - 2 M race should be no problem for you if you do just a little acclimatization to the OW race environment and longer training sessions you'll do alright. So sign up for a race and go for it!
- Thomas
Paul,
I've started OW races just this month and I'm hooked!
As a beginner, besides working on longer training sessions and the suggestions of the other in this thread, I found it really important to get into the lake or ocean environment and get comfortable with waves, fish, salty water in your mouth, and all the rest, AND at the same time to feel the great pleasure and freedom I find to swim without the confines of a pool around you.
I think if you swim seriously already, a 1 - 2 M race should be no problem for you if you do just a little acclimatization to the OW race environment and longer training sessions you'll do alright. So sign up for a race and go for it!
- Thomas
