Next month I will be swimming Lake Tahoe with a relay. Expected conditions are 55 - 60 F and wind and chop, with no wetsuits allowed. Fortunately we will be swimming only 1/2 hour shifts separated by 2.5 hr (6 person relay.) Also, there will be a boat that I hope is big enough to see with by bad eyes and close enough to pull my frozen carcass out of the water.
But I am very nervous. I am a pool swimmer who likes his water 79 +/- 2 degrees, and this will be my first serious open water experience (without fins, mask, and snorkle in the Carribean). Is there a chance of cardiac arrest if I don't prepare correctly? Will it help if I hop in the Pacific ocean a couple of times (the temperature is comparable right now, I think.)? Or will I only be making myself uncomfortable? Am I better off not knowing what I will get into?
I know (in theory) about earplugs and cap, but what is the grease that I hear people talking about? What kind and where should it go? I don't have a lot of insulation. Will those big(ish) mask/goggles keep my face warmer?
Is it better for the boat to hang on my breathing side, where I can see it, or well ahead of me where I can lift my head up to sight it (no drafting allowed, of course). I know I wander if there is no line under me while I swim.
My brain tells me that an in-shape swimmer will not become (seriously) hypothermic after only 30 minutes, but I would like someone with experience tell me that, too.
And a couple of other suggestions –
In addition to Randy’s suggestion to take a couple of hops into the Pacific prior I would recommend that for these training swims you enter the water slowly letting your body adjust to the cold water. Get waist deep or beyond before completely submerging.
When you get to Tahoe, take a couple of training swims to get used to the water. Make sure that you are bundled up and warm before and after these swims. If you are arriving only the day before the race, swim when you first get there and then again in a couple of hours. Each time swimming for 5 or 10 minutes, longer if it feels comfortable.
To your statement that “My brain tells me that an in-shape swimmer will not become (seriously) hypothermic after only 30 minutes”. For cold water, you are better to be 40 pounds overweight and out of shape, than in shape with 5% body fat. That said, being in shape will allow you exercise longer and at a higher level, which will generate internal body heat. The harder you swim, the more heat your body will generate. As for seriously hypothermic after 30 minutes, most people racing in 55 to 60 degree water will not become seriously hypothermic. However, many will become mildly to moderately hypothermic. The race directors should brief the teams on signs, symptoms and treatments. If they don’t make sure to ask.
Come race day, if you are starting from the boat (2nd –6th swimmer), prior to your dive take a deep breath and hold it through the dive and first 4 to 6 strokes, the natural tendency when the body hits the cold water is to expel the air in your lungs, and it’s tough to swim when you can’t breath.
At the end of your leg, get out, get dry and get warm. Bundle up and have plenty of hot fluids. Stretch and loosen up to generate some internal heat, and to return the circulation to your arms and legs. Remember, you may need to get back into the water and the second time can be worse if you allow yourself to tighten up or remain cold.
As for the boat. Wind and current will dictate where it can be positioned, you don’t want the wind to blow engine exhaust or the boat into your path. The ideal location, as Randy said, is on your breathing side and 5 to 15 yards away - depending on boat size and weather conditions and your comfort level. In bad conditions, the boat should take a position ahead of you. Typically the boat and crew set the direction and the swimmer set’s the speed. Make sure that you and the team have a way to visually signal the swimmers if they are swimming to far away from the boat. A pool lap counter can be a useful aid to let the swimmer know how long they have been swimming and you can show the red if they are swimming off course. The other thing to realize about support boats, is that no large boat can easily travel at 2 to 3 MPH. It takes an extremely good captain to hold a steady line and pace, so be prepared for the boat to do odd stuff to stay with you. Many experienced escorted swim swimmers, will enlist a kayak for navigation. They can easily direct and pace the swimmers for the entire swim. In fact the previous post is from one of the worlds best escorts. Randy’s escort services are legendary amongst the marathon swimmer community, but that’s a story for a different forum.
Randy also made good points about grease (typically Vaseline petroleum jelly or a mixture of Vaseline and lanolin) . The other caution about slathering up with grease before you swim is that after your first swim on the relay, you will be bundling up in clothes to keep warm and most of the grease you put on will end up on your clothes, the boat and your friends. For Tahoe I would suggest either skipping the grease all together or a light coat of Vaseline around the neck and under the arms. If it were a salt water swim or a longer duration, I would suggest a heaver coating and also apply some to your thighs.
And to echo Randy’s sentiments – HAVE FUN!!!
And a couple of other suggestions –
In addition to Randy’s suggestion to take a couple of hops into the Pacific prior I would recommend that for these training swims you enter the water slowly letting your body adjust to the cold water. Get waist deep or beyond before completely submerging.
When you get to Tahoe, take a couple of training swims to get used to the water. Make sure that you are bundled up and warm before and after these swims. If you are arriving only the day before the race, swim when you first get there and then again in a couple of hours. Each time swimming for 5 or 10 minutes, longer if it feels comfortable.
To your statement that “My brain tells me that an in-shape swimmer will not become (seriously) hypothermic after only 30 minutes”. For cold water, you are better to be 40 pounds overweight and out of shape, than in shape with 5% body fat. That said, being in shape will allow you exercise longer and at a higher level, which will generate internal body heat. The harder you swim, the more heat your body will generate. As for seriously hypothermic after 30 minutes, most people racing in 55 to 60 degree water will not become seriously hypothermic. However, many will become mildly to moderately hypothermic. The race directors should brief the teams on signs, symptoms and treatments. If they don’t make sure to ask.
Come race day, if you are starting from the boat (2nd –6th swimmer), prior to your dive take a deep breath and hold it through the dive and first 4 to 6 strokes, the natural tendency when the body hits the cold water is to expel the air in your lungs, and it’s tough to swim when you can’t breath.
At the end of your leg, get out, get dry and get warm. Bundle up and have plenty of hot fluids. Stretch and loosen up to generate some internal heat, and to return the circulation to your arms and legs. Remember, you may need to get back into the water and the second time can be worse if you allow yourself to tighten up or remain cold.
As for the boat. Wind and current will dictate where it can be positioned, you don’t want the wind to blow engine exhaust or the boat into your path. The ideal location, as Randy said, is on your breathing side and 5 to 15 yards away - depending on boat size and weather conditions and your comfort level. In bad conditions, the boat should take a position ahead of you. Typically the boat and crew set the direction and the swimmer set’s the speed. Make sure that you and the team have a way to visually signal the swimmers if they are swimming to far away from the boat. A pool lap counter can be a useful aid to let the swimmer know how long they have been swimming and you can show the red if they are swimming off course. The other thing to realize about support boats, is that no large boat can easily travel at 2 to 3 MPH. It takes an extremely good captain to hold a steady line and pace, so be prepared for the boat to do odd stuff to stay with you. Many experienced escorted swim swimmers, will enlist a kayak for navigation. They can easily direct and pace the swimmers for the entire swim. In fact the previous post is from one of the worlds best escorts. Randy’s escort services are legendary amongst the marathon swimmer community, but that’s a story for a different forum.
Randy also made good points about grease (typically Vaseline petroleum jelly or a mixture of Vaseline and lanolin) . The other caution about slathering up with grease before you swim is that after your first swim on the relay, you will be bundling up in clothes to keep warm and most of the grease you put on will end up on your clothes, the boat and your friends. For Tahoe I would suggest either skipping the grease all together or a light coat of Vaseline around the neck and under the arms. If it were a salt water swim or a longer duration, I would suggest a heaver coating and also apply some to your thighs.
And to echo Randy’s sentiments – HAVE FUN!!!
