I need help!!

Just vaseline under the arms, the back of your neck any where you have skin meeting skin. The chin touches your shoulder can rub you raw. Also in the crotch area where your swim suit may rub. Food wise any thing that you can enjoy and not get sick. I used to eat eggs bacon and home fried potatoes. Draft off any one that you can get close to.

George, very valuable info. thank you. I will apply all of them.:wave:

Okoban, I am glad you have been swiming hour swims for some time and have gotten used to the feel of them. I am training for a very long swim (20 miles next year) and am experimenting now with hydration/feeding while I train. I, too, use vaseline on both sides of my neck and under my arms which has solved the skin chafing problem. Hydation/feeding I am still working with but I do find that I don't need extra feeding for a 4 mile swim, I need electrolyte replacement (hydration) about every 15 minutes or 800-1,000 yds. As long as I can hydrate early on, it prevents lots of problems as the miles come about. Before a typical 4 to 5 mile swim, I eat a half a muffin with a little peanut butter, a yogurt, and a banana and about 16 ounces of water with juice. This sets me up pretty well for a 5 mile swim.

Your swim at 4 miles with the current and water temp is very similiar to a US swim called the Chesapeake Bay Swim. Its a 4.4 mile swim with a bit warmer water temp. Look on Google and at this site for tips for the Chesapeake Bay swim. What works for the CB swim will work for you too. If you wear a wet suit or not makes a difference in 68F water over 4 miles. A swim cap can make a difference also. See this page for swim caps for long distance swims that are English Channel rules legal . www.geocities.com/.../coldwatercaps.html

Donna, thanks for the nutrition advices. I think I will make a good breakfast 3 hours before the competition. I will also eat banana and yogurt and drink some Powerade/Gatorade before the swim. Peggy, I searched for Chesapeake Bay Swim and had some good info. I do not have a wet suit but I will consider having one. Standard swim caps are used with unique IDs but maybe they might allow having another one under that. Thanks a lot. There is the link of the race. Maybe some people over there might consider attending next year www.olimpiyatkomitesi.org.tr/.../bgz07.htm

Abou Heif had a breakfast of a whole roasted Chicken before a race. Some had oatmeal (porridge) with sugar. I went for the traditional bacon, eggs and hashbrowns. Some used other products. The main thing you have to be able to handle it. In a five mile race I never took anything during the race, hydrated well before the race. Longer races feedings every 2 hours or more if i felt the need.

George, all kinds of nutrition is forbidden during this race, so I have no choice. I drink water during my pool workouts (not before the workout because I need to go to the mens room and I hate to go out of the water during the workout). The water will be colder than the pool water and if I drink enough, I might have trouble. I plan to stop drinking 2 hours before the competition. It is not a very long course and I hope I can handle it. Thanks for the advices

thanks and good luck to you too. I will write my experiences after the swim (memories of a rookie OW swimmer) :woot:

Your swim at 4 miles with the current and water temp is very similiar to a US swim called the Chesapeake Bay Swim. Its a 4.4 mile swim with a bit warmer water temp. Look on Google and at this site for tips for the Chesapeake Bay swim. What works for the CB swim will work for you too. If you wear a wet suit or not makes a difference in 68F water over 4 miles. A swim cap can make a difference also. See this page for swim caps for long distance swims that are English Channel rules legal . www.geocities.com/.../coldwatercaps.html Thanks everyone for the info, since I too can use it for my upcoming swim! Thanks for this link about caps, Peggy! I looked at the caps and notice that the bubble cap is one of the ones recommended. But I don't much like the idea of a chin strap, since it seems as if it could cause chafing/discomfort. The "hothead" cap might be a good option for my five miler as I'm not sure I want to wear a wetsuit--somehow feels more "purist" to go without, although I won't rule out a wetsuit. In my last open water swim, I had a silicone cap under the event cap, and both started to come off (the kayak volunteers, thankfully, helped me recover them), so I definitely don't want to have to worry about shedding caps while swimming... got enough to think about already! A cap that stays on under the event cap and keeps my head warm will go a long way, I think... hope! okoban, good luck in your swim!

I'm doing the Newport, RI Save the Bay Swim and have too been training in a pool. I'm not much of a swimmer and this is my first venture into swimming. I would consider myself a runner that wants to be a swimmer too :-)... I'm going to use a wetsuit for the Bay Swim and see how it goes. I've been using zoomers and paddles to get my stroke and kick down with a bit more power. I'm looking forward to some more swims especially once I move out to Hawaii.