OK, I admit that I'm not that tough when it comes to cold water, but would love some advice. I'm doing a splash 'n dash this weekend in Tempe -- 1500M swim and a 3KM run. The current water temp is 71 and the air temp during the time of the swim will likely be around 65. Most of the people in the race will be triathletes, so I'm assuming they'll be wearing wetsuits. I'm mainly doing the race as a warmup for a 2.4 mile swim in the same lake the following week.
It seems a waste of time to put on a wetsuit only to have to strip it off for a 3KM run ... especially as I'm not a triathlete and therefore not experienced in transitions. Two questions:
Am I being a wimp to think that 71 degrees is too cold to swim without one?
Am I putting myself at a significant disadvantage vs. the wetsuit-clad triathletes to not wear one?
Patrick,
71 degrees should be no problem for most people (though I recall you have a lower body fat than me, so I dunno...). I did a Lake Placid 2-mile swim with a similar water temp but a much colder air temp -- and rainy -- and the water actually felt pretty good. Getting out, on the other hand...!
I've done a similar race -- but with a 40k bike leg instead of a run -- and I do feel that most of the time you make up by wearing a wetsuit is lost in the slower transition.
But Rob Jones -- fast, experienced OW swimmer -- estimates that you'd be about 1 min faster per mile of swimming with a wetsuit. I don't think you'll need one minute to remove a wetsuit in transition, so based on his guess you'd be better off with the wetsuit.
Ultimately it is a personal choice. I like having one less thing to mess with, if possible. So -- if it were me -- I would base it solely on temperature. If you were doing a LONG run after, I would say wear it to conserve energy, but I think you'd be fine with only a 3k.
Good luck in the race.
Former Member
Try to go without one. Typically the swim is the triathletes weakest event; it's only 1500M - the time you may lose in the water will be easily made up by not having to remove it later.
Former Member
Am I being a wimp to think that 71 degrees is too cold to swim without one?
Am I putting myself at a significant disadvantage vs. the wetsuit-clad triathletes to not wear one?
the answer to both of these questions is .....yes.
Former Member
71 F is not that cold that you need a wetsuit. A swim cap for open water swimming can keep you warm with no wetsuit down to the low 60,s and some people into the 50,s like San Francisco bay swimmers.
See Cold Water Swim Caps www.geocities.com/.../coldwatercaps.html for details
Former Member
You aren`t a wimp ..you`re an open water swimmer. You do what most people cannot do. The important thing is to have fun!
Based on your statement it sounds like your using this as test run for a later race, are you planning on wearing a wetsuit for that race? If so, by all means wear one for this race. Get used to it. If not then go without.
I'm not sure what I'm going to wear in the 2.4m swim race a week later. Again, that race will mostly be populated by triathletes getting ready for Ironman AZ, so I assume all of them will be wetsuit bound. However, it's sanctioned by both USMS and USAT and I suspect a lot of swimmers will be there. All of my open water swimming thus far has been summer-time based and warm (e.g., LaJolla, Sandpoint, etc.) where a wetsuit was never needed or allowed (LJRWS).
I definitely want to be competitive in the 2.4m swim. If the air temps stay like they have been for another week, the water temp should still be in the high 60s/low 70s.
Right now my plan for tomorrow is this: show up early with a pair of jammers and my wetsuit. I'll do a 10 to 15 minute warmup swim without the wetsuit and see if I'm man enough to take it. If not, I'll don the wetsuit. Otherwise, I'll go in the jammers.
A related question, then, for next week's swim: does anyone know if my B70 nero comp pool suit will provide any warmth? If so, that should be perfect balance for the 2.4m swim.
Lose the wetsuit for the spash n' dash; possibly put it on for the 2.4 mile swim.
I used to think I was a minute faster with a wetsuit for a mile, but I have done the triathlon in Show Low (about 68 degree water) the last 4-5 years with and without and my swim times have all been within 10 seconds of each other (plus I look like I'm having a seizure when I'm taking it off--for me it is a lot of work and time getting them off).
The 2.4 mile will be significantly colder and there will be a crap-load of people there which means they will pile everybody in early. This means you will be sitting there freezing your a$$ off, waiting to swim. I like a wet suit in that situation to not expend energy as I can just float there and stay warm. They are starting at 11, I believe, which might make it warmer.
Good luck, sorry I can't join you--I'm working. Show those triathletes the meaning of the word respect.:)
P.S. No experience: but doubt Blue seventy provides any meaningful warmth.
Great points, Kurt. I'm going without it tomorrow. I just checked the water temp on the web and it says 72. Plus, I just read the swimming world article about the RCP Tiburon mile with everyone doing that without wetsuits at 63. I've lost a little weight lately, but I still have a lot more body fat than the pros doing that race.
71 degrees is not cold, just go and do it. Plus the looks from those with wetsuits at your non-wetsuit covered body is almost priceless. Also, most tri people are poor swimmers and they need the wetsuit to help them float. The posting about the time you gain by not taking a wetsuit off is very true. Go without the wetsuit.
