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?
My feeling is that whatever the norm is for race, that's what you should go for. In aquathlon, I wear a wetsuit because that's the race standard. In open water events that are exclusively swimming, I never wear a wetsuit, and I am not, ahem, genetically engineered for the cold water! It's very hard for me in cold water but I feel like in an open water event, I have to suck it up and deal. It's an expectation of the sport I've chosen. Of course, it also means I choose my races carefully since I know my temperature limits.
My feeling is that whatever the norm is for race, that's what you should go for. In aquathlon, I wear a wetsuit because that's the race standard. In open water events that are exclusively swimming, I never wear a wetsuit, and I am not, ahem, genetically engineered for the cold water! It's very hard for me in cold water but I feel like in an open water event, I have to suck it up and deal. It's an expectation of the sport I've chosen. Of course, it also means I choose my races carefully since I know my temperature limits.
