Hi all,
I just joined USMS and have committed to doing my first open water swim (1 mile) in two weeks! I'm way out of practice and have just recently gotten back into it. I've been swimming just about every day, but it takes me nearly an hour to swim a mile at the pool.
Am I in over my head?!??! Should I be this nervous and scared? I've been told I can do it, but I worry that I can't!? Right now, my goal is to finish...? Haha. Is that reasonable?
Any tips from you seasoned (or not!) open water swimmers would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you thank you and happy swimming!
I've been swimming just about every day, but it takes me nearly an hour to swim a mile at the pool.
If you can comfortably pool swim a mile without putting your feet down and resting, you should do fine. If you rest a lot and don't have "go long, easy breathing" pretty well mastered, the season is yet young and you might be able to pick up another OW swim later in the summer.
I agree with VB. An hour is frequently the cut-off time for one-mile OW swims. If a pool mile takes you an hour because you have to rest on the wall every 50, you may want to rethink the OW swim for now. If a pool mile takes you an hour but you are not stopping and you do not feel totally thrashed afterwards, your biggest concern for the OW swim will be the possibility of getting cold.
I've been swimming just about every day, but it takes me nearly an hour to swim a mile at the pool.
If you can comfortably pool swim a mile without putting your feet down and resting, you should do fine. If you rest a lot and don't have "go long, easy breathing" pretty well mastered, the season is yet young and you might be able to pick up another OW swim later in the summer.
I agree with VB. An hour is frequently the cut-off time for one-mile OW swims. If a pool mile takes you an hour because you have to rest on the wall every 50, you may want to rethink the OW swim for now. If a pool mile takes you an hour but you are not stopping and you do not feel totally thrashed afterwards, your biggest concern for the OW swim will be the possibility of getting cold.
