If I have to wear a wetsuit in order to do an event ...
Former Member
...would you rather I just don't show up?
I've found my tolerance to cold water is just not that great - I think around 68 degrees is my breaking point. I've done a few 500M swims in triathlons at around 65 degrees and my experiences were completely miserable to the point that I won't do it again - especially over much longer distances. I don't even feel safe doing it.
I have my eye on a few races in Lake Michigan which is what I have been really looking forward to having grown up swimming in this lake all my life. This feels like the real deal and something that I would have thought was right in my element until I realized my tolerance is not what it used to be. But it looks like the chances of the lake being over 70 will be slim unless I catch a sudden heat wave.
I have absolutely no desire to wear it if the water is warm enough. And I have no interest in the bouyancy/speed factor from it. In other races on inland lakes I have overheard some derogatory comments towards wetsuit wearers, although these were more justified because the temps were in the low 70s. It does seem like cheating. I recently swam a 1500M in 26 minutes so I doubt I will be stealing any awards (some of them I think have seperate divisions anyway). But I feel like I would be cheating myself and it wouldn't make me feel better if all the real open water swimmers were ripping on me.
I have no problem with wet suit wearers. I say the more the merrier. I DO prefer that the event have a separate wet suit division for those that choose to wear them.
I've also never seen any outward display of disdain to wet suit wearers at any event in which I've participated. Only comment I've ever heard was this past weekend by a wet suit wearer who jokingly referred to himself as a "cheater swimmer" at the start line.
I also have no problem with tri-atheletes entering open water competitions just as long as they don't crowd the front at the start particularly if they stand little chance of keeping up with the lead pack. Had a couple of otherwise nice tri-folks do that this past weekend which led to more contact at the start than necessary, but as I said, they were otherwise nice, and I hope to see them again at other events.
I have no problem with wet suit wearers. I say the more the merrier. I DO prefer that the event have a separate wet suit division for those that choose to wear them.
I've also never seen any outward display of disdain to wet suit wearers at any event in which I've participated. Only comment I've ever heard was this past weekend by a wet suit wearer who jokingly referred to himself as a "cheater swimmer" at the start line.
I also have no problem with tri-atheletes entering open water competitions just as long as they don't crowd the front at the start particularly if they stand little chance of keeping up with the lead pack. Had a couple of otherwise nice tri-folks do that this past weekend which led to more contact at the start than necessary, but as I said, they were otherwise nice, and I hope to see them again at other events.
