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 don't have a wetsuit but only b/c I haven't wanted to spend the bux on one--but I'm a "live and let live"/"to each her/his own" kind of person. If you have your heart set on doing the race, I'd say do it, and don't worry about naysayers.
I participated in a swim because of personal connections with the swim site, and it was a magnificent experience! I didn't wear a wetsuit but a lot of swimmers did, and I respected their choices--no separate award divisions, but it was a small race. And it should be noted that even if I'd had a wetsuit, I doubt I'd be anywhere near the leaders. And pretty much all the swimmers cheered one another in--heard no comments about who had/didn't have wetsuits.
A friend once complimented me on not wearing a wetsuit in a mile swim we both did. But I told her I lacked the experience to put one on correctly. :)
I don't have a wetsuit but only b/c I haven't wanted to spend the bux on one--but I'm a "live and let live"/"to each her/his own" kind of person. If you have your heart set on doing the race, I'd say do it, and don't worry about naysayers.
I participated in a swim because of personal connections with the swim site, and it was a magnificent experience! I didn't wear a wetsuit but a lot of swimmers did, and I respected their choices--no separate award divisions, but it was a small race. And it should be noted that even if I'd had a wetsuit, I doubt I'd be anywhere near the leaders. And pretty much all the swimmers cheered one another in--heard no comments about who had/didn't have wetsuits.
A friend once complimented me on not wearing a wetsuit in a mile swim we both did. But I told her I lacked the experience to put one on correctly. :)
