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. :)
By all means, go. If you had to wear flippers in order to complete a swim I wouldn't care, its all for fun.
I am sure, however, that by working at it you can learn to swim those temperatures. In fact, if you work at acclimating slowly over a long period of time, you will find you prefer those temperatures.
I got to my pool this morning and the heater was down and out, temp was 72F. I did a quick 50, said Hell No, got out and drove over to another pool, a community centre that has three 25m lanes attached to a kids/seniors style pool. The water there was 88F. What a change....+16 degrees: from too cold to too hot, but doable as I just would not be able to train properly for 90 mins. in 72F water.
Perhaps a little off topic, but I'd suggest a neoprene cap and/or Mack's silicone earplugs for either a race or a cool pool. They make a significant difference.
I generally warm-up with a neoprene cap for cool morning pool workouts. After a few hundred meters, I can usually remove the cap and I'm good to go. It makes the initial plunge a little more bearable.
For OW racing, neoprene caps are legal for the non-wetsuit division. For Alcatraz, I used a neoprene cap and silicone earplugs and felt great. For Big Shoulders, it's been earplugs and the race cap only.
If a wetsuit makes it more comfortable for you to swim than use it. Who cares what the rest of the world thinks? If you enjoy the water and need a wetsuit to make it enjoyable, do it.
Well, I finally wore the wet suit for a practice swim in Lake Michigan (Charlevoix) the other day. I almost hate to admit it, but it was the best swim of my life - to feel the cool water on my face without being the slightest bit cold. The water was so clear that a couple of times I tried to take a break in what I thought was 3 feet deep water only to find it was over my head. I wouldn't have even been able to get a swim in without it.
So I say forget you guys constantly bickering about suits and awards and records. I'm more into the true OW experience now of just me and the water (and a huge piece of rubber that made my shoulders feel like they were in a harness and was keeping me afloat like a life jacket)
So I say forget you guys constantly bickering about suits and awards and records. I'm more into the true OW experience now of just me and the water (and a huge piece of rubber that made my shoulders feel like they were in a harness and was keeping me afloat like a life jacket)
What's the point if we can't make fun of the guy's dressed up like seals? I guess that's not a problem swimming near Charlevoix... I can't think of too many better places to swim wetsuit or no wetsuit. You planning on doing the Harbor Springs swims this weekend?
