I am considering Round the Sound for my first open water swim. Of course I've swum in lakes and creeks and the ocean before, but not like this. The only "competitive" swimming for me has been in a pool.
Is there anything I can do to get ready by swimming in a pool?
I would suggest the following:
1) In the pool start to alternate breathing left then right, left then right... if you have waves coming from one side you can breathe on the other side.
2) Before your open water race do some sprinting to get your heart rate up and adjusted to water temp before starting. You don't want to get water shock at the start of the race - you could panic.
3) At start (if this is your first race) I would hang back by the rear on the outside... let the "IRONMEN" fight for first and churn it all up. Just slide in and swim on the outside of that pack - less bumping and stress.
4) Practice sighting in open water if possible - swim from buoy to buoy looking up every 10 - 20 strokes to see how you drift due to stroke unevenness or current or waves. Sighting is the hardest thing to get used to in OW - no black line!
5) islandsox above has a great suggestion - practice your high gear for passing - you will need that mid-end race if you have some reserves and want to start "turning it on".
6) You can find a "sighting stroke" that works for you - sometimes I use a weird freestyle with my head popping up out of the water - no body roll - that way I am moving forward while looking up for my course to the next buoy. Some folks just do a couple of *** strokes... whatever works for you.
7) Stretch a lot - water is usually a lot colder than pool ( I swim in Lake Michigan - not in the tropics ). Hydrate a lot and eat bananas - long distance swimming can cause these creeping cramps that go from your foot to your calf to your thigh... avoid those!
I would suggest the following:
1) In the pool start to alternate breathing left then right, left then right... if you have waves coming from one side you can breathe on the other side.
2) Before your open water race do some sprinting to get your heart rate up and adjusted to water temp before starting. You don't want to get water shock at the start of the race - you could panic.
3) At start (if this is your first race) I would hang back by the rear on the outside... let the "IRONMEN" fight for first and churn it all up. Just slide in and swim on the outside of that pack - less bumping and stress.
4) Practice sighting in open water if possible - swim from buoy to buoy looking up every 10 - 20 strokes to see how you drift due to stroke unevenness or current or waves. Sighting is the hardest thing to get used to in OW - no black line!
5) islandsox above has a great suggestion - practice your high gear for passing - you will need that mid-end race if you have some reserves and want to start "turning it on".
6) You can find a "sighting stroke" that works for you - sometimes I use a weird freestyle with my head popping up out of the water - no body roll - that way I am moving forward while looking up for my course to the next buoy. Some folks just do a couple of *** strokes... whatever works for you.
7) Stretch a lot - water is usually a lot colder than pool ( I swim in Lake Michigan - not in the tropics ). Hydrate a lot and eat bananas - long distance swimming can cause these creeping cramps that go from your foot to your calf to your thigh... avoid those!
