I was just curious about everyone's "first time". When/where did you take that first plunge into open water??
(I did a search to see if a thread like this had been done and came up empty.)
Parents
Former Member
May of this year. I did the 5K Beaufort River Swim (Beaufort, SC)...which is really an intercoastal (salt) with the tide. I forget my exact time but it was well under an hour. I was like 8-10th overall and won my age group. Temp about 90 (air), water about 75.
What I learned....lines! You line is everything. I follow a small pack that took a really bad one! Also BREATHE!!! You get that initial adreniline rush of the start and your HR is up and I forgot to breathe enough...I was pooped after 10 minutes, but eventually calmed it down and got into a rhythm.
That is a good point. BREATHE. On my first swim, the first 5 minutes seemed frantic to me. The sights, the sounds with a cap on, the cooler water, and just knowing what I had just begun. It's exciting, but your right, you need to remember to breath to calm down.
What I learned? Sighting will make you sore in the shoulders if you are not used to it. Breathing to both sides is beneficial in longer swims to reduce soreness and dizziness. Strait line swiming - can't say enough about this.
May of this year. I did the 5K Beaufort River Swim (Beaufort, SC)...which is really an intercoastal (salt) with the tide. I forget my exact time but it was well under an hour. I was like 8-10th overall and won my age group. Temp about 90 (air), water about 75.
What I learned....lines! You line is everything. I follow a small pack that took a really bad one! Also BREATHE!!! You get that initial adreniline rush of the start and your HR is up and I forgot to breathe enough...I was pooped after 10 minutes, but eventually calmed it down and got into a rhythm.
That is a good point. BREATHE. On my first swim, the first 5 minutes seemed frantic to me. The sights, the sounds with a cap on, the cooler water, and just knowing what I had just begun. It's exciting, but your right, you need to remember to breath to calm down.
What I learned? Sighting will make you sore in the shoulders if you are not used to it. Breathing to both sides is beneficial in longer swims to reduce soreness and dizziness. Strait line swiming - can't say enough about this.
