Questions from a newbie

OW is one of the nicer things we got from our fishy ancestors. Swim whatever stroke you want unless there is a specific rule agin it in a particular race. Some folks do 5k meets all butterfly or all breaststroke. Change strokes to relieve muscles, learn how to stretch in the water, read up on pre-race and on-course nutrition: all things you can do until ice out. Even in a group, you are swimming alone, so it's best to learn about your reactions to dead fish flopping in your face, how to handle a leg cramp, and so forth. OW temps are quite likely to be cooler than customary pool temps. Atlanta does not have a Polar Plunge on Jan. 1? :)

Welcome to the forums! It's good to have another swimmer return to the pod. Hey, I'm 23, in Atlanta, and trying to get into open water swimming, because it seems like fun, it's something new, and because keeping track of how many laps you've swum is hard when you're tired. :P Through middleschool, I was very active in swimming, and did tons of competitions in my region. In highschool I switched to running XC, which I was not as good at, but which had more hot chicks at my school. In college I dropped team sports completely so that I could focus on drinking beer and eating pizza. Now I'm recovering from the weight I gained during undergrad, and swimming was a natural choice since running continues to give me shin problems. In the pool I've been able to swim as much as 3 miles with relative ease (I did 210 lengths of a 25Y pool yesterday, and I feel great today). Obviously, it's the dead of winter right now, so there's probably not a lot going on in the realm of open water swimming. Anyway..... 1. If I want to prepare for a 5K open water swim how far should I swim in a pool? Are the two even comparable? If I were swimming a 5K, I would want to make sure I could swim 5K comfortably in a pool, without stopping, without hydration or food, unless you have those options during your 5K swim. I would then increase that to 6K, because swimming in OW is not an exact science. Swimming 5K in a pool is 5K in a controlled environment. 5K in the wild is unpredictable. I am sorry that I do not have an algorithm for you to use, for example, 5K * 1.25 = the distance you need to swim in a pool to feel confident in OW. I don't know what that "1.25" factor is, and I am sure for each person it varies - if that makes sense. So, over-prepare. You'll be fine. Are the two comparable? Yes and no. Mostly yes as far as conditioning goes. No for the unpredictable factors like distance, current, temperature, mental ability to handle OW, ect. 2. Do I need a wetsuit? Depends on the temperature and what you are comfortable with swimming. My first OW was 74 degrees. I did not have a wetsuit on, while others did. I would wear one if it got below 70, but that's me. There are advantages to a wetsuit besides warmth, like buoyancy. 3. What groups in the Atlanta area do open water swimming? And how soon in the year will people start swimming outside? Not sure on this. I would start by joining your local US Master's team for both information and workout buddies. I am sure someone there would know more. 4. Just how inadvisable is it for an OW newbie to swim alone outdoors? Personally, I would NOT do this, but again, that's me. I am horrible at playing mind games. Sometimes when I run outdoors on trails or in the woods, I think about things like, "What if I ran into a nest of hornets or wasps? Would they sting the hell out of me? Could anyone save me? Would I die out here?" I also do the same thing when swimming, so I tend to only swim with friends when it comes to OW. There is a good post on this forums about OW horror stories, where people tell stories where they get stranded or lost. I prefer to read those stories, not experience them. 5. Do people always swim freestyle in OW races? My ***-stroke is a lot easier for me (I do about half and half when I'm swimming laps at the pool), and almost as fast. Will people look at me funny (or will I be DQ'd) if I switch strokes during an OW race? You can swim whatever stroke you want. I swam some *** stroke to clean my goggles. It felt great as a change of pace for my muscles. Others will tell you to change strokes now and then to help stave off cramps. Check the rules of the OW swim too. Some events have categories that permit fins, kickboards, ect. 6. I'm a little bit intimidated by the notion of going out with some OW group, given that I'm probably not nearly as fast as them and I don't want to hold them up. Should I be training on my own to get faster before I try to join a group, or should I just dive in and see what happens? I started with my local master's team with the goal of OW swimming. I enjoy their company, so I swim regularly with them. I found several swimmers there who do OW and triathlons. Definitely train on your own (I choose to do this in a pool, not OW) to get into shape, and it is easier because you can train on your schedule. Train with your OW group for conditioning and practicing OW technique. I guess that's it for now. Thanks for any tips/advice/answers you've got for someone looking to get started with open water swimming! I hope that helps. Best of luck to you!

Hey, I'm 23, in Atlanta, and trying to get into open water swimming, because it seems like fun, it's something new, and because keeping track of how many laps you've swum is hard when you're tired. :P Welcome, sog! I too am a newbie to open water swimming events. I plan on swimming 5 to 7 events this year and have been training in a 25 meter pool and have been doing a lot of research on OW swimming. I attended a local event last fall to get a taste of what it would be like, and liked what I saw! In response to your questions, here's what I've learned so far. 1. If I want to prepare for a 5K open water swim how far should I swim in a pool? Are the two even comparable? A good rule of thumb is to be able to swim further than the distance you want to swim. For a 2K swim, I would want to make sure I couild do 2.5 comfortably. You never know what conditions you'll encounter in open water. 2. Do I need a wetsuit? This depends on the event. Some allow wetsuits, and some don't. For me, it boils down to the temperature of the water. I'm in Arizona and don't really need a wetsuit in the fall, but it's debatable in the spring. 3. What groups in the Atlanta area do open water swimming? And how soon in the year will people start swimming outside? Sorry, I can't help you with this one. I'm sure Google can, though. :) 4. Just how inadvisable is it for an OW newbie to swim alone outdoors? I'm sure you'll get plenty of comments on this question, but NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, swim alone! Always go with a buddy. Either another swimmer or someone who can follow you in a kayak, jet ski, or boat. People die in open water. 5. Do people always swim freestyle in OW races? My ***-stroke is a lot easier for me (I do about half and half when I'm swimming laps at the pool), and almost as fast. Will people look at me funny (or will I be DQ'd) if I switch strokes during an OW race? I believe you can swim any stroke in open water. I've seen people swim ***, free, and a bit of fly. 6. I'm a little bit intimidated by the notion of going out with some OW group, given that I'm probably not nearly as fast as them and I don't want to hold them up. Should I be training on my own to get faster before I try to join a group, or should I just dive in and see what happens? I am sure you can find a group near you. When you do, contact them and see how they respond. I would hope that they would welcome anyone who wants to swim. Especially if they are a Masters group. I guess that's it for now. Thanks for any tips/advice/answers you've got for someone looking to get started with open water swimming! Here are some more resources you might find useful: http://www.usms.org/longdist/ usopenwaterswimming.org/ www.triathanewbie.com/triathlon_swim.html - Tri site, but great advice for swimming open water. Best of luck to you! Deb

Hey, I'm 23, in Atlanta, and trying to get into open water swimming, because it seems like fun, it's something new, and because keeping track of how many laps you've swum is hard when you're tired. :P Through middleschool, I was very active in swimming, and did tons of competitions in my region. In highschool I switched to running XC, which I was not as good at, but which had more hot chicks at my school. In college I dropped team sports completely so that I could focus on drinking beer and eating pizza. Now I'm recovering from the weight I gained during undergrad, and swimming was a natural choice since running continues to give me shin problems. In the pool I've been able to swim as much as 3 miles with relative ease (I did 210 lengths of a 25Y pool yesterday, and I feel great today). Obviously, it's the dead of winter right now, so there's probably not a lot going on in the realm of open water swimming. Anyway..... 1. If I want to prepare for a 5K open water swim how far should I swim in a pool? Are the two even comparable? 2. Do I need a wetsuit? 3. What groups in the Atlanta area do open water swimming? And how soon in the year will people start swimming outside? 4. Just how inadvisable is it for an OW newbie to swim alone outdoors? 5. Do people always swim freestyle in OW races? My ***-stroke is a lot easier for me (I do about half and half when I'm swimming laps at the pool), and almost as fast. Will people look at me funny (or will I be DQ'd) if I switch strokes during an OW race? 6. I'm a little bit intimidated by the notion of going out with some OW group, given that I'm probably not nearly as fast as them and I don't want to hold them up. Should I be training on my own to get faster before I try to join a group, or should I just dive in and see what happens? I guess that's it for now. Thanks for any tips/advice/answers you've got for someone looking to get started with open water swimming! Hey sog, I responded to your other post about our OW group in the other thread. What pool are you now swimming at? I train alone at either Cobb Central or Mountain View in Cobb Co. Would love to have someone else to swim with! Open water swimmer probably do more pool swimming that OW swimming for training...at least until the Spring/Summer/Fall and depending on location. I only do actual OW training a few times a month, even in summer. So I will make this cut and dry and just answer your questions. If you have others feel free to post or send me a PM. 1. You should probably be training at least 1-1.5 of that 5K distance. Making the distance (5K) isn't that bad. Being able to swim it and vary your effort in different spots is another. Generally, depending on conditions, a 5K is in the area of an hour swim. 2. No, not here in the SE most likely. In the events I've swam in you "can" wear a wetsuit, but are not eligible for awards. 3. I train with the "swim with Pete" group at Red Top Mountain 2 times a month, but its mostly triathletes, not straight swimmers like me. Info is in the other thread you posted in. 4. I would not swim alone in the outdoors (lake, ocean, river)....anything happens it won't be good. At minimum, have a swim buddy. I also own a kayak so I can have a buddy that can stay dry if they choose that route. We have a family place on Alatoona, if you want to swim let me know! 5. Pretty much all free unless you really need to stretch something out, etc. Freestyle is the fastest, most efficient stroke. 6. I would just come out. The Swim with Pete group has a WIDE variety of speed and ages. I'm positive that you'll find several folks of your speed. We have had groups vary from 10 to 100 folks. Usually there is 40-60 folks in the summer.

By the way, here is a list of a lot of meets and OW events. Its not all of them, but gives you a good feel. I can tell you about a few other's that aren't listed. www.dixiezone.org/Meets.htm