Compared to running or biking? A 5k swim is roughly equivalent to a half-marathon run. I can't imagine anyone would run 13 miles without even a sip of water.
Hey, I resent your insinuation. Any drop I've drunk during a 5K was involuntary, ya dig?
OK, seriously, I'm not quite sure a 5K is equivalent to a half-marathon. I do know that swims of over 5K require drinking and perhaps feeding (i. e. some glucose). At this point I defer to wiser minds as I haven't gone much beyond the 5K yet.
Compared to running or biking? A 5k swim is roughly equivalent to a half-marathon run. I can't imagine anyone would run 13 miles without even a sip of water.
The only liquid I take on a 5K is a few swallows if it is hot out and the water is warm. I also prefer it if it is clear enough that I can see my fingers. For salt water I just make sure I drink before hand. However, I could imagine needing to drink if it a 5K+ swim in 80+ degree water. Otherwise you simply do not sweat nearly as much as a half marathon because the water effectively cools down your body.
personally, i'm good for a little over 2 hours without feeding. it is important to hydrate beforehand..... i do for days (not just the morning of the swim).
I hope that this isn't a hijack, but I was wondering if you could you explain a little more about what you do to hydrate for days before a race? I'm doing the Chesapeake Bay swim this year--which will be my longest swim so far. In past swims (2.4 miles) I'm pretty sure I've not been doing well on getting enough liquid, in part because I think I start too late.
Do you have a conscious plan or do you just decide to make an effort to drink more than you would ordinarily? And do you primarily stick to water, or look more to a sports drink?
personally, i'm good for a little over 2 hours without feeding. it is important to hydrate beforehand..... i do for days (not just the morning of the swim).
I could imagine needing to drink if it a 5K+ swim in 80+ degree water.
Indeed, the only 5K I have ever swum in which I drank water (other than unintentional gulps of the venue) was in a lake that was probably 82-84F. The race was 3 laps, and the race organizers positioned someone at one of the corners with drinking water and cups. No other OW swim I have ever swum (all 5K or shorter) has offered an aid station, although some allow personal kayak or paddleboard escorts who can supply food or water and others have involved laps starting and finishing near a beach where a person could have taken a small detour for a drink or snack.
The critical factor isn't the distance so much as how long you are going to take to complete it. At my speed, the performance advantage of drinking or eating during a 5K would not be great enough to outweigh the hassle of consuming the food or water. If I were doing an event that was going to take me 2h or more, though, I would feel different; in that case, I might make sure I had either a paddler or the opportunity to go up on the beach to grab a drink or bite between laps.
I hope that this isn't a hijack, but I was wondering if you could you explain a little more about what you do to hydrate for days before a race? I'm doing the Chesapeake Bay swim this year--which will be my longest swim so far. In past swims (2.4 miles) I'm pretty sure I've not been doing well on getting enough liquid, in part because I think I start too late.
Do you have a conscious plan or do you just decide to make an effort to drink more than you would ordinarily? And do you primarily stick to water, or look more to a sports drink?
mostly water..... i make sure to drink about a gallon/day. sports drinks during activity
ok, I've conducted some google research and there has been some studies conducted on this. The results seem to vary quite a bit but I surmise sweat loss during swimming is about 500ml per hour, vs running of about 1.5 L per hour with a lot of variance with weight, intensity, heat, etc..
The amount of sweat loss is individualistic. You can weigh yourself before and after exercise and determine your own sweat rates. Wonder if anyone actually does this?
...I typically drink about 30 oz of water over the course of a one-hour swim workout. With this habit I am afraid to swim over an hour without water, but perhaps this is more of pyschological need than a physical need?
I don't have a whole lot of experience with long distance open water, but I am trying to get more. However, I also drink about 32 oz of water during a 1 hr swim workout and was concerned about not drinking during open water swimming - except for the occasional wave during a breath :whiteflag:.
During the open water practices and 3 swims I did last year (most in a very warm small lake in South Texas) some up to 2 hours, I was always able to make it without the water during the swim I was sure to have water available after my swim. (when I run any distance, I sweat and drink water heavily, so while swimming, the water cooling me constantly must be in play). Good luck. :fish2:
ok, I've conducted some google research and there has been some studies conducted on this. The results seem to vary quite a bit but I surmise sweat loss during swimming is about 500ml per hour, vs running of about 1.5 L per hour with a lot of variance with weight, intensity, heat, etc..
The amount of sweat loss is individualistic. You can weigh yourself before and after exercise and determine your own sweat rates. Wonder if anyone actually does this?
...I typically drink about 30 oz of water over the course of a one-hour swim workout. With this habit I am afraid to swim over an hour without water, but perhaps this is more of pyschological need than a physical need?
