What if you can't swim free style?

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

Former Member — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:39:47 GMT

Nothing wrong with EvilStroke in OW - the more the merrier. In fact, in England many of their OW races have an EvilStroke division. Since you are in PA & fairly close to me, I strongly urge you to consider the Lehigh River Swim in Allentown. It's a fun race. Since it's with the current (NOT a fast current), you will have no problem finishing using breaststroke. Here's the link to LAST YEAR'S entry info - I couldn't find one for this year. Other than the date, all the details will probably be the same: maswim.org/.../EmacJuly River Swim.pdf Another superb race that would be easy for you to get to and do (this is 2010 info): www.ymca-ywca-of-hazleton.org/.../race.htm They have 200 yd, 500 yd, 1 mile and 2 mile races. It's a lake swim and in a very pretty setting and it's also very laid-back. Not a lot of adults competing. The 1 & 2 mile are started concurrently, but everything else is started separately. If you wanted to do the mile, you'd likely finish long before the last 2 miler. You could also do the 200 & 500 as well. (I did the 200, 500 and 2 miles last year and the year before. Fun, if painful.) Go for it! -LBJ

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

Former Member — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:46:51 GMT

There was a ***-stroker in a race I was in last summer. She wasn't fast, but she did finish the 2.5k event. If you get dizzy swimming freestyle, it could be from holding your breath, or breathing too little or too often. It could also be Benign Paroxymal Positional Vertigo, a fairly common affliction in which little chunks of calcium break off in the spiral balance chamber of the inner ear and start knocking around, giving that stuck-in-a-falling-dream feeling when you roll from side to side. I had a neck injury as a teen so maybe this is a result? With all this encouragement I will give it a try this summer.I will have the oportunity to swim in Europes largest fresh water lake-a place I learned to swim as a kid and I know the water is calm enough.If I'm not to freaked out by the wildlife I will look for some lake swims state side.

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

Former Member — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:40:27 GMT

So, the best approach was actually to swim almost 90 degrees away from the finish for the first quarter of the race. It got me into the center of the current faster and led to a faster swim. That said, you should start out with something without a lot of current--like a lake swim--though I don't think that current would affect a breaststroker much more than someone swimming freestyle. This is actually one of the things I have concerns about.I've developed a stroke that has a fairly long glide-or otherwise I just wouldn't last the distance I tend to want to swim.I've noticed that I have a harder time correcting my direction than those who swim free.

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

ourswimmer — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:05:51 GMT

From what I've seen, OW swimming is just a lot more agressive and there is a lot of tactic involved. Among those who are swimming to win something, your characterization has some truth. Among those who are swimming for some other main reason, which is where you'll be if you are doing the whole thing breaststroke, I don't think you'll have any difficulty with other people's "tactics." You might have some people near you who zig-zag around or hit you because they are so clueless, but you'll have the heads-up advantage for avoiding them.

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

jbs — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 10:09:55 GMT

thanks for the feedback!and encouragement! I was trying to get an idea how practical swimming *** stroke would be in OW.It's one thing to swim in a nice clean pool,with no currents or much interference from other swimmers.From what I've seen, OW swimming is just a lot more agressive and there is a lot of tactic involved. I don't see any reason why you shouldn't go for it. According to Wikipedia, "Captain Matthew Webb was the first man to swim the English channel (between England and France), in 1875. He used breaststroke, swimming 21.26 miles (34.21 km) in 21 hours and 45 minutes." en.wikipedia.org/.../History_of_swimming If it's good enough to cross the Channel ... Also, don't overestimate the amount of tactics and aggression going on in open water swimming. Yes, starts can be chaotic--they are my least favorite part of open water swimming. But unless you are in a huge swim, the chaos clears out pretty quickly, and if you hang back or go to the sides, you can avoid most of it altogether. You just need to have a good general idea about what your speed will be relative to the pack (i.e., if you aren't really fast, starting at the front of the middle of the pack is a recipe for getting run over). Unless your breaststroke is really fast, I'd start to the back and side. As far as tactics are concerned, for your first swim I'd say you primarily need to be concerned only with the line you are taking. I once did a swim with a huge cross-current. So, the best approach was actually to swim almost 90 degrees away from the finish for the first quarter of the race. It got me into the center of the current faster and led to a faster swim. That said, you should start out with something without a lot of current--like a lake swim--though I don't think that current would affect a breaststroker much more than someone swimming freestyle. And, at any event, in my experience, most people at open water races are very welcoming and will be happy to talk to you about the best lines to take. It can be a lot of fun, no matter what stroke you do!

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

ViveBene — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:50:13 GMT

Waterlog, by Roger Deakin, is about swimming the length of Britain breaststroke. The book inspired the current craze (British) for wild swimming, plus another excellent book and web site with beautiful pictures. It's good train reading, as is his Wildwood: A Journey through Trees.

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

Former Member — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:07:36 GMT

Unless there's a time cutoff that would preclude breaststroke, I'd go for it! There are several swims on the British calendar that have divisions for free or ***, so it seems to be the norm over there. http://www.bldsa.org.uk/ I admire anyone who can do backstroke outside, as it makes me very dizzy!

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

Former Member — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:39:22 GMT

*** could also be Benign Paroxymal Positional Vertigo, a fairly common affliction in which little chunks of calcium break off in the spiral balance chamber of the inner ear and start knocking around, giving that stuck-in-a-falling-dream feeling when you roll from side to side. I started experiencing a spinning sensation and loss of balance just reading this.

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

Former Member — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:05:54 GMT

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

Former Member — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:55:01 GMT

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

Former Member — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 10:26:54 GMT

I never learned how to and now when I try it makes me very dizzy and is uncomfortable to swim. So I swim *** and back stroke and I'm happy in the pool. BUT, I have been asked by an OW swimmer who why I don't try swimming an OW event. I have the endurance for maybe 1 mile(I swim 2 miles av. per workout), but I would be mortified to be the only *** stroke swimmer. So, are there any OW swimmers out there that don't swim free but still participate in events? I think in some sense you answered the question by yourself. You have the endurance, you're comfortable doing back and ***, in fact you are "happy". Why not carry it into OW. You may find that you are happier in OW. I know I am. It is about you and your swimming, not about what other people think. When the last swimmer comes in at the end of a race they always get a huge round of applause. For me I think it is amazing they are able to stay in the water that long and stick with it. You probably won't be alone. If you aren't you'll make life long friends with the others. If you are, just flip over & do freestyle for the last 25 yards just to show people you can do it. They'll think that you were just trying to challenge yourself. I know I couldn't swim breastroke for a mile, let alone backstroke.

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

ViveBene — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:40:11 GMT

There is a man who does the Big Shoulder's 5K every year swimming Butterfly! Heck yes, go for it with *** and back! That's one out of 800 (last year), altho' a second may have joined him. And Tom Boettcher is extraordinary in every way. He is a student of human potential (and adviser to corporations on same). I would suggest choosing an event that does not have a lot of swimmers crammed into a tight course, and keeping the first swim well within your means. Better to swim 1/2 mile and feel satisfied with the effort, and that you could have done more, than to get into a bad situation first thing. Otherwise, nobody cares what you do, and lots of swimmers who don't post on the forums do non-freestyle in OW.

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

Bobinator — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:15:25 GMT

There is a man who does the Big Shoulder's 5K every year swimming Butterfly! Heck yes, go for it with *** and back!

RE: What if you can't swim free style?

floswimmer — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 07:52:38 GMT

I never learned how to and now when I try it makes me very dizzy and is uncomfortable to swim. So I swim *** and back stroke and I'm happy in the pool. BUT, I have been asked by an OW swimmer who why I don't try swimming an OW event. I have the endurance for maybe 1 mile(I swim 2 miles av. per workout), but I would be mortified to be the only *** stroke swimmer. So, are there any OW swimmers out there that don't swim free but still participate in events? :)I swam Grimaldo's Mile last August at Coney Island in Brooklyn, NY the chop was rough I couldn't see where I was going doing freestyle. I swam a lot of breastroke because I was able to see the direction in which I was swimming. It's what saved me from being a dnf (did not finish). If you have the endurance to swim a mile doing the *** stroke - try it. Stay in the back away from the aggressive freestylers; open water is a totally different experience. I encourage you to try it!!!!:cheerleader: