I'm signed up for the Swim Across America event at Nantasket Beach, MA next week. For those not familiar, it's a 1-mile OWS to raise money for cancer victims. Since I lost my mom to cancer last year, I'm excited to use my one athletic talent (swimming) to raise money for this worthy cause.
So I went swimming in the ocean with others from my master's swim group this weekend. It wasn't what I hoped. :(
I hated the taste of salt water in my mouth. I just spent the whole time wishing I could drink some water to get that nasty salty taste out of my mouth. I hated that when I turned to breathe, a wave would often smack me in the face. I hated feeling like I was swimming as hard as I could but I was going nowhere (not true, I know, but that's how it seemed). It didn't help that I was with two very nice but very good swimmers who had to wait for me to catch up every few minutes.
Don't get me wrong - I'm still doing the SAA event next week. But I'm wondering if, after this event, I should keep trying to swim in the ocean in the hopes that I'll get used to it, or should I just accept that I'm more of a freshwater kind of gal?
I was advised by a more experienced swimmer to skip Gatorade or other sports drinks when swimming in salt water--just b/c the swimmer ingests enough salt from the water--and more would likely make one nauseous. I took his word for it, and I can't say I missed having it. But then, I grew up learning to swim in salt water, so the taste doesn't bother me all that much.
Robin, sorry you had such a bad experience with your swim. The bilateral breathing definitely helped me. Also, it might be worth mentioning to one of the volunteer kayakers that this is your first ocean swim. I did that for my first/only ocean swim (all others were bay swims)--told a volunteer that I normally wasn't an ocean swimmer and she was WONDERFUL! She stayed with me as I went through the breakers and a little way past the start marker. After that, I began to feel more confident. When it was time to turn back to the beach, she suddenly appeared again and again was very encouraging and reassuring. The volunteers are there to help and want your experience to be a good one!
I'm likely a slower swimmer than you--and once you're more comfortable in salt water, you'll love it! You're more buoyant, which has helped me in some swims!
And your mom would be proud! Hope you have a great swim!
I was advised by a more experienced swimmer to skip Gatorade or other sports drinks when swimming in salt water--just b/c the swimmer ingests enough salt from the water--and more would likely make one nauseous. I took his word for it, and I can't say I missed having it. But then, I grew up learning to swim in salt water, so the taste doesn't bother me all that much.
Robin, sorry you had such a bad experience with your swim. The bilateral breathing definitely helped me. Also, it might be worth mentioning to one of the volunteer kayakers that this is your first ocean swim. I did that for my first/only ocean swim (all others were bay swims)--told a volunteer that I normally wasn't an ocean swimmer and she was WONDERFUL! She stayed with me as I went through the breakers and a little way past the start marker. After that, I began to feel more confident. When it was time to turn back to the beach, she suddenly appeared again and again was very encouraging and reassuring. The volunteers are there to help and want your experience to be a good one!
I'm likely a slower swimmer than you--and once you're more comfortable in salt water, you'll love it! You're more buoyant, which has helped me in some swims!
And your mom would be proud! Hope you have a great swim!
