So I was looking for a possible swim to do in October and came across this one distanceswimchallenge.com/ , however I read the FAQ's and saw the following:
Are wetsuits allowed?
Yes.
Are there separate wetsuit and non-wetsuit divisions?
No. Swim in whatever you like.
Personally this put me off a little, true I could still swim with out a wetsuit, however based on the race fee plus having to come up with my own kayak support, I want a little recognition that I did it without one. Additionally with the growth of open water marathon and ultra marathon (English & Catalina Channel) swims that follow channel rules of no wetsuits you'd think a swim like this would offer a non wetsuit category.
It has been shown that a wetsuit offers the slower swimmer a greater advantage than it does for the fast swimmer. Some have suggested it is because a wetsuit can improve your body position in the water by raising (and floating) your legs. Because a fast swimmers start with a better body position, they do not benefit as much. No actual testing of that hypo as far as I know.
I do notice this when I use a pull buoy during workouts (which I understand has a similar effect to that of using a wetsuit)--although if I'm tired, the pull buoy times start deteriorating as well. What I also notice, though, is that for repeats without a pull buoy that come right after those with, I seem to have better form--and faster times... muscle memory is fresher then I suppose. Makes me aware that I want to work on this body position thing more--so if I improve on that, maybe I'll do just as well as with getting a wetsuit.
It has been shown that a wetsuit offers the slower swimmer a greater advantage than it does for the fast swimmer. Some have suggested it is because a wetsuit can improve your body position in the water by raising (and floating) your legs. Because a fast swimmers start with a better body position, they do not benefit as much. No actual testing of that hypo as far as I know.
I do notice this when I use a pull buoy during workouts (which I understand has a similar effect to that of using a wetsuit)--although if I'm tired, the pull buoy times start deteriorating as well. What I also notice, though, is that for repeats without a pull buoy that come right after those with, I seem to have better form--and faster times... muscle memory is fresher then I suppose. Makes me aware that I want to work on this body position thing more--so if I improve on that, maybe I'll do just as well as with getting a wetsuit.
