We recently were informed Big Shoulder's 5K OW is likely to be cold this year. (60-63)
Due to a very warm summer in central Indiana most of my training was done in water 85-88 degrees warm. This week-end we got a break and out water has been 72 in the pool. (It feels so good!)
My question is how much lower to what I'm used to can I go and be safe?
I am 5'5" and weigh 117. I have done BS 5K in water as cold as 68 with no problem but I'm just not sure where to draw the line and bail into a wetsuit. I do not want to get hypothermia. I'm planning to be in the water somewhere between 1:20-1:30. :coffee:
If the question is about safety, the only thing that matters is core temperature. Fat can help - it insulates the core - but even if you're lean you can generate plenty of heat through exertion. Which is why I'm not sure tolerance for a cold bath is relevant - there's no exertion to compensate.
But don't confuse safety with comfort. Anything sub-65F probably won't be comfortable, for anyone, even the "well-acclimated." You may lose sensation in your extremities, but that won't necessarily affect your core temperature.
Patrick, if the girls can do an OW mile in 20-25 minutes, they're pretty decent swimmers and know how to maintain a tempo. I'm no physician, but if that's the case, they'll most likely be safe in anything 60 or above. In the low-60's, they won't be happy about it, but they'll be safe.
Personally, I'm planning to do Big Shoulders this weekend (sans wetsuit) in anything above 57. It would definitely suck at that temperature, but with a race tempo I'm fairly sure I can generate enough of my own heat to pull it off.
If the question is about safety, the only thing that matters is core temperature. Fat can help - it insulates the core - but even if you're lean you can generate plenty of heat through exertion. Which is why I'm not sure tolerance for a cold bath is relevant - there's no exertion to compensate.
But don't confuse safety with comfort. Anything sub-65F probably won't be comfortable, for anyone, even the "well-acclimated." You may lose sensation in your extremities, but that won't necessarily affect your core temperature.
Patrick, if the girls can do an OW mile in 20-25 minutes, they're pretty decent swimmers and know how to maintain a tempo. I'm no physician, but if that's the case, they'll most likely be safe in anything 60 or above. In the low-60's, they won't be happy about it, but they'll be safe.
Personally, I'm planning to do Big Shoulders this weekend (sans wetsuit) in anything above 57. It would definitely suck at that temperature, but with a race tempo I'm fairly sure I can generate enough of my own heat to pull it off.
