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:
Parents
Former Member
"Gerry Rodrigues on Warming Up"
www.thewaterisopen.com/.../gerry_rodrigues_on_warming_up
Q2. Do you do anything different when the water is cold?
Yes, I spend less time in the water and more time on land for my warm-up. For me, water temperatures below 65°F (18°C) are not enjoyable, especially when it gets down below 62°F (16°C). The colder the water was, the less in-the-water warm-up I do, unless I had a wetsuit.
My routine is straightforward with water temperatures between 60-64°F (15-17°C): I stretch, go for a 15-25 minute run to get my core temperature up, enter the water slowly to waist height and then splash water on my face and head to get rid of ice-cream headache from the cold. Once I get rid of the headache, then I do a warm-up swim whose length depends on if I have a wetsuit or not. At times, I bring a wetsuit so I can stay in for a longer swim warm-up if I know ahead of time that the setting does not lend itself to an opportunity for much running. I never stay in too long to get cold. Then I exit the water and go for another short run with a sweat shirt on to get my core temperature really warm......then I'm ready to race.
"Gerry Rodrigues on Warming Up"
www.thewaterisopen.com/.../gerry_rodrigues_on_warming_up
Q2. Do you do anything different when the water is cold?
Yes, I spend less time in the water and more time on land for my warm-up. For me, water temperatures below 65°F (18°C) are not enjoyable, especially when it gets down below 62°F (16°C). The colder the water was, the less in-the-water warm-up I do, unless I had a wetsuit.
My routine is straightforward with water temperatures between 60-64°F (15-17°C): I stretch, go for a 15-25 minute run to get my core temperature up, enter the water slowly to waist height and then splash water on my face and head to get rid of ice-cream headache from the cold. Once I get rid of the headache, then I do a warm-up swim whose length depends on if I have a wetsuit or not. At times, I bring a wetsuit so I can stay in for a longer swim warm-up if I know ahead of time that the setting does not lend itself to an opportunity for much running. I never stay in too long to get cold. Then I exit the water and go for another short run with a sweat shirt on to get my core temperature really warm......then I'm ready to race.
