I am doing a 1K swim from Brooklyn to Manhattan under the Brooklyn Bridge tomorrow. There are over 400 people doing this race and they are going to start everyone at once. For arguments sake, say with no shows, etc there are going to be 375 swimmers doing it. This is a lot of people starting at one time I guess. This is my first OW race and I am a little nervous. I am a decent swimmer, so I dont know if I want to stay to the back on the start and I know I dont want to be totally at the front. Does anyone know if they line us up in a certain order or does anyone have any strategies that have worked for them in the past with what I assume is a fairly large race start. Any input would be appreciated.
I thought all the talk about being nervous in an OW swim was hogwash and just silly people who really didn't have much experience swimming. Then I did my first (real) OW swim. It was also a mile. It even had "heats." Small heat of about 20-25 people.
Still, the start freaked me out and even more so, I went out too fast (despite reading everywhere not to do that and telling myself I wouldn't) and when I got a huge wave of water in my mouth and nose when I turned to breath...freak out!
I got over it fast, thankfully. I realized that I had gone out too fast, wasn't enjoying the swim, and calmed down, 'steady-ed' my stroke, and then ended up doing well and having a great time.
My second OW swim, a 2K, I hung out at the side and a bit to the back. Again a heat of about 30 people, and I didn't start fast. Also got water sloshed in my mouth and didn't freak out. Went under some low bridges that completely darkened my world and didn't freak out.
Bottom line, for your first OW swim, just hang back and enjoy it. There will be plenty of time to be fast and competitive in the future, but for this one, why not take it easy?
My $0.02.
I thought all the talk about being nervous in an OW swim was hogwash and just silly people who really didn't have much experience swimming. Then I did my first (real) OW swim. It was also a mile. It even had "heats." Small heat of about 20-25 people.
Still, the start freaked me out and even more so, I went out too fast (despite reading everywhere not to do that and telling myself I wouldn't) and when I got a huge wave of water in my mouth and nose when I turned to breath...freak out!
I got over it fast, thankfully. I realized that I had gone out too fast, wasn't enjoying the swim, and calmed down, 'steady-ed' my stroke, and then ended up doing well and having a great time.
My second OW swim, a 2K, I hung out at the side and a bit to the back. Again a heat of about 30 people, and I didn't start fast. Also got water sloshed in my mouth and didn't freak out. Went under some low bridges that completely darkened my world and didn't freak out.
Bottom line, for your first OW swim, just hang back and enjoy it. There will be plenty of time to be fast and competitive in the future, but for this one, why not take it easy?
My $0.02.
