Swimming in chop

I'm beginning to get frustrated with my weakness or fear of swimming through what I would call extreme chop. I completed some long serious swims in the past, ( the 10 miler last year and Lake Champlain in 2008) But I'm beginning to lose confidence in scary water. Any advice? I have gone through similar issues since having to shorten my Tampa Bay Swim to 9 miles in 2005. In fact it is the biggest thing keeping me from signing up for the long stuff again. But I am coming around and felt great at the Kingdom Swim. I think the first thing needed to do is to make sure you are breathing away from the waves. That's very simple but don't overlook it. The second thing is to work hard in practice on staying focused on your little rectangular piece of water as you swim. Don't think about the whole thing, just your little world. Stroke stroke breathe, and get lost in what you are doing, once you start thinking about how much this sucks and how in the world am I going to make it, I have four miles to go in this stuff, you are on your way down the tubes. Practice this intentionally in practice swims. But mostly for me it has been a steady progression back up. 1. Build distance in long flat swims. The Morse Reservoir swim, I don't really see a way for that swim to be wavy for most of it's length, it is so narrow in the cove there. Also look around for other swims that are almost always flat and challenge yourself there. 2. Intentionally seek out rough swims you know you can handle. Either races or in training. The Chesapeake Bay Swim seems to be rough every 1 out of 4 or so years. Lots of the swims on the ocean can be rough; even though rough ocean is a bit different than rough freshwater. And of course seek out rough training swims. Here in Baltimore, we have an open water swim spot that people like to go to when it is calm, I much prefer it when it is rough. I can swim in flat water at a pool! Neither point 1 or 2 are revolutionary but think it through and you will get back there. And good luck

I'm beginning to get frustrated with my weakness or fear of swimming through what I would call extreme chop. I completed some long serious swims in the past, ( the 10 miler last year and Lake Champlain in 2008) But I'm beginning to lose confidence in scary water. Any advice? I have gone through similar issues since having to shorten my Tampa Bay Swim to 9 miles in 2005. In fact it is the biggest thing keeping me from signing up for the long stuff again. But I am coming around and felt great at the Kingdom Swim. I think the first thing needed to do is to make sure you are breathing away from the waves. That's very simple but don't overlook it. The second thing is to work hard in practice on staying focused on your little rectangular piece of water as you swim. Don't think about the whole thing, just your little world. Stroke stroke breathe, and get lost in what you are doing, once you start thinking about how much this sucks and how in the world am I going to make it, I have four miles to go in this stuff, you are on your way down the tubes. Practice this intentionally in practice swims. But mostly for me it has been a steady progression back up. 1. Build distance in long flat swims. The Morse Reservoir swim, I don't really see a way for that swim to be wavy for most of it's length, it is so narrow in the cove there. Also look around for other swims that are almost always flat and challenge yourself there. 2. Intentionally seek out rough swims you know you can handle. Either races or in training. The Chesapeake Bay Swim seems to be rough every 1 out of 4 or so years. Lots of the swims on the ocean can be rough; even though rough ocean is a bit different than rough freshwater. And of course seek out rough training swims. Here in Baltimore, we have an open water swim spot that people like to go to when it is calm, I much prefer it when it is rough. I can swim in flat water at a pool! Neither point 1 or 2 are revolutionary but think it through and you will get back there. And good luck