Tried my new wetsuit out at the Y. Water temp around 80. Works very well, but too
warm to do much of a workout. Question: What water temp would be the line for wetsuit
or no wetsuit? Is there a temp set by the event?
Why did I wear a wetsuit in triathlons? The same reason I bought a tri TT bike. It's legal and faster. Have I ever worn a wetsuit in an open water race or swim? No, but I did wear a speed suit once. Why not? It surely isn't because I like to swim in cold water. I like 68 to 74. I only swim in cold water because the places I want to swim have cold water. It's the same reason why I would go out into the Alaskan wilderness in sub zero weather. It just happened to be that cold when I wanted to go. I would have enjoyed it more in the 15 to 25
Frankly I think water temperature is arbitrary. Records for Catalina show that you can find 60 degrees one summer, but 72 on another. Is there anything wrong with waiting for a year when the water is warm? If it is a warm year, should you wait until it gets cold?
As for training for cold water, I think it is primarily mental, until your in 60 degree water for 10 hours, give or take. I did absolutely no training outside a 83 degree pool before swimming in the SF Bay at 59 for 5 1/2 hours. And outside of that swim I did no swimming out of that same pool leading up to Catalina at 65 to 66 , not,counting the 5 degree drop near the mainland.
I guess I don't wear a wetsuit in an open water swim because . . . Not really sure now that I think about it. It isn't because the cause irritation. A high end suit that fits you well is hardly noticeable at the start, and not at all after that. I guess I don't wear one because of peer pressure, but that means I'll never do a swim in Alaska.
Yup. Which is why the OW swimmers here who don't also do triathlons (not making any characterizations about that at all) I guess don't get that you use the tools that are legally available to you in triathlons. If you do triathlons in colder water and don't wear a wetsuit that's just poor race strategy, unless you like playing catch up all day long.
I am sure in OW swimmers' eyes that makes us triathletes weaker, wimpier, not willing to work hard enough, blah blah blah. Whatever. And the analogy to motorized bikes at an IM is a non sequitur. Motors are illegal. Wetsuits aren't (at those races). I wouldn't think that's a difficult concept to grasp.
It's different for OW swimming as a solo sport. I totally get that. And I get that this is an OW swimming board, so the opinions will be skewed a certain way, and rightly so. Triathlon swimming is to OW swim races as the run in an IM is to marathons. Each is a totally different animal, even though they involve the same basic sport.
I actually prefer swimming without a wetsuit. But if you are going to allow me to use a tool in a triathlon which will (1) allow me to swim faster and (2) stay warmer thus conserving energy for the bike and run, I'm going with that option.
Why did I wear a wetsuit in triathlons? The same reason I bought a tri TT bike. It's legal and faster. Have I ever worn a wetsuit in an open water race or swim? No, but I did wear a speed suit once. Why not? It surely isn't because I like to swim in cold water. I like 68 to 74. I only swim in cold water because the places I want to swim have cold water. It's the same reason why I would go out into the Alaskan wilderness in sub zero weather. It just happened to be that cold when I wanted to go. I would have enjoyed it more in the 15 to 25
Frankly I think water temperature is arbitrary. Records for Catalina show that you can find 60 degrees one summer, but 72 on another. Is there anything wrong with waiting for a year when the water is warm? If it is a warm year, should you wait until it gets cold?
As for training for cold water, I think it is primarily mental, until your in 60 degree water for 10 hours, give or take. I did absolutely no training outside a 83 degree pool before swimming in the SF Bay at 59 for 5 1/2 hours. And outside of that swim I did no swimming out of that same pool leading up to Catalina at 65 to 66 , not,counting the 5 degree drop near the mainland.
I guess I don't wear a wetsuit in an open water swim because . . . Not really sure now that I think about it. It isn't because the cause irritation. A high end suit that fits you well is hardly noticeable at the start, and not at all after that. I guess I don't wear one because of peer pressure, but that means I'll never do a swim in Alaska.
Yup. Which is why the OW swimmers here who don't also do triathlons (not making any characterizations about that at all) I guess don't get that you use the tools that are legally available to you in triathlons. If you do triathlons in colder water and don't wear a wetsuit that's just poor race strategy, unless you like playing catch up all day long.
I am sure in OW swimmers' eyes that makes us triathletes weaker, wimpier, not willing to work hard enough, blah blah blah. Whatever. And the analogy to motorized bikes at an IM is a non sequitur. Motors are illegal. Wetsuits aren't (at those races). I wouldn't think that's a difficult concept to grasp.
It's different for OW swimming as a solo sport. I totally get that. And I get that this is an OW swimming board, so the opinions will be skewed a certain way, and rightly so. Triathlon swimming is to OW swim races as the run in an IM is to marathons. Each is a totally different animal, even though they involve the same basic sport.
I actually prefer swimming without a wetsuit. But if you are going to allow me to use a tool in a triathlon which will (1) allow me to swim faster and (2) stay warmer thus conserving energy for the bike and run, I'm going with that option.
