Hi,
I'm doing a 10K swim in San Francisco this weekend (www.waterworldswim.com/.../index.html). I've never swam in the Bay before. I understand it will be cold (55 degrees) and I have a little understanding of the currents, but I am curious if anyone has any advice on how to survive the swim. I'm very comfortable swimming in open water and I'll be in a wetsuit and neoprene cap. Unfortunately based on where I live I haven't been able train in cold water, so I am sure I'll be a little uncomfortable, but if it was easy everyone would do it. Does anyone have any good intel that a San Fran novice like myself might benefit from?
Thanks,
Mike
This is my favorite open water swim and have done it a number of times. Incredibly scenic and fast with an incoming tide. It will swim more like a 7.5K If you are wearing a wetsuit (I didn't) make sure it fits you properly. If you've swam in it before great. I suspect the most challenging part for you will be the jump. Keep your legs apart and arms out so that you don't go too deep. You'll also probably have problems keeping your face in the water. Swim a little breaststroke dropping your head a little each time, and then swim like hell. While the water rushing into your wetsuit be a bit of a shock, you won't notice in it in 1 or 2 minutes, and should be completely warm in 5. Up to a point cold water swimming is mostly mental, and with a wetsuit over that distance it is almost all mental.
This is my favorite open water swim and have done it a number of times. Incredibly scenic and fast with an incoming tide. It will swim more like a 7.5K If you are wearing a wetsuit (I didn't) make sure it fits you properly. If you've swam in it before great. I suspect the most challenging part for you will be the jump. Keep your legs apart and arms out so that you don't go too deep. You'll also probably have problems keeping your face in the water. Swim a little breaststroke dropping your head a little each time, and then swim like hell. While the water rushing into your wetsuit be a bit of a shock, you won't notice in it in 1 or 2 minutes, and should be completely warm in 5. Up to a point cold water swimming is mostly mental, and with a wetsuit over that distance it is almost all mental.
