Did my first ever OWS this evening. Very enjoyable. I've swum in pools all my life, but never went more than a few yards in a lake. So I joined a local Tri club and went to their Tuesday night practice, a 1/2 mile loop around a small, quiet lake. There are no motor boats allowed. I'd say it's a little bit tougher than pool swimming.
It was different. I'm not accustomed to a hundred other arms and legs flailing around me, and I probably went a tad faster than I should have. I may have gotten just a bit carried away with the mass start. In the beginning, it was very muddy and weedy but once away from shore it was OK. There was only a tiny chop from wind, but more from other swimmers, and I had to keep looking forward to stay in line with the buoys. After a couple hundred yards though, I was pretty much alone and on cruise control.
2nd OW session last night. I felt much more comfortable this time. Got in the groove from the start, mostly because I waited and began way back in the pack. I could get to like this.
But here's what I don't get. Maybe because I'm something of a purist. I train with triathletes and they all wear wetsuits. It was 85 degrees and the water was not the slightest bit chilly, maybe mid 70s. When I looked around the crowd, there were probably only 3 or 4 people out of 100 without a wetsuit. Why?
I personally never swim with a wetsuit and am more of a frigid water swimmer. 2 people who I know who do triathalons always use wetsuits and I once posed the same question to them. They train in what they will wear in the race. The buoyancy is different.
Personally I don't like swimming in wetsuits and actually prefer the water below 60 degrees.
2nd OW session last night. I felt much more comfortable this time. Got in the groove from the start, mostly because I waited and began way back in the pack. I could get to like this.
But here's what I don't get. Maybe because I'm something of a purist. I train with triathletes and they all wear wetsuits. It was 85 degrees and the water was not the slightest bit chilly, maybe mid 70s. When I looked around the crowd, there were probably only 3 or 4 people out of 100 without a wetsuit. Why?
I personally never swim with a wetsuit and am more of a frigid water swimmer. 2 people who I know who do triathalons always use wetsuits and I once posed the same question to them. They train in what they will wear in the race. The buoyancy is different.
Personally I don't like swimming in wetsuits and actually prefer the water below 60 degrees.
