triathlon

Nancy, Congrats on pushing your boundaries. Open water is quite different from pool swimming, and the wise swimmer savors the differences of each. I have a few tips: (1) Enjoy the race. Really, I mean this as a pacing strategy. Start out slower than you think you want to go. The shortest open water races tend to be longer than the longest pool events. If you go after the race like it was even a 1500m, you'll wear yourself out in the first half of the race. So, during the first half, take it easy; enjoy the new sights and sensations; maybe draft a little, if that is legal for your event. Then, if you have anything left at the start of the second half, put the hammer down. (2) Make sure you can see. This is probably the most overllooked but important aspect of your race. If you are nearsighted, get corrective goggles, or wear contacts under regular ones. Nothing will eat up your stamina (or peace of mind) faster that poking your head up every 4 strokes or so, squinting for a landmark. Because you are already so close to the water, even seeing with 20/20 vision is a challenge. (You won't believe how hard it can be to see something 5' in diameter and international orange, but there it is.) (3) Do what feels good at the start. Because you are following tip #1, you are not trying to spend all your energy sprinting out with the leaders, n'est-ce-pas? If you dislike contact with other swimmers, find a lane off to the side of the main pack and find your pace; then cut back into the main lane as the pack spreads out. Me, I'm a former water polo player. I LIKE getting joustled at the start of the race, but then again, I'm a little different. (4) Drink plenty of fluids before the race. You want to stay hydrated. (5) Focus on good stroke mechanics. Another source of "endurance" is to simply stay as efficient as possible, as long as possible, so you use as little energy as possible to cover the first portion of the race. So, lengthen your arm stroke, use that easy 2-beat kick, try to swim as quietly as possible. You also might consider spending quality time during your training period on stroke mechanics to make your stroke as efficient as possible. (6) Do not forget tip # 1. Remember to have fun. It is what will get you to want to do this again, when most of your friends and family think you are slightly daft in the head to want to swim so far for so long. Good Luck, Matt

Nancy, Congrats on pushing your boundaries. Open water is quite different from pool swimming, and the wise swimmer savors the differences of each. I have a few tips: (1) Enjoy the race. Really, I mean this as a pacing strategy. Start out slower than you think you want to go. The shortest open water races tend to be longer than the longest pool events. If you go after the race like it was even a 1500m, you'll wear yourself out in the first half of the race. So, during the first half, take it easy; enjoy the new sights and sensations; maybe draft a little, if that is legal for your event. Then, if you have anything left at the start of the second half, put the hammer down. (2) Make sure you can see. This is probably the most overllooked but important aspect of your race. If you are nearsighted, get corrective goggles, or wear contacts under regular ones. Nothing will eat up your stamina (or peace of mind) faster that poking your head up every 4 strokes or so, squinting for a landmark. Because you are already so close to the water, even seeing with 20/20 vision is a challenge. (You won't believe how hard it can be to see something 5' in diameter and international orange, but there it is.) (3) Do what feels good at the start. Because you are following tip #1, you are not trying to spend all your energy sprinting out with the leaders, n'est-ce-pas? If you dislike contact with other swimmers, find a lane off to the side of the main pack and find your pace; then cut back into the main lane as the pack spreads out. Me, I'm a former water polo player. I LIKE getting joustled at the start of the race, but then again, I'm a little different. (4) Drink plenty of fluids before the race. You want to stay hydrated. (5) Focus on good stroke mechanics. Another source of "endurance" is to simply stay as efficient as possible, as long as possible, so you use as little energy as possible to cover the first portion of the race. So, lengthen your arm stroke, use that easy 2-beat kick, try to swim as quietly as possible. You also might consider spending quality time during your training period on stroke mechanics to make your stroke as efficient as possible. (6) Do not forget tip # 1. Remember to have fun. It is what will get you to want to do this again, when most of your friends and family think you are slightly daft in the head to want to swim so far for so long. Good Luck, Matt