Total, overwhelming freakout during open water swim
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overcome posted 49 weeks ago.
The exact experience you described happened to me on my first open water swim (unfortunately it was during my first attempt at a triathlon). For me, practicing in open water helped a lot and I was much better after two or three practice swims. Wearing a wetsuit helped me feel more comfortable in the water.
" 'I hate this day, I hate mornings, I hate the weather' You bring yourself down and others down with you. That's not the way it should be." Jens Voigt in Overcoming
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TriSooner posted 49 weeks ago.
You need to be more comfortable in the water, if not for your own safety, for the safety of others around you. Don't be selfish. If you aren't ready for an open water swim by yourself, you aren't ready for one with hundreds of other people swimming all over you. For comparison purposes, you wouldn't want someone cycling (or driving or skiing, etc.) next to you if they freak out.
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383 days
jonovision_man posted 49 weeks ago.
Artemis wrote:
This was my first time in a lake, and I utterly freaked out as soon as I couldn't see the bottom.
I didn't totally freak out, but I was nervous, and it definitely effected my first triathlon swim.
Things I've done since:
- The pool I'd been practicing in didn't get deeper than 5 feet, so I could always touch the bottom. I freaked out a bit in the lake when I couldn't! So I found a pool with a deep end and went there a few times, just to get used to having a lot of water between me and the bottom.
- I went to a beach nearby and did some lake swimming. I have kids, so I made it a beach day, took the whole family then just headed off for about half an hour myself, going back and forth to get used to the feeling.
- A local store does lake swims (FREE!) twice a week, and for $10 you can rent a wetsuit for it! How sweet is that... so I'm joining them before my next tri
Good luck... I'm no expert, but I think I'm over it, and I'm sure you can be too, just comes down to practice.
jono
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398 days
textri posted 49 weeks ago.
I had the same type of response.
Here is what I did. I went to Barton Spring in Austin (with someone else, could be a lake) and practiced getting in the water and the simulated start with a wetsuit.
1. get in water and practice easy smooth strokes (think distance per stroke) before race starts
2. start swimming in the same manner as if a race started (50-100 yards)
3. get out of water and repeat
You need to practice it. It doesn't change, just the way you think about it.
Finishing the race is the only thing that validates the cause.
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528 days
jhudalla posted 49 weeks ago.
Don't be skerd, your reaction is VERY typical. The only solution is to practice.
Weary is the path that does not challenge.
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383 days
jonovision_man posted 49 weeks ago.
One thing my tri swim instructor did: he had us do back floats every lesson for a few minutes, moving as little as possible
The idea is that if you get into trouble, you know you can just roll on your back and chill, even in race... takes some of the fear out of being in deep water if you have an "out".
jono
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1037 days
skunkworxz posted 49 weeks ago.
I had a very similar experience, but for me it was seeing the bottom and especially grass. I totally hyperventilated and totally panicked my first time out. I was swimming with a skilled triathlete who got me through it, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. I hate seeing the bottom (nearly drowned as a kid, the bottom was the last thing I remember before blacking out), so I try to do it regularly - staring at the bottom so I know it's ok. The more I do it, the easier it gets.
You definately need to be able to get your fear under control and you need to be able to stay calm if you end up in a washing machine start. I did an Olympic last year in very rough water (that was bad enough), only to find myself under 2 other people and getting kicked in the head at the same time. Not seeing the bottom can be the easy part in a race :-)
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chris91180 posted 49 weeks ago.
Try looking up at the sky when you breathe, too. Get a little extra roll on your stroke and try to focus on breathing deeper and slower.
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TryScott posted 49 weeks ago.
I'm not sure what made me want to practice in open water before my first triathlon, but I'm glad I did. I love the water, and never expected to freak out, but I did. After the first few meters, I realized that I was going slow, but still couldn't get enough air. Then I realized there was no wall to grab, and I couldn't stand up.
When I'm in the pool, I don't think about the wall or standing up, I think about form, how long I've gone and how long until I'm done. Once I got myself thinking like I was in the pool, everything was easier.
Actually, in my race I freaked out for about 20-30 seconds, but there was no easy way to jump back onto the boat, and I was 1500m from shore, so my options were limited.
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1538 days
Tamara posted 49 weeks ago.
Lots of deep breathing and practice. Remember that you don't have to do freestyle the whole time. Breaststroke is slower, but let's you face forward and keep your face out of the water more. It was about the only stroke I used in my first half dozen races since I, too, panicked and hyperventilated out there in the open water. I don't live within easy driving distance of any open water swim locations, so it's always a challenge on race day.
Keep at it. Know that you can treadwater or hang onto a lifeguard kayak if you need to take a breather. You can do it!
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Artemis posted 49 weeks ago.
Thanks everyone! Hearing that you've had similar experiences makes me feel better. I think I went about it the wrong way, just jumped in and started swimming thinking I'd be fine. I should have eased into it and gotten used to the water before I headed out deeper. But, lesson learned. I'm going to get back out there asap, I've been training too hard to let this sideline me.
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SammyB posted 49 weeks ago.
Just want to ditto the breaststroke. It's slower, of course, but so much easier and you are looking where you are going, so you swim straighter. I alternate, but still do about 3/4 of the race with breaststroke. --Sam
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azmojo804 posted 49 weeks ago.
+1 to jonovision_man's suggestion of floating on your back, and others' suggestions of having some sort of "out" for the situation.
If you practice in the pool...try doing some laps with your eyes closed (just don't run into the wall). I know that should help. You can't see if your eyes are closed, plus you have the comfort of the pool. If anything, it may help you swim straighter too.
And, practicing in the OW will definitely help.
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1859 days
kylie posted 49 weeks ago.
a comment on breast stroke -- if that is what you need to be comfortable and make it, go for it. Just please make sure there is no one right near you, as getting kicked by someone switching to that hurts when all of a sudden their feet are not where they were, or where you expect them to go.
Miles of Life --- Powered by MarkyV
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max ping posted 49 weeks ago.
im still not comfortable with it and at my last race totally could not find my breath. i was training long swims for over an hour so i had the conditioning. i went to breast stroke to relax. tried again... same thing. there was a guy near me at one point and so i drafted him. the combination of him having to spot instead of me and the mediative like state i got in while trying to make out his number on his calf allowed me to completely relax.
looking back, even though i am comfortable in the open water(normally) i need to get out there and practice spotting and being able to find a rhythm while doing it .
i think its a great idea to have an "out' such as breast or back stroke too.
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mccnc posted 49 weeks ago.
I did my first practice tri last weekend--swimming was still in a pool. I am extremely comfortable in the water and was really surprised when I freaked out..in a pool! I think it was the excitement and adrenaline of the start that did it. I'm really glad I experienced that feeling though because it really did teach me a lot. Mainly to relax and focus on my race--not to even worry about people beside me or a time. Once I calmed down and got into my rhythm things really changed but it took a while for that to happen.
Just some thoughts
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beads1985 posted 49 weeks ago.
This is one of the challenges of a triathlon, open water. Having someone that is experienced coaching you will help you with techniques but it comes down to practice and experience. If you practice your technique enough you will gain the confidence you need in the open water.
You will have more adrenaline during a race than practice but once you get into your groove, the adrenaline will work for you.
Nothing to it, but to do it
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364 days
Artemis posted 49 weeks ago.
Again, thanks for all the great suggestions everyone. I forced myself back out there today, this time in a much smaller reservoir-type lake. But the water was way more murky and gross than the lake I previously swam in, so I couldn't see anything right from the shore. I managed to calm down a bit, focus on my stroke and not panic completely. My breathing was still somewhat erratic, I know I would tire horribly if I breathed like that the whole .5 mile in the tri. But still, much better experience than the first time.
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Socket posted 49 weeks ago.
Good for you! My first time trying to really swim in open water was at a tri and totally freaked out. I did the back stroke the whole way using my fellow drowners... er... slow swimmers behind me to gauge direction.
Gotta love gross lakes. :)
And this was just a practice swim! Thank god I didn't just show up at the race thinking I could breeze through it. This was my first time in a lake, and I utterly freaked out as soon as I couldn't see the bottom. I couldn't swim straight, and I couldn't get my breath evened out. Every time I stuck my head in the water, I started hyperventilating and couldn't keep swimming. Anybody have this happen, and how to push through it? My first race is in two weeks and I'm thinking maybe that's too soon, based on my performance today. Will this go away if I get out there a few more times?