I completed my first Sprint Tri last year near Palm Springs and loved it. There is a Triathlon this year closer to my home (South Bay, West of Los Angeles) and I'd really like to give it another go! In my first Tri, I swam in a man made lake with still (very cold.... BRR) water. I'd really like to give this Tri in my area a go but I'm very fearful of learning to swim in the ocean. I'm excited about it but I'm wondering: 1) When is a good time of day to go out and train in the ocean? 2) I have a Tri suit already... What else do I need besides my goggles? 3) Is there anyone, trainer maybe, that might be able to help me my first couple times in the ocean? 4) Is it safe to go swim alone? 5) This swim is a bit longer than the last one... 1/2 mile ocean swim. Any tips?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Mklyne, I enjoy swimming in
Mklyne,
I enjoy swimming in the early morning, but that's just me. In the summer, you don't need much besides a bathing suit and goggles (though a wetsuit can be nice if it's not too warm out . . . it is bouyant and will make you faster). I would not recommend swimming in the ocean alone because, if something goes wrong, you could be in serious trouble. When I first started open water swimming, I got a friend to go with me a few times, and I also talked my swim instructor into giving me a lesson in open water. A half mile is not that far to swim, but I would try to get comfortable in open water before undertaking the ocean tri.
Good luck.
Richard
Don't swim alone(especially
Don't swim alone(especially if you are "very fearful of learning to swim in the ocean").
I agree with rachapkis, you're probably better off practicing in a lake to get comfortable. The ocean isn't going to be all that much different than the lake, aside from the current and waves. There are lots of similarities, so try focusing on those. Visibility under water is likely poor, sighting above water is a challenge, and position of the sun on the horizon during the early morning hours can be disorienting. So, once you get comfortable with those challenges, the ocean swim is no big deal.
Good luck!
Agree, don't swim alone.
Agree, don't swim alone. disagree about the lakes. You live in Southern California. I was raised there. I can't imagine forgoing the joy of swimming in the ocean in exchange for jumpiong into some muddy lake that you have to drive to.
I bet you can find a tri group or a swim group that meets up in the south bay.
Practice at least 4 times in
Practice at least 4 times in ow before your race. Once in the water locate a buoy, post, tree etc., for reference and try to relax. Like the other do not swim alone+
I'll probably get jumped on
I'll probably get jumped on for this, but water is water. Other than the saline content, the laws of fluid dynamics don't change. And neither do the rules of tri. The strategy and approach are essentially the same. I'd argue that ocean swims are easier and more predictable. More buoyancy; sighting is a breeze when cresting a (small) wave; and the water is clearer (I saw fish 500m out in Panama City Beach). Sand is a helluva lot better to run on out of T1 than some glass-filled parking lot adjacent to an e-Coli Fish Toilet[sup]TM[/sup]. Also, you don't need to email the RD every week asking about water temps and wetsuits. If the ocean warms above wetsuit-legal temps, we're all screwed and doing a tri will be the last of your worries. You know exactly what you'll get, temp-wise, in an Ocean swim. Other than medical waste washing ashore, or barges blown in from Japan, oceans > lakes.
What has changed is in between your ears (not fluid in your ears, but it's a mental hangup ... and seeing Jaws too many times). Pools are the most comfortable. Then OWS (open water swims) in the lake are the next step. Then ocean swims. Getting through that progression is mental. Yeah, yeah yeah: "But what about currents, waves, blah blah blah?" If the current and waves are a factor in the race, then it's the current and waves themselves - not the body of water itself that caused the challenge. I'm not sure if I'm making any sense, but currents (see IM Louisville) and waves (see Utah 2002) are just as likely to be an issue in lakes and rivers.
As has been stated, don't swim alone. That's a given. Do see if you can find a group to swim with. Swim laterally along the shoreline. You don't necessarily need to swim perpendicular to shore to get the full effect.
I need more info, the
I need more info, the organizer said that we will swim only in a minimum length in the ocean. So what is the minimum length usually in a single event?
You shouldn't swim alone.
You shouldn't swim alone. For extra confidence, use something like the SafeSwimmer Float. Its a floatable safety device that is attached to your waist. Since you are near the south bay, rent a kayak with a friend, take it out and swim around the kayak and progress from there.
It's good to go out with
It's good to go out with someone if you're starting out in open water. If you stick near the shore you it is safer than swimming away from it. The main thing to remember with your swimming is to stay relaxed and find a pace you can maintain. Good luck!