open water swimming
998
Member
1192 days
cayman posted 2 years ago.
Not that unusual on the first open water swim... same thing happened to me. The only way to make it better is to keep getting in there and doing it. The more you open water swim, the more confidence you'll have.
Read thru the threads below and try to get in a couple more open water swims before next month. The first is the hardest... you'll do fine.
http://www.trifuel.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8069&highlight=open+water+swims
http://www.trifuel.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8032&highlight=open+water+swim
14
Member
944 days
rmuhl posted 2 years ago.
that sounds a good deal like my wife's first tri swim. All I can really suggest is spend more time in the water, don't worry to much about swimming for distance or speed just spend the time getting used to the movement, and learning to relax in the water. My last swim was painfully slow but relaxed, I was 10 minutes back from projected out of the water and managed to take 10-20 minutes back on the bike. I guess what I'm try to say is if your not a strong swimmer try and be a relaxed and confident one for now, the rest will only come in time.
2766
Member
1445 days
tri-ac posted 2 years ago.
last year, my first season, I was totally freaked out by my first OWS. but i found that OWS's were easier the more I did. by the end of the season, I felt great in the water. having started a new season, my first OWS was a surprise again...cold water does take the breath away! but, i've been out a few times and the experience is settling me down now
so practice practice practice...and you'll be just fine!
205
Member
1080 days
TriOnLife posted 2 years ago.
That sounds about right. My first tri felt like that, too. I was panicked and did a lot of breaststroke and rolled on my back a couple of times. I was not alone in that, either. For my second tri I expected to feel that panic and I didn't - the swim went fine.
That first jump into the washing machine is just flat out terrifying. The second time - not so much.
If you can find a group to do some open water swimming with see if they will crowd you and tug on your feet and stuff like that so you get used to it. Otherwise just do another tri and things will work themselves out.
I also reccomend you watch this:
- A 21st Century Mom who is tri-ing to get better instead of just getting older
www.breakingthetape.com/21stcenturymom
998
Member
1192 days
cayman posted 2 years ago.
TriOnLife;69635 wrote:
I also reccomend you watch this:
Now, that's funny!
76
Member
1113 days
craigery posted 2 years ago.
The funny thing is in a pool, I'm a good swimmer. I do a 100m in about 1:20-1:30. That is why it was embarrassing. I will just be hitting the lake more instead of the pool. Oh, plus there were so many beginners there that they did individual timed starts. They released someone every 2-5 seconds. It made it a lot better.
112
Member
987 days
LongTime posted 2 years ago.
I do better if I force myself to relax and get into a groove without worrying about speed too much, because if you do there's a tendency to turn into an egg beater and wear yourself out. I find the tri experience much better if the swim is fairly relaxed instead of a hyperventilating sort of struggle. You will be surprised at how much better the experience will be next time.
2766
Member
1445 days
tri-ac posted 2 years ago.
LongTime;69687 wrote:
I do better if I force myself to relax and get into a groove without worrying about speed too much, because if you do there's a tendency to turn into an egg beater and wear yourself out. I find the tri experience much better if the swim is fairly relaxed instead of a hyperventilating sort of struggle. You will be surprised at how much better the experience will be next time.
yeah, there's definitely a feeling that you're going slow in open water (even though you're not) because of the wide open space and the distance to shore. keep composed and just do your thing, and the swim will turn out fine (your split time will tell you that)
20
Member
953 days
Mark709 posted 2 years ago.
craigery - I pretty much had the same experience at my first tri yesterday. I did the first 100m ok and then I lost my breath and really struggled to catch it. I read this thread before my event, but I didn't think it would happen to me. I struggled and fought my way to the exit and was totally exhausted. My next event is in 2 weeks so I hope I can put this experience away and swim like I know how.
102
Member
984 days
durhamj11 posted 2 years ago.
I would like to practice more in the Open Water, but I really don't know of a good place around here (Indianapolis) where I could. I have asked a couple people and they don't seem to know. I will keep asking until I find a safe place to swim. If anybody is from around here and you know of a place... let me know!!!
I finished my first tri today. It was a sprint distance(400m, 16k, 5k). The swim was really hard. As soon as I hit the water, I started breathing really hard and fast. I couldnt get in a groove and I ended up doing a back-stoke for most of it. I rolled over a couple of times to try to get in the groove of the freestlye and I just couldnt do it. How embarrassing. I didnt really practiced in any open water but I didnt think it'd be that big of a deal. Did anyone else have a similar experience? How did you make it better?