Have You Tried This? Open Water Swimming

Hi there!  All three babies are sleeping, the big kids are quiet... I think I'm able to sneak a few minutes away from my family and spend some time with you.

The opportunity came up last week for an open water swim at the nearby Boerne Lake and I jumped at it.  After throwing food on the table for my family, I escaped to the water.  The Doc was supposed to join me, but he was on call and hey, someone needed to babysit the kids, right?

This particular open water swim was designed for beginner triathletes and lead by the amazing Susan Ingraham (check out her stats here).  Susan deserves at the least an entire blog post all on her own, so I will save that for later.  However, she designed this class for the typical budding triathlete:  a very competent runner, pretty good on the bike, and a sinker in the pool.   I will go just about anywhere to be instructed by Susan, so that's why I made a beeline to the lake.

Here is Susan briefing the group about the course.

She set two buoys out in the water and gave us several tips about open water swimming:

1.  Get the right gear.
Suit.  Goggles.  Cap -- a brightly colored one is smart.  Wetsuit if it is cold (plus it acts like a mini life jacket if you need it).



2.  Check the conditions.
Smooth as glass?  Two-foot waves?  Which way is the current taking you?  All of that will make a big difference in your effort to stay on course.  And, heck, you may have to skip it if it is just too dangerous that day.  Case in point:  Once I did an open water dive in Mexico and it was jelly fish season.  After scoring some skins that covered us from head to toe, we were on our way and didn't get stung.

3.  Never swim alone.
This is huge, and frankly, just common sense.



4.  Know the course.
Be 100% certain you know where you are going.  If you are doing a tri, be 100% certain you know which side of the buoys you need to pass on.  Do not depend on following the crowd when it comes to this.  If you are confused, either ask the race directors or your fellow swimmers for more clarifications.  You do not want to:
a)  get disqualified or
b)  get lost and do a ton of extra swimming (been there, done that.  It stinks).

5.  The start.
Perhaps you are starting from the shore and have a run into the water.  Run using high knees, then when the water gets to about your mid-thigh, it's time to do a shallow dolphin dive into the water and start swimming.  Don't waste any seconds trying to run in waist deep water.

The other option may be to start your swim from deeper water.  You maybe be treading water, or standing on your tip toes out there.  Just relax, get to the side or back of the pack and start swimming when it's time!

My favorite (?)  start was a tri I did where we were all eagerly waiting in the start area.  We were standing in waist-deep water, some water snakes decided all these legs looked fun and used them as an obstacle course.  I have never heard screams like that before or since.  Girls were freaking out, jumping up and down like a Whac-A-Mole game.  When the blowhorn finally sounded, we practically flew out of that starting area.  It was hysterical (and now makes a totally great story :)

6.  Find your line.
In an open water swim and in triathlon, you are typically in a big pack of swimmers.  All the feet in the face, arms knocking off goggles, and bodies on top of yours can be a bit, um, shall we say frustrating.  Hopefully, you started in the back or side of the pack and the swimmers will break up soon.  Focus slightly forward under the water and find your place among all the bodies.  Be patient, you will stop drowning soon.

7.  Sighting.
Take around eight strokes, then lift your head straight up, spot the buoy or landmark, then breathe to the side.  This is DEFINITELY one of the more challenging things to adjust to when doing an open water swim and something I would suggest practicing in a pool before hand.  Remember, stroke, sight, then breathe.  Don't switch the order, otherwise, you'll get a wee bit sea sick.

8.  Follow the bubbles.

Sighting is essential when swimming in open water, however, it is too tiring to do every single stroke.  This is when following the bubbles from other swimmers' kicks can come in handy to help keep you on course.  It is not, however, a replacement for sighting -- heavens no!  

9.  Technique, technique, technique!
Let's just say it:  swimming is 98% technique.  I'm convinced of it.  The controlled environment of the pool it is the perfect place to workout on that essential technique with a coach or expert.  When you get into the open water, don't leave the technique back at the pool!  Don't forget the elbows up, reaching out from the shoulder, rolling, reaching, focus slightly forward and about another 100 things.

10.  Learn bilateral breathing.
This is a great skill to have in the open water.  Let's say you only can breathe on your right side.  However, that day there is a breeze and the waves are coming at you from the right.  You know what that means:  a mouth full of water.  So, if you can change up your breathing, you are much better equipped to handle whatever Mother Nature throws at you that day.

11.  Relax.
Typically open water swims are not short lengths.  This is a longer swim without the annoyance of having to turn around every 25 meters like at the pool.  You just get to swim.  The best way to enjoy it is to slow down and have a nice relaxed swim.  No need to sprint.

12.  Kick hard right at the end.

If you are doing a tri, it is not uncommon to "save your legs" during the swim for the bike and run.  This means your upper body has been getting more of a workout than your lower body.  At the last 100 yards or so, start your kicking engines once again.  The legs have been enjoying the ride for a while and as a result don't have a lot of blood flowing through the muscles yet.  If you fire up your kick again, that will not only help you finish strong, but prep your legs for what lies ahead.

And a bonus:  Push down the fear.
Two years ago my BIL and I did an ocean open water swim together.  We didn't talk beforehand about any game plan, we just dove in and started swimming.  He is a much faster swimmer than me, and before I knew it he dropped me and I was swimming pretty much alone in the ocean.  I felt the panic rising to dangerous levels like never before.  To get through it, I stopped visualizing Jaws, and instead visualized physically pushing the panic down and away from me.  Sounds pyscho-weird, I know, but it got me to the island we were swimming to.  On the swim back, however, I was on my BIL like GLUE.  I swam faster than I ever had in  my life just to stay right by his side.  I realized then that I am totally fine if I see a human body at all times.

Are you still shuddering and saying, "NO WAY!"?  Just give it a shot.  Try swimming a short distance in a lake or along the shoreline at the ocean.  Swim with a lifejacket on or with a noodle around your waist.  Swim with fins on.  Just swim!

The water tastes 3000 times better than the cholorine we are used to.  It opens up many options to you when it comes to triathlon and swim events.  It is a chance to be experience nature like never before and you get a rockin' workout.

Is that a big smile or what?  And I'm stunning in my cap, I know :)

It is beautiful.

It is invigorating.

Nothing else is like it.

You've really got to try it.

How about you, Fit Momma's?  Have you tried open water swimming?  I would love to hear about some  positive experiences.  Comment below!

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