An open water swim is unique. When it’s time to start your race, your feet aren’t running or cycling on steady pavement. Instead, you are dashing into the open water surrounded by fellow participants doing the same. It’s chaotic, the water is probably a bit cold, and your body is being thrown through a loop of walking on land to swimming as fast as possible in an open body of water.
Open water swimming can cause athletes stress and anxiety. This rings true especially for first time triathlon competitors. However, there are ways to feel more comfortable when it’s time to dash into open water. With practice and a few helpful tips and tricks you can increase your confidence and cut minutes off your open water swim time.
Take a look at these 5 ways to become more comfortable in open water:
1. Focus on Your Breath
In all aspects of life, breathing is key to staying cool, calm, and collected. If you focus on steady breathing during the most chaotic of times, you allow your body and mind to remain calm. When you initially dash into the open water, your steady breath is key to staying focused and relaxed.
Take a look at 4 Helpful Tips to Learn and Improve Bilateral Breathing for more information on bilateral breathing.
2. Position Yourself Accordingly
When it’s time to head into the water, it’s important to position yourself accordingly. If you’re newer to open water swimming and perhaps this is your first triathlon, don’t try to start at the front of the pack. If you do that, you’re only going to create a more chaotic environment in the open water. If you start more towards the back of the pack, you’ll have less people trying to move around you and you’ll be able to move forward at your own pace, focusing on your stroke and breath.
3. Pace Yourself
One of the most important things to remember when that race gun goes off is to stay within your limits. Just because you see other people ahead of you, it doesn’t mean you need to overexert yourself, only to burn out too early in the race. You know what you’re capable of doing and pacing yourself for a consistently strong race will allow you to leave your open water swim feeling strong and ready to move forward to the rest of your race.
4. Be Prepared With the Correct Gear
Having the correct gear during race day is truly a game changer. Not only is it important to be prepared with gear such as goggles and a wetsuit, but it’s important to have previously used those items before race day. Practicing in your gear will allow you to break them in, become comfortable using them, and also allow you to make any necessary adjustments before it’s go-time on race day.
5. Practice
As with all components of racing, practice is everything. Practice running into the open water. Practice swimming in the open water (if you can). Practice your breathing. Try to create somewhat of a chaotic swimming environment before race day so you can see before then how your body reacts to chaos in open water.
Becoming more comfortable in open water is the result of a variety of things. These helpful tips and practicing them over and over again will help keep you cool, calm, and totally prepared for your open water swim on race day. Believe in your training, find calmness in your breath, and make sure you’re prepared physically with the right gear.
Looking for more ways to ensure you’re physically and mentally prepared for your open water swim? Contact me today to set up a complimentary coaching consultation!
Train Right, Tri Right!
Coach MJ
