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June 10, 2009
Open Water Day!
Oh I am so excited to swim in my sweet new wetsuit!! Today is the only day I really have time before my first tri next Sunday. So I will be braving the afternoon thunderstorms we've been having for a week, crossing my fingers for decent conditions, and heading out this afternoon. I actually really enjoy open water swimming, so I am looking forward to it on a couple levels. First, hopefully my new wetsuit will be FAST! Second, it is so much fun to swim and not have to worry about turning, swim team, sharing lanes with weirdos, and all the drama that comes along with swimming in a pool. However, after chatting with Beth and Chad about their swimming situations this weekend, I feel like we have fewer weirdos than most pools! Last, swimming in a wetsuit in open water reminds me that race season is here!
Since I am a know-it-all and I am trying to write my entries with more of a theme instead of rambling on about what I did all day, I am going to share my open water swimming wisdom. I am not a great swimmer but somehow I always swim faster in open water than I can in the pool, despite having a crappy catch (which I am working on, and which will hopefully narrow the gap between open water and the pool for me). Here are my tips for being a better-than-skill level open water swimmer in a race situation.
Rule Number One: Be Aggressive, But Don't Be That Guy/Girl
It is really important to be aggressive in open water swimming. However, I draw the line at pulling someone's leg, kicking someone in the head (on purpose), pushing someone down, etc. Don't be that guy (or girl) just because you have anonymity in the water. Women are usually pretty good about this, but still I think it's an important point. Now if you are not going to be a raving a-hole, what does being aggressive mean? Essentially, it means starting out in the mix. Just because you are not the fastest person in your wave doesn't mean you need to start at the back. Get where you think you will be slightly slower than everyone around you. Practice this if it makes you nervous, just get a group of friends/teammates together and simulate a wave start. Once you do it a couple times you realize you won't drown. And if you are surrounded by people who are slightly faster, it will encourage you to follow the next awesome open water swimming practice...
Rule Number Two: Always Draft
To me this is common sense but I think it doesn't hurt to emphasize. If you catch someone's feet, especially the feet of someone who is slightly faster, it is a great way to have a faster swim and to keep your head in the game. Also, as long as you validate that the person you're drafting swims straight, you don't have to sight as often. However, the caveat to drafting is that you should validate pretty early that the draft-ee or whatever is swimming in the correct direction!
Rule Number Three: Keep Moving Up
If you are drafting off someone and he/she is not going fast enough that you can barely keep in the draft, try to move up and draft off someone faster! If you see someone passing you, just hop on.
Rule Number Four: Practice!
It is so much easier to do things in a race that you have done before. That is why people practice transitions, running off the bike, etc. - all kinds of stuff we have to do in races. If you can practice awesome open water swimming techniques, and get a comfort level with swimming in a wetsuit, you will just be that much more awesome when you have to use your techniques in a race situation. If you can find a buddy to practice with who is just a little bit faster than you, that is bonus - that way you can practice hanging onto someone's feet.
Now that I have shared my wisdom, I hope others can also try to become better swimmers in a race than in the pool. Just stay off my feet, please! I'll let you all know how my swim goes tonight.
Posted by barb at June 10, 2009 10:51 AM
Comments
Great OW tips Barb. I couldn't agree more.
Posted by: Chad at June 11, 2009 5:54 AM
Oh if only I could learn how to properly draft... ;)
Posted by: Beth at June 11, 2009 6:30 PM