Why you should open water swim before your first triathlon
As I stood in a cold lake preparing to tackle the John Tanner Sprint, I desperately wished I had done more open water swimming.
When the horn went off, the water became a churning mess of flying arms and legs. I got whacked and kicked more times than I could count, which increased my panic. I stopped and apologized to about the first three people I made contact with. “Oh, I’m sorry.” “Whoops!” After that, I realized no one was apologizing to me, and when I grazed these ladies with my hand or foot, they didn’t even break stroke!
In the middle of that lake, I finally appreciated the value of open water swim practice and swimming with a group regularly. The only way to get used to swimmer contact is to swim with others, and the only way to properly practice swimming open water is to just do it. Yes, it’s time consuming. Yes, it’s hard to find a place, and the water is likely cold. But open water swimming is still one of the most important training sessions you can do to set yourself up for success.
You’ll never hear a first-time triathlete say that they wish they had spent less time in open water prior to the race. They always wish they had practiced more!
Finding Open Water Swims
Don’t swim alone. You may not know anyone (yet), who swims in local lakes for fun but they’re out there. Here we’ll discuss finding swim company.
Triathlon groups—Many tri groups have organized or informal outings. Depending on how official the swim is (do they have kayaks? Coaches?), there may be a nominal fee, or swimmers may throw in a few bucks to help pay a lifeguard.
Coached open water swims—There’s nothing like hands on help with skills—entry, exit, rounding a buoy, drafting, and sighting (most important).
Special events or clinics—Search Google or active.com to find clinics that cover the basics of open water swimming. For instance, a race director here hosts several free open water clinics on a sprint race course.
Again, don’t swim alone! For swim safety, purchase a swim buoy such as the New Wave Swim Buoy. This device, though not an official life-saving device, will make you more visible to boats and is something to grab on to while you’re floating.
