22 May 2012
The open water swimmer season is here. I had the fortune of getting two wetsuit swims done on this past weekend. It was amazing to be back swimming in the open water. I was in very familiar waters and I am very comfortable in my wetsuit so everything felt great, however it is very common to feel some panic when you first start or get back to open water swimming. Then there is open water swimming in a race scenario which cancause a whole other level of anxiety. Here are some things to help;
1.
Practice, practice, practice! I have seen some very strong swimmers struggle in the open water because they assumed it would be like swimming in a pool. It isn’t and you need to do it to see how it is different.
2.
While you are practicing in open water put yourself in the situations you know you are going to have to deal with. Practice having some contact with other swimmers or swimming very close to them (you might want to tell them you are going to do this!). Always practice your sighting technique so that you know you are swimming in the right direction and as straight as possible. Practice missing a breath and keeping your rhythm. In all of these situationspractice the mental technique/imagery that keeps you calm.YOU WILL encounter these situations in a race so get familiar with them in practice.
3.
Proper equipment. Make sure your wetsuit fits properly and you put it on correctly. Use body glide or something similar to take care of the areas that chafe while swimming in a wetsuit. Ask if you are not sure. Make sure your goggles do not fog up too much. In a pool this can be annoying; in the open water this can be a bigger problem.
4.
Fear and self-doubt. Our minds love to play tricks on us and sometimes in open water this can cause outright panic. The first thing to realize about this is that you are not alone in this experience, it happens to everyone. You may find yourself doubting that you can complete the distance because you are feeling so tired and slow. Overcome this by taking back control of your mind (easier said than done, I know). Remember the training you have done.
Don’t focus on the entire swim distance, but rather focus on the next buoy and your technique. If you need to, roll onto your back to get your breathing and mind under control and then get back at it.
