Training

Swimming in open water, with or without a wetsuit, can be a great experience but should always be done with safety in mind.  Swimming safely in open water will give you peace of mind, making your hobby even more enjoyable.  During triathlon events, there are usually many lifeguards and safety boats in the water, making the event pretty secure. Still, water is water, and swimming in open water is something that should be done with a little planning and caution.  Swimming in a bunch of weeds, or near motorized boats, can introduce risk that you don’t need to have.  Not to mention that if you were to have a dreaded cardiac or other health event in the water, it is not like in running where you can just take a knee and attend to your health.  Triathlons tend to be safe events to participate in, but when there is a problem it often comes in the swim leg. For those who are swimming in open water on their own, practicing for a race or simply doing it for the exercise, there are a few tips to keep in mind to make sure it is a safe experience. Open Water Swim Practice Tips Open Swim With A Partner or Group.  If possible, swim with another person or people during your open water swims.  Having a partner or group not only provides a helping hand should something go wrong, but it also creates a better visual deterrent for boaters or jet-skiers.  There are power in numbers, and it is hard to miss a group of 6 or 10 swimming through the water.  If you don’t have other triathletes are swimmers to buddy with, then at least consider having a friend kayak or paddle next to you while you get your swim workout in. Consider Safety Equipment.  In addition to providing comfort and speed, a good triathlon wetsuit provides buoyancy that can serve as almost a life jacket if you encounter a problem.  In addition to a wetsuit, other items can also help provide some added safety.  A pull buoy can create something to hold on to if you have an emergency in the water.  And don’t forget about being visible to boaters in the water with a neon swim cap .  The other thing you will see some swimmers using is a flag that attaches to your back while swimming, although we admittedly have never tested one so cannot vouch for how they feel and work in the water.  These items would not be used on race day, of course, but when it comes to a practice session in a lake or harbor, making yourself visible is a wise idea. Find Off-Peak Locations and Times.  Swimming on weekdays and early in the morning provides much quieter lakes, especially if you are swimming in urban areas.  Boaters and jet skiers are often moving across the lake at high speeds, and their eyes are trained to look for other boats, not swimmers.  Going for your swims when traffic is lowest reduces the chances of a run-in with a vessel.  In many cases, morning swims are going to be quieter with less boat traffic.  Just make sure the sun is up — you do not need to add more risk factors to your swim by swimming in the dark. Beware of Hazards.  Not only are boats hazards — the hazards can actually be beneath you in the water.  Staying away from weeds and rocks is important for your safety, as getting tangled in them can great an inconvenience and safety issue.  Stay in water that is at least 10 feet deep — more in some lakes — to avoid weeds or rocks in the lake.  While this is counterintuitive for many who think that swimming in shallow water is safest, most people who swim in lakes or rivers routinely will tell you that they prefer slightly deeper water.  When you don’t know the lake or river well, a great thing to do first is to look at a detailed lake map (often made for fishermen) to tell you what depths and obstacles might be in the body of water. Wear a Wetsuit.  Don’t forget about the value of a wetsuit.  A good wetsuit will not only keep you warmer in the water, but it will make you a bit more buoyant — enough to feel a difference and be a little more secure.  Many triathletes and open water swimmers feel naked without the extra buoyancy of a wetsuit.  It is kind of like a safety blanket.  The extra flotation can also come in handy in the event you have a problem in the water.  If you don’t have a wetsuit and aren’t sure where to look, start with our primer on wetsuits. Conclusion Swimming in open water can provide some of the best, most enjoyable workouts that you will have all year, and being experienced in the open water will make you much more confident when it comes to race day.  Just take a few steps to ensure a level of open water swim safety.  Much like cycling, a little focus on safety can go a long way and keep you in the game.

Since the order of events in a triathlon is always the same — swim, bike, and run, in that order — the beginning of a triathlon always involves the swim start.  However, triathlon swim starts can vary from race to race, and over time you will likely encounter several different starting approaches.  There are a couple start styles that are the most common — a wave start, and a time trial start.  Let’s take a look at each of those, as well as a couple other start types you may encounter as you get more adventurous with your races. First, a note about what happens prior to the swim start.  Most races will involve a pre-race meeting, usually occuring 15 to 30 minutes prior to the swim start.  The meeting will mainly focus on key announcements from the director and notes about the race course.  After the pre-race meeting, it can be common for the transition area to be closed, meaning that the organizers want all racers to gather near the swim start area.  If this is the case, be sure to find some shade if it is a hot day, and take one last drink of water in case you will wait for a while for your particular wave to start.  Make sure you have your transition area setup the way you want, your race day clothing is laid out in the order you need it during the race, and you have your swim equipment with you, including your race wetsuit, goggles, hat, and your race chip.  In addition, don’t zip your wetsuit up all the way until you are closer to your start time, as it could cause you to sweat prematurely, and you need that hydration for the bike and run! For more information on pre-race planning, be sure to check out our article on the ultimate triathlon race-day checklist. Once you are ready to begin the race, you will find two main types of starts in a typical triathlon: Wave Start Perhaps the most common format for a triathlon start is a wave start.  A wave start typically involves splitting into “waves” which are predefined by age group and gender.  Different age groups often are given different colored swim caps.  Elites and other special waves such as Clydesdales, Athenas, or teams may have their own waves.  The wave is the same thing as a “heat”, and a typical wave will have anywhere from 15 to 50 people in it.  Most smaller races can have every wave in the water by the 20-25 minute mark, but some larger races can take up to 45 minutes. Waves are usually separateed by about three minutes, however we have seen as little as two minutes or as long as ten minutes separating waves.  That means that there is usually some space between the current wave of racers and the one that just went ahead of them in the water, although this spacing quickly goes away as racers proceed in the water at their various paces.  The spacing between waves, however, is often negated by the fact that you may have 15 to 50 people trying to run into the water and begin swimming at the same time.  The exaggerated horror stories of people getting kicked or grabbed usually stem from the first minute or so of a wave start race, as people jockey for position and trying to find swimming space. Wave starts are popular because they are relatively simple, and they offer the benefit of being able to start with your particular heat which allows you to race against your age group and gender through the entire race.  For example, if you pass someone on the run from your same wave (their body will often be marked with a wave number), you know that you start with them and now are pulling ahead up them when it comes to the finish rankings.  A wave start also creates a little more of a race atmosphere at the outset, as there is often a countdown and a crowd cheering as every wave goes off and runs from the beach in to the water. If you are nervous about a wave start, don’t be.  Unless you are doing an Ironman (where it is common for everyone in the race to start at once) there actually won’t be that many people in each wave.  If you are anxious about the swim, let most of the other swimmers in your wave go, and then slowly enter the water and begin your swim.  Remember, staying relaxed during the swim leg of a triathlon is one of the most important things you can do to have a strong swim, and to come out of the water with energy and confidence for the bike ride. Time Trial Start A time trial start is the other main type of race start, and is very simple.  Racers usually line up by their race number, and a starter has a racer begin every few seconds.  Three second intervals are common.  So, if there is a 500 person race, and racers begin every three seconds, it would take 25 minutes for ever racer to enter the water.  Racer number 432 would run in three seconds after racer 431, and so on.  The line moves surprising fast, and in some races, two racers enter the water at a time. A time trial start can be a very efficient way of starting a large number of people.  It also has the inherent advantage of not having as many racers thrashing through the water at the same time, although by the time you get 100 yards into the water and people begin to space themselves out based on their personal pace, it will feel just like the swim of a wave start triathlon would. One downside of a time trial start is naturally the fact that it can be a little anti-climatic.  With a start simply saying “go” every three seconds, there is no big countdown, no … Read more

Swimming in the open water of a triathlon can be challenging, but it can also be a thrill once you gain the confidence, technique, and conditioning to do it well.  In addition to the physical challenge, the mental barrier of swimming in open water can be a major factor to deal with.  In fact, our unscientific surveys indicate that the open water swim is the main reason people choose not to do triathlons, even when they are very, very close to being able to successfully complete one. If your swim technique is not where you would like it to be, you might want to break it down and start from the beginning.  Getting rid of the bad habits that might have been developed during recreational swimming is a key step to becoming a very fluid, effortless swimmer.  Having the right technique can also prevent injury…. and conversely, bad technique can introduce shoulder or back pain that you certainly do not want. The Swimming Motion A good swimming motion should be one that is efficient, doesn’t torque your body too much, and is easy on your joints.  Most of the best swimmers look like they are not working very hard.  They are, no doubt, but for each stroke they are getting much more power, speed, and distance than those with poor form.  A swimmer with the right motion has a very level body in the water, reaches their arm forward in a long but comfortable manner, and kicks enough to assist in the motion but not in an inefficient way.  They keep their head down, and have a quick and smooth motion when they want to breathe – ideally with the ability to breathe on either side of the body.  The stroke is powerful but fluid, and the body has a slight roll from side to side as each stroke is taken. Pool lap swimmers may also have a great kick-turn that they do, but we advise more triathletes not to get too hung up on that.  The fact is that even if you are doing an Ironman, you will never need to do a kick-turn in open water.  It is great if you want to learn how to do one, but 99% of triathletes can do very well for a long, long triathlon career without ever doing even a single kick-turn, so don’t sweat it. Be sure that you eventually get out into the open water as well, assuming your race will be in open water.  Open water swimming has a different feel than pool swimming.  It is fine to get in shape in a pool, and work on your speed and endurance while doing laps. but sooner or later you should mix in some practice in open water. Swim Improvement Suggestions We try to keep everyone updated on ideas for triathlon swim training throughout our site.  In addition to the periodic open water swim tips we post here, we thought we would mention the three core things we recommend you consider, in order to to be a more proficient triathlon swimmer. Total Immersion Swim Training.  Retrain yourself to swim correctly using the Total Immersion swim instruction.  Total Immersion is the only DVD-or-video-based swim training that we endorse, because we have used it ourselves and seen the benefit first hand.  The program breaks down your swim stroke to the basics of motion and balance in the water, and then builds it back up with a technique that you can build on for the rest of your life.  Total Immersion also offers open-water-specific instruction.  Total Immersion instruction is available from their website with videos, books, or local workshops. Local Masters Swim Groups.  While not necessarily an open water or triathlon focus, masters-level swim groups exist in nearly every large town and metro area.  The idea is that a group of swimmers get together regularly with a coach or at least a couple mentors present, and get their pool workout in while trying to also improve their technique.  Large health club chains such as Lifetime Fitness offer a number of Masters groups each week, and local Y facilities do as well.   Masters groups are great if you are the type of person who thrives in a group setting and likes the idea of a coach to hold you accountable.  A small fee is likely required in order to fund the swim lanes as well as the coach, but if you are a member of a fitness club you may want to check with them first, as the price might be substantially less than going somewhere where you are not a member Local Triathlon/Race Groups.   While this one can be a bit hit and miss, many areas of the country have groups or clubs who get together specifically for triathlon or open water swim training.  Joining a triathlon club can really help you improve your racing with like-minded people supporting you.  These groups can be incredible (if you have access to them) because the comraderie and instruction is geared specifically toward triathletes and open water swimmers.  The best place to inquire about these groups is through a local triathlon shop, or through the Race Director of the local races you plan to do.  In some cases, Race Directors even host swim “walk-throughs” of the triathlon’s swim course to give people a chance to learn the course prior to race day. More Resources Swimming can be a lifelong sport, as evidenced by the octogenarians who often swim in the lanes next to us in the lap pool.  We hope that you can make swimming a hobby until very late in life as well.  We have developed a few other resources that might be interesting as you work to perfect your triathlon swim technique. A beginner’s guide to entry-level wetsuits.  Wetsuits are common in most triathlons around the country, save for those in very warm locations or with pool swims.  We have developed a guide on how to find the right wetsuit for people who might … Read more