First open water swim checklist
Jonhinio
Posts: 289
in General Chat
Hi all. Being new to this triathlon lark, I have my first open water swim session next week and am looking for advice as to what to take with me. Got the Wetsuit, swim hat, and goggles. What other handy things should I have. Many thanks for any advice.
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geez, you'd think going for a swim would be easy, thats a lot of stuff to have to haul around isn't it![8|]
Of course u could wax first....
Open water swimming is fun I cant wait till this sunday for my first of the season .... samutri and bopofomo I am doing it unshaved !!
No-ones mentioned armbands though.......
I always take a pair of swim trunks..even to races, but I always wear a trisuit & would not run around the streets in my speedos even if I forgot it. Odd, sorry highjacking thread.
Good call on spare goggles tho'..I always take 3 pairs....OCD?
Got my first open waters session planned for tomorrow in the sea here in Weymouth.The weather should be good so looking forward to that.
Wife is coming with me armed with flask big towel and jumper.
I will also be unshaved surly id dont make to much difference does it?
All of you plunging for the first time thisweekend ENJOY!!![:D][:D]
Good luck & enjoy.
Big safety issue in OW swimming; I never ever go alone.
It should be a rule to never swim alone, even in a pool. If you are alone in the sea make sure there is a spotter on the shore who is capable of reaching you QUICKLY. If you swim in a group then keep an eye on your friends, and stop every 200-400m or so (unless you are very well matched in pace) to let everybody catch up. Shallow water blackout can get anybody, particularly those who really push themselves in the water. Don't swim alone. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shallow_water_blackout
toad: cycling to your swim and back again? In a wetsuit? I can't imagine what sub-cult of gimp you would attract doing that but I would be very, very careful....
britspin: no, not OCD, just being thorough. Notice I didn't say how many spare goggles to take. I have my race goggles, my spare race goggles, my emergency pair, and my old 'can't see through them anymore' goggles kicking around in my bag, just in case. With both my towels. Oh dear.
The watch might seem an odd thing to flag up, but my everyday watch isn't swimproof and I always forget to take my (big, clunky etc.) waterproof one - it means I always end up trying to work out how far I've just swum by asking my missus how long I just swam for (i.e. 20 mins = roughly 1km etc.) She always gives me the useless answer of "Oh, ages. I'm cold - Can we go home now?"
Other than that, like Bopomofo, my bag is full of useless stuff - 3 pairs of swim trunks (just in case I get a hole in 2 of them); two spare pairs of goggles (1 of which I haven't worn for over 2 years); a whole load of freebie energy drinks and sachets that I picked up at previous triathlons but have never used and which are now well past their 'use by' dates; and a collection of old cheap swimcaps from races, most of which are permanently stuck together and smell badly of whichever lake or river they were last worn in.
Of the above suggestions, all sound useful, particularly the lube (I use bodyglide) - it's well worth practising getting a wet wetsuit off before you have to do so in a race. I guarantee that you will put 5x as much lube on the suit for the second attempt as you did for the first (I put so much on now that the bottom half of my legs/arms/neck are slipperier than an eel at a KY jelly convention). Sorry. Probably too much information.
Enjoy the swim.
Mike
The sea was a bit choppy but thats how it is, after a couple of words of encouragement from the wife of your mad and being zipped in i was off.
It was cold but after about 3-4 min i was in and away the training in the pool paid off and i felt great even though when trying to breath i was drinkin salt water but it got better and managed 15 min swim before i couldn't drink anymore.
Cant wait till next week and get the 30 min in.
Practice Practice they say!!
[:D][:D]
Still at least the rain held off.
Can't wait for the next one.
So next question is what's the best way to care for the wetsuit and trisuit after using them.