openwater starts
matty
Posts: 37
in General Chat
400m under 6 minutes? I would suggest you get yourself at the front, and a little wide so you don't get mauled. With that kinda time you'll be clear of a fair few swimmers rather quickly, so should be fairly easy.
That's is assuming you don't want to get involved right in the middle!!! [image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m9.gif[/image]
That's is assuming you don't want to get involved right in the middle!!! [image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m9.gif[/image]
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cheers all
The front it is then but still a bit nervous[&:]
Thx again
Definately start at the front, and good luck. I usually start near the back, because open water swimming is my worst event. I can do 1500 mts in a 50 mt pool in about 28 minutes. I did only my second olympic at Wetherby yesterday, in the river. It took me 37 minutes and when I got out, my feet were that cold I stubbed my right foot on the banking. i thought no more about it, till i took my trainers off after the run. The middle toe on my right foot was black, couldnt decide whether it was badly bruised or frost bitten [image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m9.gif[/image]
Hope you dont have to amputate!!![;)]
Then hook onto somebody else's feet and cruise home at about 6:20-6:30/400m pace. Nice deep kicks for the last 200m to get some blood into your thighs for the long T1 run.
Getting out of the water with the leaders is a great boost, but try thinking of it a bit differently: don't think about your swimming ability giving you a great swim time, think about it giving you a very good swim time but getting out of the water feeling so much fresher than the guys around you. Translate your swimming efficiency into a great bike leg.
The need for a fast swim hits a sweet spot at the Elite Olympic level, IMHO, where they need to be in the lead pack on the bike. For every other distance and ability it is much more about not tiring yourself out.
I did a super-sprint at the weekend (400m swim), and backed off from a PB 5:42 to 6:23. That put me 26th out of 200+, which was good, but even better was the fact that I was able to sprint through T1 and get on my bike faster than I have ever done before.
Personally, if I were to do an IM (I never have) I wouldn't care what position I was in so long as I could find clear-ish water. I'd probably go wide and settle down asap into my long distance rythmn, concentrating exclusively on efficiency in preparation for the bike.
I'd be really interested to know what experienced IMers do.
I have heard that IM swim starts are just as much carnage as any other mass start. [:D]
Main thing is to try and find your own rthym and if you find somone to draft off, great, but as soon as you start clipping their feet go around them and find the next one to draft off.
Have only done 2 openwater swims to date (i hate the cold!!!!) lol and only been training since jan after being out injured for a year so am happy with my progess.
Have a good one