Hpyer ventilating

Comments

• TRIumphant Posts: 850

  July 2009

  If it's and OW swim, get in the water early (about 10 mins), let the water get into your wetsuit by pulling openthe neck, and then squeeze into into your amrs, torso and legs. Start moving around slowy to gradually warm the water up. Then put your face int he water a couple of times, just to get the feel of it.
  
  Also, try some deep breathing exercise, deep breaths in through the nose, hold, and then exhale out through the mouth (sugegst each to a count of four).
  
  At the start, keep to the back of the pack away from the melee.
  
  during the swim, forget bilateral breathing, during the race you'll need as much oxygen as you can get, and that probably means breathing every second stroke, unilaterally.
  
  If you're still struggling, stop for a short time and either breastroke or tread water until you OK to go again.
  
  But finally, enjoy, might seem like it now, but you will.
  
  If it's a pool based swim, then most of the above doesn't apply. But still do deep breathing on the side before you egt in, and breath on one side only.
  
  Good luck

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• ris Posts: 1,002

  July 2009

  try and be as relaxed as you can. breathe out as slowly as you can, relax the shoulders (try not to bring them up towards the head). lengthen your stroke, perhaps even briefly hold it at full extension before the catch.
  
  as triumphant says, get yourself somewhere where you feel comfortable in the water - if there is a melee and you don't want to be part of it then avoid if you can.

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• Flavadave Posts: 749

  July 2009

  All good advice!
  
  One thing I was also told, is position yourself according to your ability, not necessarily at the back. Everyone who is not confident congregates at the back so this is where its busiest. If you're a competent swimmer, move towards the front as you'll probably find more room.

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• garyroberts Posts: 869

  July 2009

  Start thinking about what you have done in training, after all - that is what you KNOW you can do. It shouldn't be very different come race day. Remind yourself that you KNOW you can do this, you DONT have to go like a bat out of hell all because its race day. Just do the same as you do when you train.
  
  The stress you feel is coming from within, focus on what you have done, you've done the training, you know you can swim the distance, you know that once you're through the first minute its just a case of settling into your usual rhythm and relaxing. DONT GO OFF TOO FAST. Its better to start slow and get into your rhythm and then push a little harder as and when you feel it is right to.
  
  Race your way. Not some other guys way. The difference between trashing around in the water and taking it in your usual stride will only be a minute or 90 seconds at the most, so take it easy and give yourself chance to have a great T1 and fresh bike leg.
  
  Take it easy dude.......have a GREAT race......you will be SO pleased with yourself when you are finished, and you'll want to get back in the water and do it all again ---- NO NERVES AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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• durhamvam Posts: 246

  July 2009

  I don't have enough experience to comment on the race itself but Bach's Rescue Remedy is brilliant at helping to settle the nerves
  
  Enjoy and Good luck!

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• sporteve Posts: 141

  July 2009

  hi bootoo,
  i am so with you on this one, i am actually one stage before hyper ventilating now just by thinking about it... (i race on saturday)
  you surely sound far more experienced than me so i am sure you will fall back into that familiar feeling of racing once the pre event nerves get out of the way... for me this is the very first time and i am not the fastest or more confident swimmer either
  i did an o/w session last saturday and i had the same problem; had to stop after the first 30-50m felt exhausted, was hyper ventilating, felt the suit was too tight...
  my way of dealing with it is that i have resigned to the fact that it will probably happen anyway! - so, i am just going to try to not make it worse with sudden moves etc
  i am just visualising myself going through it and trying to take it easy and relax - past experience has shown me that a couple hundred meters in, i settle in some kind of pace and things get better
  so i am not sure if this is any help at all, but all i can suggest is be prepared it might happen and get even more prepared on how you will deal with it, see yourself dealing with it
  i know people talk about breathing exersices etc - these have never worked for me so i could not advice on that...
  at the end of the day i think it is the nerves of the unknown and i am sure as i type many others are going through the same fears...the day will come and so will the moment that we'll be in the water and somehow i hope that getting out of it on the other side will take priority and the nerves will go away...
  i wish you good luck!!

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• moonshine Posts: 335

  July 2009

  1 its a normal reaction
  2 you won't be the only one
  3 make your swim goal finishing it rather than a specific stroke or time
  4 visulaise what you'll do if it doesn't go to plan and think of remedies - will let you know if this works on Saturday
  5 ENJOY yourself and remember the person whose last is the one still sat on the sofa
  6 slow breathing down, 4 breaths in 1 minute - don't ask me why but it works, it just would help if I actually remembered to do it on actual race day

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• nicknofinger Posts: 284

  July 2009

  It's like I wrote this myself not so long ago, I was in this position a while ago. I'd get in the water and not be able to calm down. This is w hat I did, I got in the water as soon as possible have a bit of heavy breathing, then just laid on my back and relaxed. I would then just start the swim last and slowly overtaking people rather than the other way round.
  
  The main thing is just relax and take your time.
  
  Good luck.

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