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HELP!! Open water swim problems
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in General Chat
Hi, I went for my first open water swin this morning. I swam breast stroke for about 75m and found myself breathing heavily. After treading water fo a few mins to try nd regain my omposure I decided to return to the jetty. I had to be assisted. I just could not sort my breathing out.
Is my wet suite to tight? Is this normal?
Any help, advice or suggestions will be most welcome.
Is my wet suite to tight? Is this normal?
Any help, advice or suggestions will be most welcome.
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However, Blenheim was a chuffing warm 20 degrees today (and we still had to wear our suits....)
Spend time just floating, rolling in the water getting acclimatised, let the first trickle in. When you go again have a word with the staff, I am sure they will have seen this before and if they are a good team will not mind just keeping an eye on you. Wherever possible at first keep to the shallows so you can simply stand up (depending where you are of course). Don't worry about getting the distance in, just get used to the situation.
You will be fine don't worry it's just a rite of passage just like falling over when you stop with clipless pedals for the first time
I guess it takes getting used to!
Good luck and don't be put off.
You will get over it you just need to find a way of relaxing in the water. I learnt you need to get in the water early and just lay on your back get use to the temp etc. It is possible three months after my panic attack I did the UK Ironman. The best bit of the IM was the swim I was so proud of how far I'd come.
You'll be fine trust me, been there got the t shirt.
http://www.mysportingtimes.com/
Thank you very much for all the comments. It has given me confidence and I realise that 'i am not the only one' . I will take all your comments back to the lake on tue pm and with the help of my wife (I will get a baby sitter this time) put them into practice.
The world of triathlon is a great place - Thank you.
didds
Not sure if I'll be ready for Bournemouth and I'm swimming the Solent (1.25 miles) in July too! I can swim 100 lengths in the pool and 1500m in 27mins so I'm sure it's a confidence thing.
Mat
There's also somthing that you cannot learn in the pool, you may be Micheal Phelps in the pool, but in a lake with dark water etc. You turn into me try and get to a swim centre for some lessons.
There's also somthing that you cannot learn in the pool, you may be Micheal Phelps in the pool, but in a lake with dark water etc. You turn into me try and get to a swim centre for some lessons.
Exactly the same for me when I first started. I was lucky that my lake is Reading and as said they are very, very supportive.
For me it was a fear thing, totally irrational, but there none the less. That was a year ago, from there to doing the Escape From Alcatraz Tri where I found the swim the most enjoyable part.
Persevere, the rewards are great.
I returned to The Lake this evening..................Ding-dang-doo. Fantastic. new suit, new head and a great swim. I spnet time acclimatising using all your advice an it worked. Thank you all and roll on Ross-on-Wye tri this weekend.
The open water wobbles strike us all occasionally. My first OW swim of the year was going fine until about 75 metres when I suddenly got breathless and dizzy, suit too tight, heart-rate through the roof etc... all the usual symptoms. I thought I was going to faint.
Just stop and float for a bit. Pull your suit away from your throat area to make sure it isn't restricting you.
When you first get in wait for a bit longer than you think to get yourself acclimatised. Float on your back, arms and legs out and head well back in the water. Then do the same on your front - holding your breath, obviously. Repeat until your heart rate is back to normal. This tip was given to me by a mate (Cheers James!) and it really works.
I'm not surprised that many beginners find it hard in OW. It is so, so different from a pool. I've been swimming for many years, happy to jump in and nail many kilometers in one go and as I say, the wobbles still strike now and again. Completely unpredictable.
Just roll with it, you'll be fine. Don't build it into a problem: it isn't; it's just one of those things with OW swimming.
Good luck and have fun
And then i spoke to a bloke i know who's a triathlete and a fantastic swimmer and he did 5k in 1 hour 10 mins.Oh well back to the drawing board