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HELP!! Open water swim problems

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.

Comments

  • largeadelargeade Posts: 166
    How cold was the water? Last year at Heron lake was in April it was so cold I couldnt get my breath - it took perseverance and a good 400m to regain control over my breathing.

    However, Blenheim was a chuffing warm 20 degrees today (and we still had to wear our suits....)
  • SilverbackSilverback Posts: 131
    Where were you swimming? Is there someone on hand to give guidance? I've been using Leybourne Lakes and Mike from teamoutrageous led us thru the basics of getting acclimatised, overcoming the fear etc and was in the water with us. Although this only comes about as a condition of the local council allowing swimming in the lake, you can read about all this stuff but to actually have someone in the drink with you makes all the difference. Chest feeling tight is usual, very few can get in and swim, most will take 10 minutes to get, calm down, fill suit with water before actually starting off, even with the air temp being 28 deg as it was yesterday. Check the magazines/websites for the open water training sessions, I know they run them at Dorney lake if your South East based and I'm sure others have their recommendations.
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    Sounds just like my first session. As Silverback says, it is the unusual sensation of wearing a wetsuit and trying to swim for the first time, the body is just not used to it, coupled with nerves, tightness and shortage of breathe is quite common at first.

    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
  • DocmartinDocmartin Posts: 17
    Hi.Sounds like what happened to me. Basically it is the triple effect of feeling constricted, cold water and nerves. I have only been in open water 3 times, starting about 4 weeks ago. The first time I only did about 400m. The second time I managed a full loop of the lake. I was feeling pretty confident the third time and struck out but quickly felt exactly as you described. I rolled over on my back, got my breathing under control and managed 2 x 750m loops in the end.
    I guess it takes getting used to!
    Good luck and don't be put off.
  • Try swim ear plugs...helped me!
  • nicknofingernicknofinger Posts: 284
    God sounds like a post I made a year ago, I had to get rescued by a canoe. It was like having a panic attack in the water, very scary, my breathing was all over the shop. I went to the blue seventy swim centre (Reading) and had some coaching. I can not praise them enough, without their help I would not of been able to do carry on doing triathlons. Sounds dramatic, for me though it was a massive fear. It was not expensive either I think it was about £5 for a session of just open water swimming, and about £15 to have a bloke swim round with me.

    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/
  • 10501050 Posts: 5
    Everyone,

    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.
  • diddsdidds Posts: 655
    + 1 for Zac's comments.

    didds
  • MintyMatMintyMat Posts: 98
    Really pleased this is on here. I've just got back from my first open water swim and feeling hugely apprehensive about Bournemouth Olympic. Felt fine as I got in but as soon as I swam it all went wrong. It felt like I was back at school, technique all over the shop, everything I worked so hard on in the pool had gone. Swallowed water and someone had removed that handy line off the floor. The 2 guys I swam with were great and helped a lot and always made sure I was ok but I decided to swim for shore. Spent a while swimming between 2 groynes and began to get confidence but a long way to go.

    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
  • nicknofingernicknofinger Posts: 284
    You'l be fine it's all about getting relaxed before ou start. There's no point rushing off at the start and blowing up 5 minutes in. Get in the water early, lie on your back and RELAX. Spend a couple of minutes swimming out and back just getting use to the temp and how different it is from the pool.

    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.
  • nicknofingernicknofinger Posts: 284
    You'l be fine it's all about getting relaxed before ou start. There's no point rushing off at the start and blowing up 5 minutes in. Get in the water early, lie on your back and RELAX. Spend a couple of minutes swimming out and back just getting use to the temp and how different it is from the pool.

    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.
  • Im SpartacusIm Spartacus Posts: 204
    Great thread.

    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.
  • 10501050 Posts: 5
    Update -

    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.
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    Mat... see you in Bournemouth, fella! :-D

    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 ;-)
  • pippip Posts: 170
    I've just started open water training at Boundary lake and done 3 sessions there.It takes me about 3 or 400 metres to get relaxed and confident in the water.The first time i went in i had to swim with my face out of the water,i was really uncomfortable,but after a bit i got my s**t together and relaxed my breathing and stroke and everything went pretty much ok.I'm still not ultra confident about open water swim ,but each time i go in it's gets much better .
    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
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