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silly question regarding open water training.

big4ndybig4ndy Posts: 24
in General Chat
Morning,

This might be a stupid question but please go easy on me.

Myself and a couple of mates are doing the London tri. in a few weeks. The wetsuits have arrived so we want to hit the open water.

Question: how do you know how far you are swimming when swimming in a river/resevoir/the sea? (prepared for barage of really obvious answers)



Cheers.

Comments

  • TrisurferTrisurfer Posts: 228
    Not the most accurate way, but measure using MAPMYRUN or Google map measuring tool, for a rough Idea. If its tidal where your swimming you'll need to make adjustments for it.

    Not the most accurate way, but free and easy!!

    Good luck at London
  • stevsterstevster Posts: 73
    I suggest finding the closest Open Water Swim sessions to yourself.
    They will most probably have a course marked by buoys and can tell you the distance of each lap. They also have someone keeping an eye on you to make sure nothing unto ward happens.

    Its a much safer approach.
  • demonclimberdemonclimber Posts: 42
    Get a watch with a countdown timer. Set to 100m swim time. Also set to repeat when countdown reaches zero. Each beep = 100m. Done. Altho beeping can be difficult to hear sometimes. Count strokes. Every time you get to ie 20/25/however many strokes, that = 100m.

    Alternatively and a little more exotic to set up. Arrange 2 sailing boats (preferably Tall Ships as easier to spot), 100m apart and swim round them.
  • risris Posts: 1,002
    if you have a gps watch (forerunner type) then stick it in your hat and download the track. then take about 15% off it because it will be all over the bloody place (more than you will when swimming).

    more usefully - if you know that you swim, say, 30mins for 1500 in a pool then go out and swim for 30mins. you might not cover 1500 exactly, but you shouldn't be a huge amount off.
  • CompassCompass Posts: 5
    Definitely find yourself an organised open water swim with a marked course. You'll be suprised how many there actually are when you start looking.

    You also get lifeguards etc in canoes that normally follow people around and they are usually held at venues with a cafe selling cake!

    Enjoy, good luck.
  • big4ndybig4ndy Posts: 24
    Cheers folks,

    Mapmyrun gave me a rough idea for tomorrows river swim.

    The closest open water venue seems to be strathclyde park (about an hour away) so we'll give that a bash too.

    River doon here we come!
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