A freezing swim can sap your energy & ruin your triathlon. Here are a few tips which always put me in the top 1/3 of triathlon swimmers without too much training!

Make sure you've read my basic tips on swimming for some background on general swimming tips before you jump in the sea or a lake! 

 

Temperature tips for outdoor swimming in Ireland & The UK.

Managing your temperature is the biggest single issue in outdoor swimming, outside of relaxation, in Ireland and/or the UK.  The temperature in most Irish and English sea swims and triathlons is horrendously cold!  The more athletic you are the, the less body fat you are likely to have and therefore you are more likely you are to feel the cold if you are very fit. 

The overarching goal to all these tips is not to strive to be the fastest swimmer in the water but the most prepared, the calmest and the one best equipped to deal with the shock of the cold. Peacefulness makes swimmers faster. I once heard a great friend of mine describe swimming as if he imagined God was gently floating him along the top of the water (while everyone else clambered in panic). Needless to say he was a strong swimmer!

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  Wear the appropriate wetsuit. If you are swimming in a triathlon then don’t try to swim in a surfer’s sleeveless wetsuit.  I made this mistake in my first triathlon.  Having narrowly avoided drowning in the sea swim, (I don’t recommend a sea swim for your first triathlon!) I took the wetsuit off to find I was chaffed all over my back, underarms and shoulders. That wasn’t such a big deal until my cotton t-shirt chafed the same areas later during the run! Seawater really  stings chafing too!  You can rent or borrow wetsuits but try never to pick one up on the day of the race without testing it.  Athletes never test out a new item of clothing/equipment in race day in case it causes problems.

(Silicone Hat with warm cloth cap underneath which is warmer and eaiser to take off without removing hair!)

• Warm hats: Most swimmers wear tight silicone hats while swimming.  Silicone hats are great but they are designed to cut through the water rather than to keep you warm.  Many athletes use a cloth hat underneath their silicone hat for warmth.

 

• Dip your cloth cap in warm water before you put it on your head. Then put the silicone cap on over it which will trap a little bit of heat in. 

 

 

•  Warm up: Always, always, always ‘warm up’ before a swim which ironically means getting into the freezing water when you don’t have to.  When you run into the water at the start of a triathlon your heart rate goes through the roof.  Nerves are high. Collisions are plentiful.  You are running in a wetsuit, trying to jump waves and avoid fellow competitors.  Then you crash into the water and icy cold water floods your wetsuit.  When you practice this in your warm up then you prepare your body and mind for these multitude of shocks. By practicing you will know what to expect mentally andphysically.  Your body will adapt to the circumstances more quickly the second time. The goal of warming up is not so much to warm in term of temperature. It is to warm up mentally and emotionally to the shock so you aren't gasping and panicking in the swim. The calm swimmers always punch ab
  ove their weight. 

 

•  Bring warm water: If you are wearing a wetsuit which traps a layer of water against the skin (most triathlon wetsuits will do this) then pour some warm water under your collar and down your back when you take off your outer layers of clothes.  If you forget to bring warm water then, as reluctant as I am to admit it, there are times when a supply of warm water in the bladder can come in handy! (A good reason to buy your own as opposed to borrowing a wetsuit!)

(This is me wrapped up with just a few minutes to go before the gun in Ironman Galway. Next step my 'warm up', then calm down and get heart rate down so that as the gun goes off I'm calm but I know what to expect)

•  Unwrap at the last minute: Arrive at the start line with your wetsuit on you and with other layers of clothes over your wetsuit.  Make sure your feet, hands and head are well wrapped up.  Remember that the start time of your race can be postponed at the very last minute due to logistics or issues with weather conditions.  Don’t strip down until the last possible minute before you enter the water for your warm up and re-wrap after the warm up if you have to. 

 

• Ask for help: Try to bring a supporter on the day that you can give your clothes to when you unwrap. It is stressful and cold if you’ve to go to a race briefing, then find your car, then get changed at the car and find someone to give you car key to.  If you are going to the event on your own then look for triathlon clubs or other competitors with spectators with them and spectators for help.  Make sure that if you are a first time triathlete that you’re not giving your gear to one of the professional athletes’ support team because they may be showered and sipping tea before you even finish on your bike! 

 

• Use newspaper underfoot when changing: This is more likely to be useful in open water training than durning an actual sea swim or triathlon. Use normal newspaper underfoot to keep your feet warm as you get changed. 

(Sometimes you'll have a rough day and panic. If that happens then find one of these guys/girls in kayaks, tell them how you are feeling and try to swim home beside them if you can - I've done it and gone on to have a good triathlon)

• Swim slowly and peacefully - just think about the stroke: When you are in the water try to swim at a steady pace.  Try to avoid sprinting and then stopping.  Aim for a slow controlled pace and gradually increase it because it is easy to get cold vey quickly when you stop and start and it is easier for the body to find a groove at a slower pace. 

 

Posted via email from The Energy Coach Blog