Open water swim help!

atynk
atynk Posts: 400 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey friends...

I am doing the swim part of a triathlon relay sunday and took out my wetsuit for a test run yesterday in a lake.. the suit kept my body very warm, but my face was sooo cold.. like painfully cold to the point where i couldn't even keep it in the water. I am wondering if anyone has any tips to help with this? I am hoping it won't affect my race :(

Replies

  • atynk
    atynk Posts: 400 Member
    oh dear... no one knows:(
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Usually once you get moving and the only escape for heat from the muscles is the face, not a problem, except for now fogging of the goggles because of the temp diff, condensation on inside like normal.
  • dakitten2
    dakitten2 Posts: 888 Member
    1. Wear two caps. You lose most of your heat through your head, and doubling up your “capage” helps you to keep your heat in.

    2. Wear a neoprene cap. Neoprene handles the cold-water better than standard latex and can help keep your head warm.

    3. You also lose lots of heat through your feet. Neoprene socks are also a good idea, but you may want to use these mostly on training swims, as they can be a hassle when it comes to transitioning to your bike!

    4. Wear a wetsuit, but more specifically, a full suit. The sleeveless suits allow heat to escape through your armpits. I learned this the hard way when doing the Alcatraz swim in 52-degree water with one of these sleeveless, “farmer John” suits. By the time I finished, I was in the early stages of frostbite. Keep in mind that wetsuits are allowed in triathlons for water temperatures 75 degrees Fahrenheit or below, according to USA Triathlon rules.

    5. Put in earplugs. When the water drops below 60 degrees, I believe earplugs become necessary- and they aid in keeping your core temperature up.

    6. Practice swimming in cold water in the weeks before your race. It can be a shock to your system that can lead to hyperventilating or a panicked feeling. You will want to swim slowly until you get your breath. The first time you experience this it can throw you off, but with practice, you will get used to it and be able to relax into your swim.

    7. Do a significant warm up (10-15 minutes minimum) the morning of your race. This will minimize the shock effect that cold water can have, and will allow you to get into a stroke rhythm much faster.

    8. When the cold water hits your face, the shock causes your lungs to contract causing breathing problems. Blow bubbles before taking off on your swim. Go waist deep into the water and submerge your face to blow bubbles. This helps alleviate the shock of the cold water.

    If used correctly, these tips can help you to not only tolerate cold-water swimming, but also gain an advantage on your unprepared competition.

    Forgot to add: And, for decades, open water swimmers have insulated themselves from the cold by smearing a layer of petroleum jelly on any exposed skin.

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