Swimming - training for a traithlon

Alidecker

I have two questions - I am doing a triathlon in August, I have done it before and swimming is not really a problem as I have been swimming since I was 6. However that is in a pool. The open water swim is much different, but I don't have access to train in open water....any drill or tips for training in a pool for open water swimming.

Also, the last couple times I have been swimming, my feet and toes start cramping. It's not hydration (drinking lots of water is the one thing I do get right in the healthy living) Any ideas on what I can do to stop this?

flyght30

Breathe every other stroke. Make sure you can do it on both left and right sides. Best if you take your breath tight in your arm pits to avoid choking. You will need this especially at the start of the race when feet or lots of splashing is in your face. Don't try to be first out of water as very few ever win the race being first out of water. Easy pace, then pick it up on bike and run. For the tri, don't overuse your legs. Practice pulls with a float between your legs. If you had more time you could work six beat kicks but, it will not happen quick. Next time though . Good luck on your race! Hope this helps.

ashenriver

I just completed a 2.1 km open water swim. First time for me to do an event like that.
Open water is different then pool swimming. When is the pool try to swim more then the distance of the triathlon.

There will be a mental hurdle to get over initially. I have been swimming in lakes since I was little and I still had that. Stay back initially to lesson the kicking, and splashing. Also don't stop until you are more spaced out, I had a few people almost run into me because I had stopped to get my bearings.

Practice sighting, this is most important, you don't want to swim of course or get pulled to far off by the current. This will add to distance and time.
I sight by looking up in between breaths, but not my whole head just my eyes, Just a quick glance to see the direction. But that is just what I did, you might want to google different sighting techniques.

One drill I did was to tie a sand bucket (think kids toy) to my waist. This creates drag and forces you to swim harder.

Good luck.

hill8570

Assuming you'll be swimming in a smallish lake or pond (i.e., no big waves), you could have a friend splash you / do cannonballs near you while you're swimming -- that will get you used to having to take your air higher out of the water than you would in a normal pool situation. Hard to train for taking a foot to the face during the start -- for a first tri, I'd recommend starting far back in the pack and not be in the middle of the starting scrum...the swim is the least important of the three disciplines as far as placing goes, anyhow. Might also want to practice drafting off of a friend in the pool -- that can save a lot of energy if done correctly.

As far as the cramping, depends. Might be insufficient sodium / potassium, might be a too-cold pool, might be you're forcing your flutter too much.

Alidecker

Thanks for the comments and advice!

It is not my first tri, but always sight bad and wonder of there is a better way to train. In the two I have done I have done breast stroke for a few strokes to make sure I am on track. Also, thinking of doing a longer open water swim since I like to swim and it would give me something to train for. I am not in love with the triathlon since I do not like to run and I am really not supposed to run due to hip surgery.