Poll: Open Water or Pool events

swimbikerun2006

What is your preference when it comes to race venues?? Open water or Swimming pool and why?

swimbikerun2006

Personally....I prefer open water swims. I have yet to sign up for an event where the swim was in a pool, because the swim was in a pool. Perhaps I should try it. Are there any advantages to be had? It just seems that turning at the wall, every 25yd/m interferes with focus and keeps a swimmer (or at least me) from really getting into a steady pace for any distance at all. What your thoughts?

HGChao

I have only done pool swims, but I think the advantages would be better visibility and smoother waters. My first open water tri will be in a bay this September.

carolinagirl7

I have only done a pool swim to date, so my vote is pools! The temps are great, no wetsuit needed. At my sprint tri last year, we had 2 people to a lane, so it was a bit choppy, but no worse than my usual swim. I train in a pool, and my swim rhythm is in 25 yards at a time, so I never thought about momentum before that wasn't 25 yards at a time. I think it can be an advantage to push off every 25 yards. With a good push off I can get about a quarter of the way down the lane. It is, however, a pain trying to get out of the pool. I swam past the line to get out (nearly crashing into the oncoming swimmers) to jump out after the steps. (check with race officials to make sure you are allowed to do before you do it ) Other racers informed me they spent almost a minute of my swim time waiting to get out of the pool. I want to sign up for a longer sprint tri this summer that will be an open water swim. I'll be able to better compare after that experience

edited for typo!

ironholgs

Open Water swims all the way for me, which is a complete 360 from when I started and the thought of jumping in a cold, dark, deep river / lake terrified me.

Swimming in a pool is pretty dull ( IMO ) and I have the added complication of being highly allergic to certain mixtures / levels of chlorine, which saw me hospitalised with breathing difficulties after my first pool based triathlon, still finished it though ;-)

There's something really good about swimming outdoors and in a wetsuit. Got my first sea swim this May in Lanzarote, hoping it won't be choppy.

On the visibility thing, I've been in lakes over here in Europe where the visibility has been much clearer than in a pool.

trijoe

OWS, Baby!!! Pools wreak of chlorine. Lakes, rivers, and oceans wreak of The Great Outdoors. For my money, no comparison.

Also, I get sick to death of having to pass/get passed in a pool, pull up on the side to see how difficult it'll be to switch back and keep going, etc etc... I guess I'd rather get swum over in a lake, than in a pool. And you can forget about a group start in a pool. Group starts are the way to race! You can gauge where you are in the pack from a group start.

Mostly, though, I just can't stand wreaking of chlorine while racing.

Drudoo

Open water is much better. No turning necessary.

I also prefer cooler water and wetsuit swims.

Just saying.

sonyachan

Glad to see that open water is the consensus, because I am planning my first race, a mini tri, in October which includes an ocean swim. So, I'm assuming I should train in the ocean rather than the pool as much as possible?

carolinagirl7

I think you have all convinced me to sign up with the one with the open water swim. The way you all describe it, it sounds great. I guess I am just a product of what has been available thus far!

Leesseebee

I used to be a competitive swimmer so I did a lot of pool meets, but I cannot see doing them for a triathlon-and not because there aren't advantages-indeed, swimming in pools is easier insofar as you can go in a straight line because visibility is far better, you can gauge your distance better, getting kicked in the face will likely not happen as much, etc. But! there is just something about open water swims-I like the moderate brutality of it-which probably sounds crazy, but you swim on top and around people, when you complete it, you feel like you have done something remarkable...I just love it (though the wetsuits strangle me)!

HGChao

Sounds like fun....can't wait to try my 1st open water tri!

electriq

I haven't done any events with swimming involved as of yet but I far prefer swimming in the pool to swimming in open water. I love turning at the wall, I love being able to see clearly and I freakishly enjoy the smell of chlorine (I know its just wrong and everything but I just do). I also quite enjoy swimming in open water but not as much as the pool, in both lake and ocean I find the visibility hampers me, its hard to plot a course and swim in a moderately straight line and if there is a current then it is extra tough. I also don't like the occasional bit of salt water in my mouth in the ocean and swimming for a seemingly endless amount of time without a fun wall to turn and spring off bores me. the brutality of perhaps getting a kicked in the face turns me right off, give me a more dignified pool swim any day.

electriq

Unfortunately all the tris in New Zealand that I have seen are all open water so I will have to come to terms with my aversion at some point, that or compete overseas

scott091501

I will never do another pool swim. OWS has a physicality to it, you have to sight, people can't misjudge where they should be seeded, etc.

rob_v

My first try was an OWS and I hated it (mostly for lack of training) now I love OWS.
If you have never done an OWS before - be sure to at least get out in open water before the race. I dont care how far you can swim in a pool - open water is a different animal. Nothing like being mobbed by 150 of your closest friends

scott091501

My first try was an OWS and I hated it (mostly for lack of training) now I love OWS.
If you have never done an OWS before - be sure to at least get out in open water before the race. I dont care how far you can swim in a pool - open water is a different animal. Nothing like being mobbed by 150 of your closest friends

That's the best part man. The physicality of an OWS. Gets the juices flowing. Of course I post I'll never do another pool swim and I win free entry into a race with...... a pool swim. Typical.

murdy745

It's not a real triathlon unless the swimming is open water!!!