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Ocean Swim

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JenRunTriHappyGirl
JenRunTriHappyGirl Posts: 521 Member
in Social Groups
I am looking into doing 2 races this year with ocean swims. I feel that I am a strong swimmer but I have never done an ocean swim before. Other than practice sessions, anyone have any advice?

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  • scott091501
    scott091501 Posts: 1,260 Member
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    Pick up the rhythm of the waves. You want to sight at the crest of the wave so you can see buoys or whatever you're sighting off of. If you sight at the trough all you'll see is the wave in front of you. Other than that it really isn't too different than lake swimming.
  • dickrocketjones
    dickrocketjones Posts: 78 Member
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    Never done one before. Seems pretty intimidating truthfully. Good luck with it.
  • WannabeSC
    WannabeSC Posts: 28 Member
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    Just find some open water swim practice, where buoys are set up to practice sighting. Sometimes you can go volunteer or watch a race and take part in their pre race practice swim. Just don't fight the water, OK to go easy if you are apprehensive your first time!
  • kchang77
    kchang77 Posts: 76 Member
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    The biggest thing is to be comfortable breathing to either side. Most of us have a preferred side, but if you are dealing with some surf / swells, you will definitely be glad that you can breath comfortably. Last year in Wildwood, the day before the race the water was like glass and practice swims, I heard, were a breeze. Come race morning, the surf was up, because the wind had picked up and there were swells of 5-6'. It was like swimming in a washing machine. I personally enojyed the hell out of it, but I am a little "off", but a friend of mine who is a very strong swimming too, almost quit on the swim because of the different conditions. Plus, we got to ride the waves on the way in!
  • TriShamelessly
    TriShamelessly Posts: 905 Member
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    Find an open water swim clinic if possible. It certainly takes the edge off. As KChang said, Wildwood last year was very choppy water but certainly doable since we had done some open ocean clinics prior to the race.
  • lj3jones
    lj3jones Posts: 94 Member
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    Body glide the heck out of the back of your neck, you will chafe there and it will really sting with the salt water.

    Figure out where the current is before starting so that you know how to adjust on the out and back sections

    look for the rip tides (where the water is flowing back out) and go with the riptide on the way out and away from the riptide on your way back in

    If you are prone to motion sickness and there are big waves, consisder taking gravol before the race (try training with it first though, it might affect your HR).

    have a bottle of water in transition to rinse your mouth open.

    (I did IMFL in 2010 and didn't get a chance to train in the ocean before arriving in Florida a few days before the race, I'm also a strong swimmer though and I didn't have a problem. It is crazy how bouyant you are in the ocean)

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