BEAT YOUR OPEN WATER DEMONS!
Not actual underwater demons (we hope!), but many new open-water swimmers have a fear that is holding them back. Here’s how to conquer it…
When you work as an openwater swimming coach, you very quickly learn that there are many common reasons people are nervous about entering the water. From shark attacks (usually caused by watchin Jaws as a child!) to fears about being bumped by other swimmers, these thoughts can really affect confidence in open water. Throw in the fact that for readers of this mag you’ll be in a race situation, having to deal with kit and navigating a marked course, and there’s no wonder people get a bit freaked out. The good news? There are many tricks you can use to prepare for your swim and calm your nerves. Read on for all the advice you need…
WHAT IF THERE ARE ‘THINGS’ IN THE WATER?
Fish. Weeds. Creatures. Great big toothy sharks… The fear people share most commonly is of things in the water. Rather than trying to ‘get over it’, though, stop and give your brain a bit of credit for doing its job. After all, open water is an unfamiliar environment and being as we aren’t as well evolved as we like to think we are, an unfamiliar environment triggers our inner cave-dweller’s ‘fight or flight’ response as a way of keeping us safe.
The key to dealing with this is to familiarise yourself with the environment and get to know it gradually. Ask an expert – what is in the water? What might you expect to see? The good news is there’s very little in UK waters that can hurt you, and, fortuitously, most water creatures will want to stay as far away from you as possible! Knowledge is power, though, and starting with short, shallow swims will help calm you. Swim with others if you can and, if possible, find a local swim group or coached session so you know you’re among experts. Learn how it feels to put your toes in mud, feel how a reed feels when it touches your hand, take a quiet moment and watch the fish and birds. You’ll soon learn to love all the nuances of our underwater environments and that familiarity with them will help calm any anxiety.
WHAT IF I’VE NEVER SWUM IN THAT TYPE OF WATER BEFORE?
Again, this concern comes back to fear of unfamiliar environments. But while we may not always be able to race in the same body of water we train in (most of us will travel to triathlons as the experience of being somewhere new is one of the draws of racing for many of us), we can be sensible in our choices.
If you do all your training in lakes or rivers, then it probably isn’t a good idea to enter a triathlon with a sea swim. The salty water will be unfamiliar to you – both in terms of the extra buoyancy it gives you and the taste when you swallow it – but you will also be unused to waves, currents and the wider environment. Likewise if you’re a sea swimmer, you may be a bit freaked out by the weeds and fish you’ll often find in a lake or river. So if you’re nervous, or want to be competitive, give yourself the best chance by entering a race where the swim conditions are very similar to what you’re used to.
If you do decide to challenge yourself with something new, though, try and swim in a similar body of water once or twice before race day. And, if you can, arrive a day early and take a short swim the day before your event. Regardless of the type of water, this will also help you figure out your sighting landmarks and where the sun is likely to be on race day (thus guiding your goggle choice).
I CAN ONLY DO BREASTSTROKE, IS THAT OKAY IN A TRIATHLON?
Yes, absolutely! While front crawl is the most efficient stroke for triathlon (as discussed in the previous article, p24), that doesn’t mean you can’t swim breaststroke on race day if that’s the stroke you’re more comfortable with. There are benefits to throwing in a bit of breaststroke, too – it allows you to navigate easily, you can be more aware of your surroundings and other swimmers, plus you can focus on breathing and relaxing if you find the race environment has thrown you a bit. Enter a shorter, beginner-friendly race and you’ll see plenty of folk doing breaststroke.
“There’s no denying it, even though it’s not allowed, open-water swim races can get a bit ‘fiesty’ up at the pointy end of competition”
A note on other strokes – butterfly will make you pretty unpopular with the swimmers around you (and frankly is exhausting), while backstroke isn’t a good idea in a race either. First, you won’t be able to see where you’re going, and second the universal sign for when you need help in open water is to float on your back with an arm raised. So you might very quickly find yourself surrounded by safety kayaks!
WILL I GET SWUM OVER OR KICKED?
There’s no denying it, even though it’s not allowed, open-water swim races can get a bit ‘fiesty’ up at the pointy end of competition. You only have to look at the DSQs from big, marathon swim events and triathlons to see that even the pros aren’t above a bit of sneaky elbowing (or worse).
While some love the rough and tumble of a swim at close contact, and appreciate the drafting benefits you can gain if you get alongside a strong swimmer, it definitely isn’t for everyone. The good news? Unless you really do want to be competitive, you don’t have to put yourself in a position where you’ll get bumped.
Even before you enter the water think about your position. Being further back will mean you’re away from the pack and the more aggressive swimmers. Next, think about possible ‘pinch points’ on the course where other swimmers will be more closely grouped. If you’ll be turning right around a buoy, for example, then it makes sense to swim more to the left, to avoid being bumped by other swimmers taking the turn more tightly. It’s also absolutely fine to do a few strokes of breaststroke, or to hang back for a couple of seconds to let other swimmers go if you’ll feel more comfortable overall.
WHAT IF I LOSE MY GOGGLES?
We’re more vulnerable in the water, so it’s natural to worry about losing a piece of kit that helps us. Goggles are usually the big worry here, but there are things you can do. Choose lower-profile goggles that are less likely to get knocked and wear them with the straps underneath your swim cap, so even if they do get knocked you’re unlikely to lose them completely. If you’re still worried, then you can always tuck a spare set of goggles inside your wetsuit.
There are benefits to practising all eventualities in training, too. Try short swims without goggles to see how it feels. On that note, it’s also worth doing the odd bit of training without your Garmin, so you don’t become too reliant on your tech.
I’M WORRIED ABOUT COMING OUT OF THE WATER LAST!
This is a common worry among triathletes, but as the saying goes, ‘somebody has to’! Plus, there are benefits to being further back in the swim field – you’ll avoid the scrum up front and have more clear water to swim in, as well as a calmer experience when swimming around the buoys. From our experience, those last swimmers usually get the biggest cheers as they exit the water, too, which can give you a huge boost for the rest of your race.
It’s worth noting that if you are a slower swimmer it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have a slow race overall. The swim is the shortest part of most triathlons and it’s much easier to make up time and race places on the bike and run. So even though you might be last in the swim, you could smash it in the rest of the race! Plus, burning yourself out in the swim will only have a negative impact on the rest of your event, so it’s far better to relax and pace yourself at a speed you’re comfortable with.
WILL I GET SICK FROM SWALLOWING THE WATER?
Most race organisers will check the water quality before the event, as they have a duty of care to their triathletes. Managed swim venues usually have a regular assessment of water quality too, so ask them for more info. It’s always a good idea to be aware of the health risks when swimming in any body of open water, though, so take a deep breath and read on…
The main risk (and a very rare one) is Weil’s Disease, which is caught through rat urine (yes, yuck, we know). This is more likely in rivers, docks and lakes after heavy rainfall following a dry spell, when there’s run-off into the water. It’s usually transmitted through open cuts and grazes, so always cover these up before swimming in open water. Symptoms are similar to flu, so if you feel sick after swimming then see your doc to be on the safe side.
“Most race organisers will check the water quality before the event, as they have a duty of care to their triathletes”
Tummy troubles are more common and tend to be caused by swallowing polluted water. Avoid this by getting to know your local swim spot and find out if sewage is released locally and when this may happen. This isn’t as transparent as we’d like as swimmers, but organisations like Surfers Against Sewage are doing a good job of lobbying for better water quality and also have an app which you can use to check local water quality.
As for drinking a flat can of Coke after a race to kill any tummy bugs? This has largely been disproved as an urban myth (stomach acid is far stronger than the acid in carbonated drinks) but some of the 220 team still swear by it!
HOW WILL I COPE WITH THE COLD?
The good news is that British Triathlon have pretty strict rules about water temperature and length of swims and wetsuit use (see britishtriathlon.org for the latest guidance). This means if the water is colder they may cut the swim short to keep you safe, so you’re unlikely to end up in an event where you’re at risk of getting dangerously cold.
Acclimatisation is key, though, so if you can, start open-water swimming early in the season and build up from short dips to longer swims as the water warms and your acclimatisation improves. We wouldn’t recommend entering a triathlon with an openwater swim having only ever trained in the pool, as in those circumstances you probably would feel the cold!
Conversely, many triathletes worry about the water being warmer than expected, in which case British Triathlon may ban the use of wetsuits to avoid you overheating. So if you’re doing a high summer event where this may be the case, it’s worth doing a few swims without your wetsuit in training, just so you’re not thrown on the day.
COPING WITH A CHOPPY SWIM
Turned up to find rolling waves and spray? You can modify your freestyle stroke to cope. Try these five tips…
1 | Switch up your breathing Note which side the waves are coming from and breathe to the other side to avoid getting a mouthful of water instead of air.
2 | Shorten your stroke. A long ‘glide phase’ won’t do you any good if you’re getting thrown about. Use a choppier, shorter stroke with a higher cadence.
3 | Sight higher. We usually advise only popping your eyes out to sight, but you might need to lift your head higher in waves. To avoid neck strain or your legs dropping too often, try to only do this when you have to.
4 | Judge the waves. Try and time the catch phase of your stroke to when you have the height of a wave under your arm. If it’s a trough, you may find you’re grabbing thin air.
5 | Relax! If you swallow a mouthful of water and come up spluttering, take a moment to breathe and compose yourself. The more tense and flustered you are in the water, the more your swimming will deteriorate.