open water ocean swim
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StephenPDennis posted 1 year ago.
Make sure you have some fresh water back on the beach. I have always been a ocean beach goer, but never swam in it competitively. The biggest 'surprise' problem I had is just how salty the ocean was and how much water I got in my mouth while swimming. I rinsed my mouth out for about 10 seconds during T1 and still my bike was still miserable. It wouldn't have been as bad if I mentally prep'd for it.
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WillbIM1Day posted 1 year ago.
My feelings might change after I'm more comfortable with open water, but for now I'll say I have no intentions of EVER doing a race where the swim is in the ocean. That's how much I hate swimming in salt water.
It's not even the animals that I'm afraid of. I just hate motion sickness + swallowing that garbage. I feel so sick even after a 30-minute swim in the ocean.
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PJT posted 1 year ago.
3 of these also apply to rough swims in a lake, so you may know them already, but FWIW:
1. Really work on bilateral breathing if you're not doing it already. The ability to efficiently breathe on either side is important in any open water tri, but is slightly more important if waves are crashing on you from one side or the other.
2. I might also practice a bit with over-rotating your body to breathe, again just in case you have some big chop or wave action and need the extra rotation to get to air. I wouldn't use it as a primary strategy b/c it will slow you down, but it's a good trick to have in your pocket if it is really rough out.
3. If it really does get rough, shorten out your stroke by gliding less and upping your cadence. You may just find yourself doing this naturally anyway. Yes, it is less efficient and more tiring, but it also keeps you moving in the direction you want to go.
4. Finally, I don't know where in Cancun they hold the swim, but I hope it would not be anywhere that is prone to rip tides. However, if you do happen to find yourself in one in training or something, the rule is to swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the rip, then swim in.
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StephenPDennis posted 1 year ago.
PJT wrote:
However, if you do happen to find yourself in one in training or something, the rule is to swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the rip, then swim in.
+1 the most important thing is to not freak out. First try calling attention to yourself so that the guards can see you're in trouble, then just pretend you are an adorable otter and let the current take you as you leisurely paddle parallel to shore. The worst thing is to freak out and over-exert yourself fighting the current.
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beads1985 posted 1 year ago.
Other that what was previously posted, Cancun should be beautiful, enjoy the swim.
Though ,I would definitely wash my mouth with fresh water to get out the salty taste.
Good luck!!
'Nothing to it, but to do it!'
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zagfan posted 1 year ago.
You are in Cancun, so instead of rinsing with fresh water, just have a margarita waiting in T1, it will go perfect with the salty tast in your mouth!
Good luck with the race. I'm jealous that you have a practice swim in the Caribbean and the race in Cancun.
"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever." Lance Armstrong
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thesonicson posted 1 year ago.
I'm currently in FL visiting family and decided to do a mile in the Gulf of Mexico. The wind was making the water choppy but I managed to only swallow a small amount. Once you get going you will find (or a least I did) that the waves have a pattern and you can adjust your stroke to accomodate breathing with little water intake (i.e. over-rotating). Regardless though, you WILL ingest salt water! Salt water in the nose can be very irritating! I would recommend making salt water and swishing it in your mouth then walk around for a bit to get used to the burning feeling it can produce. Hell even get a little in your nose cause it gets up there too unless you use nose plugs! Good luck and enjoy the race!
P.S. I also HIGHLY recommend having a spare bottle of water to wash your face off at T1. If not the salt will crystalize on your face making it feel like you have a mask on until your sweat picks it up and you really don't want all the highly salted sweat getting into your eyes!
I'll be doing the Cancun 70.3 this year and this will be my first open water ocean swim, and my first open water swim without my wetsuit. I'm in a lake at least twice a week doing open water work, but have never done anything but leisure swims in the ocean.
I'm headed down to the Mayan Riviera in a couple weeks to get some practice in and know it is also jelly fish season (and hurricane season). Any advice on ocean swimming in the warm waters of the Caribbean would be very, very helpful. I found a product called SafeSea which is supposed to help prevent any jelly fish and sea lice stings, but I have no idea what else to prep for.