OPEN WATER SWIM IN TRIATHLON - READ THIS TO SUCCEED
 This
article is written primarily for complete newbies and beginners,
but it could also be helpful to experienced and competitive
Triathletes.
The open water swim is considered by many as the hardest
and worst part of Triathlon. Some are completely put off by
it - hence the invention of a sport called Duathlon where
swimming is eliminated altogether. But since you're reading
this article, we bet you're looking for ways to make the mayhem
of the swim a better experience for yourself. Below are a
few suggestions that will help you succeed.
1/ Technique, technique, technique. As with other sports,
you must work on your technique. Being comfortable in the
water because you got the technique down will give you confidence
in your abilities and potential outcome. Since the whole issue
with the open water swim is primarily based on fear, having
confidence will do wonders for your performance. High cadence
and quick change of support promoted in Pose Swimming, come
especially handy in the open water swim, the technique will
allow you to move faster and easier in the mayhem of hundreds
of bodies around you moving alongside.
2/ Fear only fear itself. Before you even get to the start
line, take a look around you, look at everyone that will race
with you and know - they have similar concerns as you and
they have similar fears. Now that you know that everyone is
pretty much in the same frenzy - take a deep breath and take
the fear out of the equation. Fear has a funky effect on us
- when in fear we don't act as we normally would. Fear diminishes
our capacity to perform at our best, so the only thing to
fear is fear itself.
3/ Eliminate the unknown. When you know what's happening
and where you're trying to go, it makes it easier to focus
on the right things like how fast you can get there. By getting
familiar with the area of where the swim part of your race
will start and checking out the course, you will help eliminate
the uncertainties that contribute to developing a state of
fear. It also might be a good idea to decide before-hand where
you should be at the start line - left or right, front middle
or back of the pack.
4/ Stay Positive. A number of things can and probably will
go wrong. You might and probably will get hit, punched, smashed
or pushed. There will be plenty of opportunity to freak out
and get upset or annoyed, but none of it matters. You're here
to race, none of what might go wrong is premeditated, nobody
is out to ruin your best day, they are just trying to win
the race. No matter what happens, as long as you got yourself
in one piece you're doing just fine. When things do go wrong,
keep in mind that something similar or worse has already happened
to someone else, you're not the first one, certainly not the
last one. Keep moving. You signed up for this.
5/ Stay Focused. As said above, no matter what happens -
keep going. Stay focused on the race and your movement forward
in it. Nothing else matters at that point in time. The guy
next to you doesn't matter, the one swimming right over you
doesn't matter either, if that does happen it will be to your
benefit to try and keep up. Focusing on your technique will
help you maintain your composure and that's vital to your
success.
6/ Expect to Succeed. Going in to the race hoping you'd make
it out ok is fair, but try racing next time with a different
attitude and it might just make this crazy race more like
a game that it should be for you. Your success might not be
that noticeable to others, but it'd still be your personal
success and that cannot be underestimated.
Gwen Campbell, an "overweight, 45-year-old, unfit Scotswoman"
finished her first ever "half ironman in a foreign country
on a brand-new bike, with minimal prior training, no open
water swim experience and the first time in a wet suit"
to qualify and seal the deal on the "lottery won"
entry for the Ironman in Kona. Read her story and you will
see that you can do more than you think!
Article by Dr. Nicholas Romanov
Composed by L. Romanov
Pose
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