First open water triathlon - advice please :-)

[shaggedthruahedgebackwards]

Doing my first OWS triathlon this weekend (sprint distance)

I've previously done a couple of pool based triathlon but several years ago now

I'm feeling OK about the cycle and run but nervous about the swim and transitions

Any advice please on smooth transitions and where to position myself in the water for the swim?

I think there are about 50 setting off per wave and I'm a mediocre swimmer at best!

If you’re a confident swimmer position yourself at the front for a quick getaway- get horizontal, it helps you claim space and you’re prime and ready to go on the whistle. If you’re not confident, or find it more motivating to pick people off and pass them, go further back, but still get horizontal and claim your space!

Remember OWS is full contact and try not to be mad if you get smacked in the face! It’s all part and parcel. Sighting can be difficult in the chop when everyone’s started so just try and stay calm and take an extra second to sight if necessary. You’ll probably find you hit a nice rythym and the pack will thin out. At the end, swim until your hands touch the bottom of the lake/sea. That’s the right depth to stand with minimal energy and when walking becomes faster than swimming- no sooner!

Good luck and enjoy it!

It shouldn’t be so bad for a sprint and wave starts tend to be gentler but the swim can still be a bit hairy. Always underestimate your swimming ability as you’re far less likely to get crashed into or have people swimming over you then.

Loads of bodyglide to stop chafing and make getting your wetsuit off easier. I have been known to practise my wetsuit removal in the garden 😂 Certainly get your hat and goggles off and undo your wetsuit down to your waist on your way from the water to T1, that way you only have to fiddle with your legs when you get there. Towels are overrated IMO - dry on the bike!

Thanks both that's really helpful

I am a confident swimmer in the pool but have minimal ows experience, especially not with more than a handful of people around me

I had to provide an estimate swim time which was a bit of a guess but I'm hoping to swim a fair bit faster than the estimate I provided (20mins for 750m) so guessing I will be in a wave that won't include all the superfast swimmers?

There are only 3 waves, 2 mins between each and I'm in the middle one

Sea or lake swim? Salt water in mouth is too yuck for me.
imho, mistake to assume you'll be faster than your indoor time, most people are slower outside coz of wind & waves and can't see anything. I guess you have a good wetsuit you're comfy in?

There's a beginners tri-thread on fetcheveryone.com that is full of tips.

It's a lake swim

Estimated time isn't faster than what I could do in pool it is significantly slower (would take me 17 to 18 mins in pool), what I meant was I am hoping I can swim faster than the estimate I have provided (20 mins), but don't actually know as never done a time ows before

If you are anywhere near Salford Quays, think they have open water coaching on a Thursday. Bit late now but I loved swimming there!

Thanks Pippy

I'm not near Salford unfortunately

If I was a mediocre swimmer, which I am in OW, I think, I'd try to stay out of the pack and I'd look to sight well. So basically make sure you swim the most efficient route in the water, not get caught up in the splash and aggro of the pack.

Transitions, stay calm and do a checklist of the order before the day, so you have a definite mental plan on the day. So wetsuit off, shoes on, etc. Simple stuff, so that the adrenaline doesn't fog your brain. A smooth transition is the easiest way to make up time. Make sure you put all your stuff in the box, if that's a penalty thing in your race. Good luck!

Thanks Pippy

I'll follow your advice in the water. Better for me to stay out of trouble than get stuck in the middle of all the thrashing & splashing

It might not bother me but I won't know how I cope with it til I'm there!

Cold water shock & the poorer water visibility are a bit disconcerting. I went to the coaching & they said get in the water, then out & then back in, so that first bit of shock isn't just as you start to swim. I'd relax unless you're aiming for a win!

I've done half a dozen ows sessions now so I'm fairly relaxed about the water temperature, it definitely gets easier each time you do it

What I haven't done is an actual triathlon/race so I've no experience of being in the water will lots of other people trying to go as fast as possible!

I've also never done a swim to bike transition from open water so suspect getting out of my wetsuit quickly will be a challenge

I read it's quite brutal, people swim over each other, under each other, elbowing, kicking. I hope you come back & say it wasn't at all like that for you. The stories have put me off.

You can practice the transition at home, that's easy enough to be in control of.

You sound sorted. The bodyglide is probably the best idea. I've been trapped in wetsuits before now, so I know what you mean. Less haste, more speed, I imagine. :-)

I'd love to do one but I can't run!

I'll report back tomorrow and desperately hoping I don't have any horror stories from the swim

I must admit it's the thought of getting splashed, punched and swam over the top of that worries me the most!

How did it go, OP?

I got round, and overall result was ok but the swim was horrific!

316 competitors in 3 waves in the lake so it was VERY congested!

I didn't think I was anxious but I obviously was as heart rate was bonkers high which meant I couldn't get a rhythm with my breathing at all. Luckily parts of the lake were very shallow so a few times I stood up and walked and allowed myself to calm down. I found swimming in a croud much worse than I imagined I would so the posters who told me to underestimate my swim ability were spot on!

Just analysing my stats, I was 268/316 after the swim but ended up 195/314 finishers so made up time on the bike and run. I was 8/24 F40-44 so happy with that despite hating the swim

Thanks for update. I'd be proud of that. Did you feel like people were being horrible during the swim (no care to avoid kicking or elbowing)?

No, sure it wasn't deliberate just the nature of the beast. I didn't get kicked or punched as such it was just a horrible feeling being so tightly packed in with other swimmers
I didn't like the feeling of people swimming directly behind me and over my legs
Atmosphere was very friendly I just struggled with it

Well done!

Well done! First ones the hardest. I found the same with high heart rate and difficult breathing regulation- I had forgotten that. I now start slow and speed up to combat it. Have a lovely relaxing reward evening!

You should be really proud of yourself shagged. Open water swimming takes a bit of getting used to, especially as when you panic or get anxious then it’s impossible to get your breathing and rhythm right. I had a few sketchy moments at the beginning, but now I enjoy a good bun fight. Drafting is also a really good skill to practice as it can save you time and energy on a swim if done well.

Thanks all

I won't let it put me off doing another triathlon at some point

I actually thinking of entering a local one with a pool swim in a few weeks. Pool swimming will with only 4 per lane will feel very civilised!