Get The Most Out Of Your Tri Swim
Out of all the events the swim is the weakest for me. At the same time typically I enjoy it the most when racing. Mainly its a mind set. Swimming is so different from any other form of racing because even though there are people all around you there is still the feeling of isolation. I enjoy the way it feels to be by myself. As long as you focus on what you are doing it is easy to work hard and still keep an element of calmness.
Panicking becomes a problem when details that are out of you control consume all of your thoughts…still a long way to go, goggles get knocked off my face, someone is trying to swim over top of me, etc. One time a person came across me over my back going the wrong direction – I laughed it off instead of letting it bother me.
Preparation – if you put your goggles on first and then your swim cap, you are less likely to get your goggles knocked completely off, and even less likely for for them to be affected at all.
When the race goes off just stay relaxed and react to the bumping and shoving match with other competitors only as needed. It is normal for your legs, feet, arms, or hands to make contact with others; use them to help establish your own swim space. It won’t take long before things spread out. Try to only react when your body or head are in danger, only to alter course slightly, or to establish your own space and let other racers know that you are not giving up space and they will have to alter their direction.
If your goggles get filled with water or come loose, first find an open spot and then switch to a back stroke/float while kicking to maintain some forward progress. Then take the time to empty, clear, and replace the goggles over your eyes.
After the first minute or two spot your target buoy to make sure you are on a direct line for it, and look around to find competitors to draft off of. It does not make sense to do the work on your own.
Pointers for drafting:
* Drafting during the swim is completely legal and should be taken advantage of whenever possible.
* Once you have picked a draftee you should follow as closely behind as possible – I am an advocate of occasionally tapping toes.
* Following slightly to one side or the other is a little more efficient, but it is also more difficult to continue to follow the other swimmer.
* In murky water, the bubbles produced by the draftee’s kick are typically easy to find even if you can’t see well. Also, you should be able to feel the current with your hands if you are in good position.
* After a good distance and passing a couple of buoys, make a decision as to whether you trust your draftee enough to pay less attention to the course and allow them to do more work.
* If another person is passing you as you draft at any time and they are close enough to easily branch off and follow, then of course the attempt should be made to do so.
Drafting should feel easier, so be careful when deciding that you are going too slow and making your way on your own. Test your ability by moving outside the draft area and step up your effort to a harder but sustainable level and spot the draftee to see if you are gaining ground. If you are passing them easily, then continue on without them. If it is difficult to make any progress or they are pulling away from you, fill in behind them again as quickly as possible. Try it a couple more times as the race continues on to be sure that your draftee is not fatiguing on you.
If you find that you have someone drafting off of you, don’t let it frustrate you – they are only trying to get to the finish line just like you are. There are 2 events still to come where drafting is not allowed or doesn’t make a difference, so be a good sport and help out a fellow competitor when you can 🙂
As you approach the swim finish take a moment to think about where you have to go in the transition area. Continue to swim until your hands touch the ground – at this point you will be knee to thigh deep in the water and will go as fast or faster then your swim speed. If you are wearing a wetsuit allow water to come in through the neck hole as you stand up – it will help cool your body and make it easier to get the wetsuit off.
Come out of the water running and pull off your goggles/swim cap first to improve your view of the transition area. If you are wearing a wetsuit, begin to unzip it and pull your arms out as you move to your transition location. If the suit has arms them let go of your goggles and cap as you pull your arms through – they will become trapped in the sleeve. Remove the rest of the wetsuit at your transition location – it should end up inside out when you are done. Feel free to post any questions or comments you may have!
