I have been asked by people over the years on how to prepare to race in Open Water, so here are some Tips & Tricks I found to be helpful.
There are a few things that should be taken into consideration before the race:
- Water Conditions – Tides/Currents/Surface-chop/Water Temperature.
- The Weather.
- The Distance of the swim.
- The swimmers who are racing.
Tip: Chatting to swimmers/locals that have swam the race before or people who are knowledgeable of the area (e.g. Fishermen) can help give an insight to the conditions you may face, along with possible landmarks to sight off.
In Open Water, race tactics (similar to my post on Race Preparation) can be prepared before the race. Yet, race tactics on the day can change slightly due to the conditions, weather etc. In Open Water swimming, sighting is crucial. Sighting can be difficult due to conditions so I would recommend in training to practice breathing bilaterally (breathe on both sides).
Tip: If there is e.g. a surface-chop coming from the right side of your body, you need to breath to your left side to avoid swallowing water, this is where being able to breath on both sides comes in handy!
Trick: Sighting in Open Water can be difficult as there are no lane ropes to guide you, sighting for buoys/markers (that set the course for swimmers to race) can be difficult. I recommend that you walk the course to find possible land-markers to sight off and swim towards. This helps to take the stress of not knowing if you are swimming in the right direction!
Before the race it’s important to assess the conditions, “what are the tides and currents like?” This is important for choosing your race tactics or the line you will swim. It is important to note that conditions can change e.g. wind, rain and the water conditions (e.g. tides), it would benefit you to look at the weather forecast for the day of the Open Water race as it will help you mentally prepare for the conditions you will encounter.
Trick: If the race is finishing into a tide, best to save your legs or arms (depending on which is stronger) for the finish. Use the conditions best suited to your style of swimming.
It is important to know the distance and course of the race. I have made mistakes in races as a result of not being fully aware of the course. By being fully aware of the course I have won many races by choosing the best line to swim. I would also like to point out that going off course can add 100’s of meters to your race, this is why sighting is of huge benefit.
When racing there will be other swimmers competing, you could use swimmers ahead of you to lead the way so you don’t have to sight as much (there is a risk as the swimmer you are following could be swimming in the wrong direction) and let them do all the work, you could swim beside them by drafting (I will explain drafting and sighting in more detail in upcoming posts).
Hope you found this helpful for preparing for an Open Water Race, stay tuned for more upcoming posts!
Swimming Tips & Tricks 