Open Water Swimmimg

Introduction

For many triathletes the most daunting and challenging element of a triathlon is the open water (OW) swim. And not without reason. It is one thing to swim lengths in an indoor pool of clear water, it is a completely different experience to swim in a cold windy lake full of dark water, weeds, waves and no straight black lines and lane ropes to guide you. Yet, the vast majority of triathlons in the GB do include an open water swim, and all qualifying and championship races at the national, european and world level start with one. For this reason, Oxford Tri has secured the use of a freshwater lake twice a week to practice this most darkest of arts.

The most important thing is …

… safety. Water is a dangerous environment for us. Even in a 25metre pool there will be at least one pool attendant. In open water the potential risks are multiplied. Accordingly there are a large number of regulations and safety considerations to be mindful of and these will be addressed and re-iterated at the safety briefing that precedes each OW swim session. Two safety officers will be present. One of their jobs is to raise the alarm in the event of any kind of incident. If a swimmer is in trouble, the Safety Officer will raise the alarm with flags and an air horn and those swimmers near the swimmer in trouble will be required to assist if it is safe for them to do so, or return to the club house. Remember that you responsible for yourself. Please ensure that you are well and fit enough to swim in open water. Please don't consider OW swimming if you are ill, if you don't feel well, if you have any open cuts or wounds, if you are on any medication that may affect your ability to swim or you are not confident of your ability to swim the minimum distance (500 metres) strongly.

When and where ?

Dorchester Sailing club lake (see map) on Thursday evenings 7-8pm and Saturday mornings 8-9am. OW swimming depends on adequate water temperature and is therefore hostage to the seasons. It usually starts late Spring ( last week in April/ first week in May ) and runs to mid September. There will be announcements about when it starts and ends on the Oxford Tri website and via the member email list.

Why ?

As above in the introduction – its different to 'normal' pool swimming and is an integral part of 'doing triathlons'. You will find OW swimming cold and slightly scary at first. Don't worry, we all did … and each year we still feel the cold on the first swim. But by practising it, you conquer it and in the middle of a good English Summer you will truly love it. Swimming in a lake is a thousand times better than swimming in a chlorine pool.

What do I need ?

You will need:

  • to be able to swim at least 500m competently and strongly as that is the minimum circuit length of the lake. If you can't do that, then go back and practice in a swimming pool until you can as the lake is not the right place for you.
  • A wetsuit suitable for OW swimming – NB not a surfing wetsuit which will restrict arm movement too much.
  • Swim goggles – make sure they fit and don't leak or steam up.
  • A swim cap ...or two, if its cold.
  • Your membership card. No card, no swim !
  • A signed and completed OW swim disclaimer if this is your first time in the water this season.

You may also find useful:

  • Baby oil or Swim Glide to rub around your neck to stop the wetsuit chaffing and to run around your wrists and calves to aid getting out of the wetsuit.
  • Anti-fog spray for when your goggles do start to fog up.
  • A large old towel to change under and dry yourself.
  • A bin liner – handy for standing on while changing and for chucking your wet wetsuit in afterwards.
  • A drink, a hot one if its cold.
  • A friend to swim with: A challenge shared is a challenge halved.

What happens ?

Try to arrive 15 minutes before the session officially starts, this gives you time to park and get into your wetsuit in good time to listen to the safety briefing. At the briefing the Safety Officer(s) will highlight the relevant conditions of the day: water temperature, surface visibility, any potential hazards, and will also explain the course to follow: out and back, clockwise or anti-clockwise around which buoys. The briefing will also include the procedure should anyone need help. Members who have never swum OW with Oxford Tri before will be asked to identify themselves and will be paired up with an experienced OW swimmer with whom they will initially be required to swim until the latter is confident they are safe and competent. Once the briefing is complete, swimmers then swap their membership cards, and payment if they are pay-as-you-go members, for a swim band and enter the water. Some swimmers will randomly be asked to wear a band and whistle. On exit from the water, swimmers must immediately exchange their swim band for their membership card.

How do I combat the cold ?

OW swimming can be cold – the water will in this country always be colder than a swimming pool – at the beginning and end of the season it can be very cold, so how do we cope ? 

  • Get warm before you get into your wetsuit.

  • Wear a thin, stretchy top underneath your wetsuit.
  • Wear a thick swim cap 2mm thick. The ones given out at races are typically very thin – if you only have these, wear two or three !
  • Jog around and try to stay warm while waiting for and listening to the OW safety briefing.
  • Make sure your wetsuit is tight-fitting so that it is pretty much watertight around the neck, wrists and ankles. It won't be completely watertight, that is why its called a wetsuit and not a dry-suit, but the idea is that a very small amount of water sits between you and the suit, pretty much trapped there so that it gets warmed by your body heat and which in turn then keeps you a little warmer. Accordingly, when you get into the water, get in slowly and let a little water into your suit by pulling at the neck.
  • Get your head under water before you start swimming.
  • Very cold water will cause your chest to tighten and can cause you to take short shallow breaths which are ineffective in getting oxygen into your blood stream. Be aware of this and combat it by forcing yourself to breathe deeply
  • Start swimming slowly and steadily at a pace well within your limits. By exerting yourself steadily, your body will generate heat and you will get a little warmer.

Anything else I need to know ?

There are toilets on site, but these are not to be used for changing. When its warm, OW swimming is great. Once you are confident and happy about OW swimming, why not volunteer to be one of the OW safety officers for one session and let someone else swim ?