Wetsuit Necessity?

My first tri is on 9/09. I have really not been swimming as I should...read into that I haven't at all. I CAN swim and it's a sprint tri so the swim isn't horribly long. I have a wetsuit but it isn't a swimming one. Part of me thought the water temperature would be fine so I would go without.

Here's the thing, I know a swimming wetsuit can make me more bouyant. I know people who have worn them and compared them to not wearing one and said there was a huge difference.

I'm not scared of swimming though I am sure I can use all the help I can get. Should I break down and get one? Is there a huge difference if the temperature isn't a factor?

I wonder if my kayaking wetsuit (which I wore in my tri last year) would fit you? (are you doing the Subaru tri?)

I wouldn't have made it thru my swim without the wetsuit. Love my wetsuit. I am a slow but persistant swimmer. With the wetsuit I was a slow but comfortable swimmer who was able to save enough energy to kick butt on the bike and still walk briskly during the run.

PM me, baby!

I think you have to balance the water temp vs the length of the swim. If the swim is less than 1/2 mile I'll go without the suit even if the water is pretty cold. For anything longer, I want the bouyancy and warmth of the suit.

That being said, can you rent a suit and try it out? You may find that you really like it and it's worth getting one. Or you may find that it's not. (There may be suits available to rent at the tri.)

I agree with RoadieGal. The hassle of taking off a wetsuit is not worth the speed you gain for wearing one in a short race. I think this hold strue if you're comfortable in the water. A wetsuit does help swimmers who are nervous or less comfortable because the bouyancy makes you feel like you're not so at risk. So, if you're not comfortable in an open water swim I would use one because you'll waste less energy in anxiety and effort of swimming and it will allow you to do better on the bike. If you're a very confident (note I did not say fast) swimmer, I'd go without.

I'm very happy swimming in open water but I still use a wetsuit for races longer than a sprint because of the effort and comfort factor.

I agree with Roadie Gal- the longer the swim the more I want my wetsuit. It's my "security blanket" when I'm in the water a long time (and anything that helps my legs stay bouyant without me kicking is a good thing).
There's a place called www.wetsuitrental.com A friend used them for a tri earlier in the year and they were wonderful. He called them and talked to someone who helped him decide what size he'd need and then they sent him three choices to wear. He kept one, sent the others back- then wound up buying one later in the summer.
If you want one, I'd rent one from someone to see if you like it before you drop a couple hundred clams on a new/untested one. IMO

I'd loan you mine, but it would only come to your knees. :D

Teigyr - I'm not doing my tri this weekend (for a variety of reasons). don't think I'll even go watch it. But I'd love to come watch you in Sept, if you'd like a cheering section!

All.

Knotted, a PM is on its way!

I guess, I don't know. It isn't that I'm uncomfortable or comfortable. I haven't been in open water since '01 and back then I was snorkeling. I don't recall having any fear though I wasn't doing anything other than looking at fish and relaxing. I will go to the gym to swim on monday and will assess how I am at that point. To be honest, I don't even know when the last time was I was in a swimming pool :o

While 1/2 mile doesn't seem long, I started thinking about how long that is in a pool lap-wise and it started concerning me. That and I thought if the swim was easier, my bike and run portions would then be easier. I never thought about panic in the water though I've read about it and maybe I'm thinking TOO much about it! I'm really scared of heights and I know the "freezing up" feeling all too well.

Knotted, would be wonderful to see you down there! Yes, it is the Reebok/Subaru tri.

My wetsuit is my security blanket too. I don't think I could do an OWS without it at this point. BUt I'm also a rookie swimmer too! ;)

A wetsuit is quite an investment, so I would suggest going without for the sprint. If you are hooked on tris, then fork over the $$ for a wetsuit. Or as the pp mentioned, you could always borrow or rent one.

Good luck!

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Originally Posted by teigyr

While 1/2 mile doesn't seem long, I started thinking about how long that is in a pool lap-wise and it started concerning me. That and I thought if the swim was easier, my bike and run portions would then be easier. I never thought about panic in the water though I've read about it and maybe I'm thinking TOO much about it! I'm really scared of heights and I know the "freezing up" feeling all too well.

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Based on what you've written here, I would go with a wetsuit.

Rental! It cost about $35 plus $15 shipping and they'll put the cost towards a purchase if you decide to go that way.

Maybe I missed this... but is this going to be a wetsuit legal tri?

If it is, then USE A WETSUIT! If it's cold enough for them to make wearing one legal, you probably need to wear it. Especially if you are not already doing OWS's on a regular basis.

At my first tri this year, the people who opted not to wear wetsuits were COLD! One girl just dropped out after she got into the water... another girl DNF'ed because she couldn't finish the swim because the water was too cold... and my friend got full on leg cramps because the water was so cold. He said he was a real dummy for NOT getting a wetsuit for the race.

Be prepared though, a wetsuit will give you the feeling of having your breathing restricted. I felt like I was being chocked the whole time. It was my worse swim ever... BTW, I hate swimming in wetsuits! HA!

Thank you. I ended up buying one, I'll get it in two days. I've heard good things about ProMotion and if for some reason it doesn't work, we'll be down in Portland in two weeks and I can exchange it.

I swam today. I realize I am bad. My arms started feeling fatigued, I couldn't get my breathing right, and my legs felt like they were sinking. Since the pool was a lap pool, I could easily stand up any time I felt too out of breath. This is not good.

I swam for about 25 minutes and most of it was swimming, of sorts. I switched it up a LOT and I'm sure the lap swimmers thought I was pathetic. I stayed in the cardio lane much to the chagrin of the people using kick boards and stuff. Swimming made me very thirsty despite the amount of water I kept accidentally ingesting.

After I swam, I did a 1/2 mile run which felt great even though I was initially shaky. Actually the run (short as it was) cheered me up. I then immediately did an hour spin class. My legs hurt by the end! That and my hair never did dry.

I have three weeks to get this swim thing down. I used to swim when I was little and I have snorkeled. I really would prefer not to drown on this tri!!!

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Originally Posted by teigyr

I really would prefer not to drown on this tri!!!

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And we would prefer that, too! :p

You'll do fine. Something about suiting up on race day and all those endorphins flowing that make us do the craziest things that we never imagined we could. You'll do great!

Let us know how you like your new wetsuit when it arrives. :)

Thank you :D

I just have to think lowest common denominator. Someone has to be worse than me at this! And I've been reading up on swim training (yes, I did procrastinate!) and I think 25 minutes in the water is a lot. I guess I remember as a kid swimming for hours but swimming was really playing instead of doing laps.

Now I just hope this wetsuit doesn't make me choke!

I've read that even a few weeks swimming can make a difference. I guess I'll step it up not necessarily as a workout but to get more comfortable. I think it's too late to develop the muscles I need but I can work on being in the water and moving around without swallowing water. Or getting it up my nose.

The bit of time I was in the water today was tiring. I am not sure if it's lack of oxygen from poor breathing (and holding my breath) or the stress or just because I was doing something I wasn't used to doing.

I never thought I would say I like running but I can't wreck from running and I can't drown either. I think it's my favorite part of the tri now!

The good thing is I can ride 12 miles SO easily. I heard the course is flat except for a slight incline.

Now to try on the swim cap which made me feel like a poseur...I want to see how silly I looked :D