bad open water practice swim

my team had a practice tri on Monday and I didn't do well in the swim. I haven't been in open water since my tri last August. I had practiced in open water and had done "ok." but I didn't do well in the actual tri.

i kind of freak out in the open water. I hyperventilate, and feel like I can't catch my breath. I think it's just a nerves thing. I don't really feel in fear of drowning, just really short of breath. in the pool I feel this a little but I push through and things smooth out for me.

On Monday I started with the rest of the folks, but turned back about a quarter of the way out and returned to shore.

I saw a device in the back of the triathlon mag. It's called swimsafe. It's like a little fanny pack that's like an emergency life preserver. I ordered one and hope that it helps me get over this mental block.

any suggestions?

are you swimming in a wetsuit?

Having my wetsuit on, with it's extra buoyancy, really helps me feel more secure. If I start to feel winded, I just flip over and kick backwards.

No, I'm confused about wetsuits. I am just planning to do two summer tri's (sprints) this year and I thought that you couldn't use them in warmer weather. Please inform me.

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Originally Posted by silver

No, I'm confused about wetsuits. I am just planning to do two summer tri's (sprints) this year and I thought that you couldn't use them in warmer weather. Please inform me.

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It depends on water temp. Here's the USAT rule on wetsuits:

Each age group participant shall be permitted to wear a wet suit without penalty in any event sanctioned by USA Triathlon up to and including a water temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water temperature is greater than 78 degrees, but less than 84 degrees Fahrenheit, age group participants may wear a wet suit at their own discretion, provided however that participants who wear a wet suit within this temperature range shall not be eligible for prizes or awards. Age group participants shall not wear wet suits in water temperatures equal to or greater than 84 degrees Fahrenheit.

Regardless of whether or not you can use it in the actual race, it might be something to think about in your training to help you feel more secure and get more comfortable in open water. Then work on swimming in open water without it.

Perhaps it is a vision issue...

I have a very tough time swimming in water I cannot see the bottom of, such as oceans and lakes. I just try to remind myself that everything is on the bottom and nothing [should] surface to attack me.

Ha! I do have vision problems! I had to get contacts in order to do triathlons.

Well, the "lake" that our tri was in and the "lake" that we practiced in are just old stripper pits. mud holes really! I couldn't see anything but brown. Yes, that was disconcerting. Last year my private swim instructor had told me to swim in the pool with my eyes closed. Today My goggles fogged up and I just left them that way.

I do know that I was swimming way crooked on Monday. every time I sighted, I was turned to the right and had to straighten out again.

Funny about the things on the bottom....this "lake" was described by a team member as "the lake with the Freakishly Large Fresh Water Mussels." NOT very confidence inspiring...but they really didn't bother me too much. As long as I don't see snakes, dont' get out with leaches, and don't sink into the mud to my knees...oh, and don't have to swim through green pond scum, I'm pretty much OK with the fact that it's brown open water. But I will remind myself that those things are on the bottom, like you said.

I feel like my problem is more a confidence problem. It seems to be a breathing problem mostly, I think. I'm afraid of being out of breath and being away from shore. I think......I wish I could put my finger on it.

Silver,
I had a bit of a panic issue the first time I swam in my wetsuit. I kinda freked out actually. So I feel your pain. I do have some advice, but you may not like it.

I just forced myself to go back in, and then again, and then again. Mentally I just gutted it out, and talked myself through it.


Would it be possible for you to swim along shore so that you could stand up? I would try if I were you to get back in asap, even if Mr. Siver has to come stand along shore as your safety. That is what my DH did until I worked through it.

Hope that helps.

Ruth

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Originally Posted by rocknrollgirl

Silver,
I had a bit of a panic issue the first time I swam in my wetsuit. I kinda freked out actually. So I feel your pain. I do have some advice, but you may not like it.

I just forced myself to go back in, and then again, and then again. Mentally I just gutted it out, and talked myself through it.


Would it be possible for you to swim along shore so that you could stand up? I would try if I were you to get back in asap, even if Mr. Siver has to come stand along shore as your safety. That is what my DH did until I worked through it.

Hope that helps.

Ruth

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Thanks Ruth! I know that's what I'm going to have to do. I'm going to take every opportunity to swim open water and try to gut it out like you said. Monday was the first time this year and it was just a start. I'll make it a goal to push farther next time.

I'm also trying to get in the pool as much as possible. Trying to simulate the panic and pushing through it.

Mr. was there on Monday, but he won't be there next Monday. The "lake" is a shallow one and the team prez told us that we should be able to stand up at any time. When I told him that I couldn't when I stopped, he's declared that I managed to find the one spot in the entire lake that's over 5 feet deep.

Silver... I totally paniced when I swam in a wetsuit for the first time.

This is coming from a gal who was a competitive swimer... and someone who LOVES open water swimming. I have never had issues in OW. Seriously.

The race I did with a wetsuit, was horrible. I had a great swim... but I do not clue HOW. I felt like I couldn't breathe the whole time. I hated that stinking wetsuit being on me.

I basically had my mind take over... and I told myself that I COULD breathe... I was doing fine... and to do what I do in the pool... stroke-stroke-stroke. It worked.

So, keep swimming in it... it should get better. Good luck!

Hey Silver,
You might want to invest in a swim safe just as a security blanket of sorts until you get your confidence higher.I almost got one when I decided to enter my first tri which is 6/2.The swim is 800 yards and since I am basically a rock with arms and legs I was apprehensive about any water.I could swim but not with any efficiency.The swim safe is reusable if you have to pull the cord and it would come in handy if there are times when you are alone,even if you are in water you can stand up in. I have done several open water swims now with my partner who is also entered in the tri.She is a dolphin in the water,but she had a little issue last week with being in water where she couldn't see the bottom. She has been open water swimming all her life but she told me it just got on her and she freaked out a bit.We worked on it and she's more at ease with it now.I also will flip over onto my back and use a modified backstroke when I feel tired.You might also want to invest in the book "Total Immersion".It helped my immensely just by showing me how to find my natural buoyancy.With help from my partner and our local high school swim coach,I think I can gut it out.I hope some of this ramble helps you.You can do it!!!!Tammy:) :)

Hi Silver,

I feel your pain. I also suffer from panic attacks in open water and experienced one myself this Monday morning. It is still too painful (read embarrassing)to go into the details.

I will do another open water swim next Monday and my daughter will swim beside me with a noodle. This alone will assure my success. I can't wait 'til I get my head game under control and swim on my own!

I'm also considering that swim aid belt. It might be the next step to reaching my goal.

Good luck to you!

Hmmmmm I wasn't too worried about the open water swim except for the frigid temps but now I am thinking it may be worse than anticipated.

My biggest fear is that the cold water will trigger my asthma - does anyone else have that problem?

And I just don't like the thought of putting my face in icky water and swallowing it if I accidently get a mouth full which seems highly likely. When at the lake I seem to always do a heads up modified trudgen (crawl stroke arms w/ whip kick legs) or heads up breast stroke.

My wetsuit should arrive by Monday or Tuesday so that will give me a chance to get it on and get into the lake or the river.

I am glad everyone is reporting in because it lets me know a few things to expect and realize they are normal.

BTW Luvn' Austin are you going to make it up here this summer? ? ? ? I hope so!

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Originally Posted by eclectic

And I just don't like the thought of putting my face in icky water and swallowing it if I accidently get a mouth full which seems highly likely. When at the lake I seem to always do a heads up modified trudgen (crawl stroke arms w/ whip kick legs) or heads up breast stroke.

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Well, I can tell you... I have swallowed TONS of water from nasty Texas lakes... and somehow I haven't gotten sick.

I even swallowed water that smelled like gasoline, thanks to the power boats near by. YUCK! Not my choice, but it happened. That was probably not safe.

But yea, I can't swim without swallowing SOME water. It's just the way it is for me.

thanks for the continued encouragement ladies.

I did order a swimsafe. I hope to get it in before next Monday's swim. Has anyone else used one? The site says I can use it in the actual tri. I don't know if this will help me with my problem, but I don't think that it will hurt.

I'm still a little confused about the wetsuit issue. I really hadn't planned to use one since I will just be doing a couple of summer tri's. But everyone keeps referring to them. I figured it would be best to just get used to swimming without them. I did pick up a cheap shortie one at Sam's but haven't used it yet.

Around here competition is light and I could be in contention for age group awards (I won first in my age group in my first tri last year). I'm not doing tri's to win my age group, but I'd hate to be knocked out just for using a wetsuit.

It sounds like some of you are saying that the wetsuit helped you with issues and for some it hindered? Well, I don't think it's whether it's the wetsuit or not, it's just that some of us seem to have some mental panic issue with the swim section that we are dealing with and trying to get through.

ok.....just rambling now. need to clean the house......

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Originally Posted by luv'nAustin

Hi Silver,

I feel your pain. I also suffer from panic attacks in open water and experienced one myself this Monday morning. It is still too painful (read embarrassing)to go into the details.

I will do another open water swim next Monday and my daughter will swim beside me with a noodle. This alone will assure my success. I can't wait 'til I get my head game under control and swim on my own!

I'm also considering that swim aid belt. It might be the next step to reaching my goal.

Good luck to you!

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luv'n, sounds like we are in the same boat here (no pun intended) let us know how it goes!

Silver- I'll share again after Monday's swim. I hope that you let us know how you like the swimsafe.

I didn't mention that the panic attack was started with my nose piece slipping off and getting lost. I felt it slipping away but couldn't fix it because I can't tread water and my noodle person (my husband) couldn't keep up with me so I was on my own.

The water went straight into the sinus cavity and I felt the burn. I kept my head...for awhile and started swimming to shore. I had just entered into a cove area and didn't panic at the distance that I would have swim to shore. I knew that I could make the distance, the real panic set in when I realized that the rocks at this part of the shorline were really high and there was no way that I could reach up to them. I flipped onto my back and tried to calm myself while I waited for the noodle guy to catch up with me. Luckily, I didn't have to wait very long (I get dizzy when I'm on my back in the water) as my noodle angel got the attention of a very experienced swimmer ahead of me to turn back. He put his had under my back and spoke very calmly while telling me that he would guide me into shore and assured me that there were rocks just under the surface that I would be able to stand on and then the climb out would be easy.

My coach came by later and said it was time I learned to swim without the piece and that he never wanted to see me wear one again. He said they were for old ladies with plastic flowers on their swim caps! I told him that I was an old lady. We worked together in the cove and I managed to swim back to the starting point (20 minutes of swimming) just fine after he promised to stay on my right side so that I could see him with every breath.

later I'll tell you what he said to me about using a swim angel in the Danskin.

Hi eclectic!

Where are you going to do your open water swim?

I will be back on the 11th. No bike this year. :(

Luv'n, sounds like you had a really tough time. how are feeling about your next swim?

I'm hoping that the swim safe comes in today or monday before the swim. I am just telling myself that I'll be able to do it with the swim safe. It's all a mind game anyway! :rolleyes:

I'm hoping to get another couple of pool swims in over the weekend. have you been pool swimming?

Silver - re the wetsuits - up here in the north country the water temps are at about 60 degrees or less right now (we have only had about 5 days this year where the air temps gotten up over 80) so they are required for the tri I am cutting my teeth on. Our lakes NEVER seem to warm up around here until the middle of August.
Best of luck getting used to the swim (I am glad I had to learn to run vs swim much less scary :)

Luv'n Austin - What a frightening experience for you - but the good thing is you now know you can survive it.

We will have to get you treading water, it is really very easy to do if you relax. I think then you would have a feeling of more control.

We are planning a dip into the Souris tomorrow w/ wetsuits then complete a mini tri just to practice transitions. I am REALLY worried about the cold. I hate being cold!

The swim for the tri is in a Marina off of the Missouri river north of Bismarck so the water there will be plenty cold too.

Your Bro has plenty of bikes around now, maybe he'd let you ride one, also I have another friend w/ an arsenal of bikes who isn't very tall I am sure she would have one for loan.

Excited to see you!

I got the Swimsafe in and I'm so excited that I'll have it for the OW swim practice on Monday. now I got to read the directions and figure out how to use it......

I really got to thinking about OW swimming yesterday after my tri and I can now see how scarey it would be for beginning swimmers.

I have been swimming since I can remember and used to lifeguard at a lake so OW is second nature.

But NOW I understand what you are going through
My hat is off to you ladies who are facing and conquering this challenge head on!

I realized
1. you can't stand up anytime you want
2. the edge is no where near that you can just grab onto
3. there is very little to nothing to catch your bearings off of.
4. You can't see the bottom (sometimes that is a good thing)

I don't have any advice to offer except keep swimming so you are confident in your abilities to get you through.

Good luck!
BTW running is my biggest challenge but at no time is there the panic factor because we can always slow down and walk and we are always on terra ferma. Swimming is by far the greater challenge.

Open water swim update:

I ended up being sick last week....again....and missed out on the open water swim practices that my team had set up. So I ended up going into the tri on Sat. with only one pool swim after my Bad Open Water Swim (hereafter known as BOWS). Mr. gave me lots of encouragement and my team did too.

I was not feeling 100% from my illnesses, so I decided to go into the tri with my only goal being to make it through the swim with no panic attack.

I got in and positioned myself behind everyone else and started swimming VERY slowly, taking long breaths with every stroke. I got the song in my head....Steady as she goes (don't know the band) and just plodded along. No freak out. Yeah!!! I made it to the turn around and finally started to pass a few people. I felt like I was passed the worst of my "panic period" so I tried to swim just a little more boldly, but still did not let myself push.

I made it through without a panic attack!!! It was supposed to be a half mile swim, but everyone said it was probably longer, more like .7 or .8 mile.

Tonight, the team had another practice OWS. It was in the same lake as my BOWS.

Well done on a great swim. I hope you have a BOWS (Better OWS) tonight.

The fact that you have had a good swim experience now should make for more in the future. Don't worry if you have panic attacks again though, it does not mean you have lost any confidence, they can happen to anyone. I swam across the english channel and still had a training session where I had to get out as I was convinced there were nasty things in the water. I find singing in my head a great way to stop from focussing on scary things.

If you think that your breathing confidence is an issue perhaps this is an aspect you could really work on in all your training (pool and OWS). Perhaps start with a drill where you increase strokes between breaths and then go back down (ie. 1 lap breath every 2 strokes, then 3, then 4, up to what feels a bit uncomfortable and then down by 1 each lap until back to breathing every 2nd). Apart from forcing you to think about your breathing a lot more you'll be surprised how easy it feels to breath every 2 or 3 stroke when you come down at the end of the set.

calling Silver! Can you hear me?

How did the next open water swim go for you? Did you try to inflate your Swim Safe Device? Did it work? Has it helped your confidence?

I went for an open water swim on Monday night and decided at the last minute to sit it out on the rocks as my daughter had to work and couldn't make it to the swim to "escort" me in the water with her trusty noodle. The rest of the swimmers were really fast and I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep up and I didn't want to be out there alone. So, I went home and ordered my own swim safe device...no more sitting on the rocks for me!

I did complete the Danskin tri a couple of weeks ago and that went well. My daughter swam beside me and it was such a comfort. Hopefully the belt will put me in the same comfort zone.

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Originally Posted by luv'nAustin

calling Silver! Can you hear me?

How did the next open water swim go for you? Did you try to inflate your Swim Safe Device? Did it work? Has it helped your confidence?

I went for an open water swim on Monday night and decided at the last minute to sit it out on the rocks as my daughter had to work and couldn't make it to the swim to "escort" me in the water with her trusty noodle. The rest of the swimmers were really fast and I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep up and I didn't want to be out there alone. So, I went home and ordered my own swim safe device...no more sitting on the rocks for me!

I did complete the Danskin tri a couple of weeks ago and that went well. My daughter swam beside me and it was such a comfort. Hopefully the belt will put me in the same comfort zone.

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Hey! I've been offline.....I need to give you an update but not enough time right now. Stand by for updates!!!!!

OK, let me try to give an update.

I got my Swim safe, but was sick just prior to my triathlon. So I didn't get any chances to use it.

I didn't feel the need to use it during the triathlon. I figured that there were lots of lifeguards there to help me if I needed it. I seem to be more apprehensive at our practice swims. We have folks who keep an eye on others, but everyone is really there for there own practice. And I hate the thought of interupting others or asking for help.

Well, I went into that Tri with my only goal being not freaking out in the water. My team members who knew about the problem that I was having gave me lots of encouragement and I actually made it through. Very slowly, but no big problems. I realized that I have made it past my usual freak out point (about 5 minutes in) and then I was able to relax even more.

Since that time, I've taken every opportunity to swim in the open water. And somehow, each time I take my Swimsafe, but haven't actually used it. I know that I have it so that if I do feel apprehensive or afraid to get in the water, I can get it out and use it.

At each of the open water swims, I haven't tried to swim for a really long time (less than the others and less than a half mile). But I try to swim past my "freak out" time. And then each time I swim in the same lake I try to swim a few minutes longer.

Another thing that I have done is I bought some wetsuit socks off Team estrogen
http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=20137

I won't plan to use the socks for actual tri's (don't know if they would be legal) but I think that they will help me getting into the lakes we swim in for practice. I just hate the squishy mud and have to force myself in each time.

A few things that I've discovered. I do much better if I have a very definate turn around spot. I don't like not knowing exactly how far I have to go. I have to start very slow and take long breaths with each stroke. It helps me to have a song in my head to give me a beat and distract me, I used the song, "Steady as she goes" by the Raconteurs for the tri.

Finally, I've been reading Total Immersion which is like yoga for swimming. You know, "Be one with the water."

Anyway, I'm still really slow but I'm not freaking out, so I call it progress.

Please tell me how you are doing!!!!!!!

Good job on your OWS, Silver! Glad you're getting past the "freak out point" and getting more comfortable in the water. I think the socks are legal, so long as it's a wetsuit legal race (might want to check that on the USAT website, tho). I'll bet they make the entry and exit into the lake much more tolerable! Keep it up, and in no time you'll feel like OWS is second nature!

Short update:

I tried the wetsuit socks tonight and didn't like them. It was much nicer walking in and out, but they felt baggy and heavy. Think I won't use them on Wed.

However I did get in almost 20 minutes of fairly panic free swimming.

I really enjoyed reading your updates. You are an inspiration...perhaps there is hope for me too. I still haven't had a chance to try out my belt. The lake that we usually swim in is still closed due to the recent rain and flooding. I may have to try it in my pool. I want to pull the cord and see how it works before I take it into the lake.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eclectic

Hmmmmm I wasn't too worried about the open water swim except for the frigid temps but now I am thinking it may be worse than anticipated.

My biggest fear is that the cold water will trigger my asthma - does anyone else have that problem?

And I just don't like the thought of putting my face in icky water and swallowing it if I accidently get a mouth full which seems highly likely. When at the lake I seem to always do a heads up modified trudgen (crawl stroke arms w/ whip kick legs) or heads up breast stroke.

My wetsuit should arrive by Monday or Tuesday so that will give me a chance to get it on and get into the lake or the river.

I am glad everyone is reporting in because it lets me know a few things to expect and realize they are normal.

BTW Luvn' Austin are you going to make it up here this summer? ? ? ? I hope so!

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I have the same problem with my asthma. If I'm not having an asthma attack I basically can't regulate my breathing, particularly if the water is cold. My cold-induced asthma is so acute I've had attacks triggered from eating ice cream. I'm trying to kick it in the rear by doing triathlons... sticking it to it, so to speak, and so far so good... but you never know when you'll have a little freak out.

My first open water mini-tri distance swim I panicked. I couldn't even breast stroke... I did an underhand side stroke the whole way. :( I then did the actual tri and was able to relax myself enough to do the breast stroke the whole way and yesterday I swam it and did spurts of front crawl in the mix.