bad open water practice swim

[luv'nAustin]

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.

[luv'nAustin]

Hi eclectic!

Where are you going to do your open water swim?

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

[silver]

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!

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

[eclectic]

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!

[silver]

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......

[eclectic]

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.

[silver]

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.

[beetle]

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.

[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.

[silver]

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.

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

[silver]

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!!!!!!!

[Tri Girl]

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!

[silver]

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.

[luv'nAustin]

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.

[Reesha]

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!

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.