Swim stroke options

[colby]

My mother in law did sidestroke through her first triathlon- and beyond. My first race I was so amped I ended up breaststroking, carefully. It took a few before I could really get a good rhythm. You do what you have to, but backstroke is definitely a rough choice. Sidestroke sounds better. Lots of breaststroking happens around buoys and when swimming into the sun.

I like the plan to get used to freestyle. I use the counting technique when I'm tired of running but want to keep going - it's more useful than "to that landmark" for me for some reason. I use it for swimming in the pool as a "swim hard for X strokes" thing, too.

Good luck!! You've got plenty of time to work on it.

[Jolt]

I just swam a mile in the ocean this morning...it seems I need to work on getting used to doing freestyle in open water myself! I started out doing freestyle but soon switched to breaststroke because it makes sighting so much easier and makes it easier to avoid looking straight down at the weeds etc. moving on the bottom and getting dizzy. It took me 40 minutes to make the swim...my goal was to swim to a jetty about 1.5 miles down the beach but I got out early b/c I was feeling pretty cold (let's just say this area isn't known for warm water...where I got in it wasn't bad but then I hit a significantly colder stretch and started to feel it). I'm sure freestyle would have been faster; maybe next time I'll try sticking with it the whole way and see how it goes.

[Angelisha_jones]

Freestyle is you go-to stroke. When I get tired I do backstroke but nothing else.

[Melalvai]

If you can get in some open water practice before the race I've heard that's really helpful. Also you might think about sighting every X breaths, instead of strokes. I find it difficult to count strokes but I can count breaths, and I breathe every 3 or 5 strokes.

[Caddy]

Most definitely get a lot of open water swimming practice in with a swim buddy or a coach. I panicked heavily the first time I went out to the lake and could not see the bottom as everyone had kicked up the silt.

There was one girl who did the entire swim backstroke. She would roll over to sight; it was odd, but whatever works for her.

And I have definitely gotten kicked by someone swimming breaststroke.

[Em-a-Lee]

I have done quite a few open water swims and I'm a fairly strong swimmer. It has taken me quite a while to get used to it but now I much prefer them to a sprint in a pool.

My advice is definitely practice your freestyle and close your eyes while your face is under water. If it helps you to give yourself more of a break, try rolling over more on whichever side you breathe and glide a little before you start stroking again. It can help you avoid some of the waves too!

I have a friend who combines free/breast, but only once she gets out of the pack. The most important thing is to keep moving doing one stroke for as long as possible since you will change your momentum.

Good luck and happy swimming!