Swimming

Useful stuff no one ever tells you......…..

When I started Triathlon, I suppose as with most people, there are things that would be useful to know that no one ever tells you, so here's a list of stuff.... add to it, ignore it, delete stuff depending on your knowledge base. These are personal recommendations and won't suit everyone.

Before the start, check out the start type and then train for that start type. 

I did Blenheim a few times and a lot of people had never jumped off a pontoon into a lake, not a good start to your triathlon. 

If you are in a pool, do you jump in or get in prepare yourself and then go?

If you are in a lake do you jump in & have 5 mins to get used to the water, or do you jump in and go, or do you wade in and go?  

If you use Chamois Cream, put it on before you start your swim

Wetsuit

If you are wearing a wetsuit, Use Baby Oil, Vaseline or Body Glide around your wrists, ankles, neck. It stops chaffing and makes your wetsuit easier to get off.

I was advised to buy a wetsuit based on my height & weight, it was good advice. Wetsuits are like clothes, different manufacturers have different sizing. Always try before you buy, most open water swim locations allow you to hire for a swim, so you can try a selection on, and, find out what suits you best.

Swim Hats and Goggles

Clear glass goggles are good for pool swims

Tinted glass are good for lake swims, they make seeing a lot easier in the water

Use your own hat, put your goggles on and then put the race hat supplied over the your own hat and goggles, this helps stop loosing your goggles in the water, specifically if it is a lake, jump in and swim event.

Larger goggles for open water swimming give you a better, wider view, which is really helpful in open water

If the event you are doing is open water and swimming is not your strongest discipline, hang back, it's worth loosing a few mins in the swim if it means you don't kicked, swam over, or pushed around. If you loose 3/4 or even 5 mins on the swim don't fret, most people (not all) make up those few minutes on the bike. 

At the 113 Event in the Cotswolds, I was 4 mins behind one lady in the swim, I made those 4 minutes up in transition and on the bike and finished a good 10 mins in front of her at the end. Not many people are good and fast at all 3 disciplines, apart from maybe the Brownlee Brothers and other Olympic Athletes. 

Decide on a strategy and stick to it, get into your rhythm and stick to it, you'll enjoy it more. Afterall you have paid to do this, it's your race do it your way.