Open-water swimming is literally making waves over the turn of the decade. From Betsy Medalla’s SwimJunkie Challenge, the Department of Tourism-backed Open Water Swim Circuit to Local Government Units, the sport is on a continuous rise, attracting athletes from all walks of life, regardless of their swimming background.
There is, however, a different approach when a swimmer tries to venture to the open sea and do island or channel swims. Open water swim races typically go from 1.5km to 15km with some competitions even going beyond the ultramarathon distance. The sheer distance alone can be daunting, even for experienced pool swimmers, triathletes, or masters.
Here are some tips athletes might want to consider before joining their first open-water swim race:
1. FAMILIARIZE yourself with the open water. In contrast to pool swimming where competitions are held in a controlled environment, the open water is, to say the least, Mother Nature. There are no lane buoys, no black lines, no walls to push off. Instead, the open water can and will be murky, cold and will have lots of waves, chops and currents. It is best to acclimate yourself first and do open water swim sessions before deciding to register to your first race.
2. SIGHTING is one of the most crucial open water swimming techniques that an athlete should master, let alone learning how to do it properly. This involves the swimmer periodically lifting their head up to mark a buoy or landmark and, in the process, maintaining a straight direction towards it. The challenge in sighting is to not disrupt your stroke while doing it. Breathing is another thing, but sighting calls for a different set of skills so that swimmers won’t go off-course.
3. SWIM STROKES vary on your open water swim distance. Pool swimmers can bring their go-to long, smooth, strokes in longer open water swims, but triathletes and those competing in shorter distances might want to consider shifting from DPS (distance per stroke) to increasing their stroke rate. This is particularly important so that the athlete is constantly moving and coursing through other swimmers and battling waves and currents.
4. TRAINING for an open water swim event will require a swimmer to focus more on endurance and distance rather than speed. There will be speed sessions, of course, but the bulk of their training will target their stamina and how they can maintain their race pace in longer distances. They can do this by gradually increasing their weekly mileage and incorporating interval workouts. Strength training will also come in handy, too.
5. Choosing the RIGHT GEAR for your first open water swim will be as important as your preparation leading to the event. As its name suggests, open water swims are outdoor events. This means that swimmers will also have to deal with glare, reflections and other distractions. Consider buying a polarized or mirrored goggles with UV protection to save you from constantly stopping and removing your goggles to have a better view of your surroundings. In addition, invest on sunscreen, a nice pair of jammers (or wetsuit if the organizers permit) and swim buoy for visibility.
