STAYING ON COURSE WHEN SWIMMING IN OPEN WATER
Swimming in open water is much different than swimming in a pool. Yes, you’re still swimming and it requires most of the same muscles but it is different. To be effective in open water swimming you need to get adept at staying on course.
A good friend of mine, Scott Calender, wore his Garmin at the Desert Triathlon a couple weeks ago and downloaded the route he swam afterwards. While he thought he was swimming on course he was amazed at how much distance he added by not swimming straight.
So here are a couple tips:
- Wear good goggles: Old, scratched up goggles impair your vision. Pony up the $10.00 for a new pair.
- Get some defogger: New goggles aren’t any good if they’re all fogged up. Yes, they make anti-fog goggles but use the defogger in case.
- Wear the appropriate goggles: I always take a pair of clear and a pair of smoke goggles and wear the ones that are appropriate for the light.
- Sight: Effective sighting is the best way of staying on course. Check out the course early if you can to find out what landmarks you can use to help you stay on track. At the Desert Triathlon there was a palm tree I used on the way out and the peak of a mountain on the way back.
- Sight frequency: Early in the race, and as you approach a turn buoy, you should be sighting more. I generally start out sighting every four strokes and stretch it out to six, eight, 10 then 12 as I go. Sighting slows you down and takes more energy so you want to minimize it as much as possible but not to the detriment of staying on course.
- Practice swimming without looking: Most people favor their left or their right. As a result, if you don’t watch where you’re going you’re going to veer off a straight line. You can practice swimming in a straight line by swimming in a pool, in your own lane, with your eyes closed. You’ll find out very quickly which way you favor. Try this in open water as well. When you know the direction you favor you can compensate for it during your races.
I hope these tips help YOU stay on course during your next race.
OVERTRAINING
I never had to worry about overtraining because I was a chronic undertrainer. I have always enjoyed the triathlon lifestyle but I liked racing more than training. That’s probably where my son got it . . . he likes doing 5Ks but hates training!
These days it’s sort of the opposite. I enjoy training more now but I’m on the edge of overtraining. So how do you know when your body has had enough? Here are some thoughts . . .
Heartrate
If you’re not checking your heartrate on a regular basis you should. One great indicator of overtraining and oncoming illness is an elevated heartrate.
Try to get into the habit of checking your heartrate either the first thing in the morning before you get out of bed or last thing at night just before you turn out the lights. Grab your sports watch and find your pulse (neck is easiest). Count the beats for 10 seconds and multiply by six. That’s your resting heartrate.
You’ll notice that your resting heartrate will be elevated when you’re overtraining or getting sick.
No Fun
If you usually enjoy your workouts but they simply aren’t fun anymore you could be overtraining. Some of you will say that it’s never fun, but you know what I mean.
If you’re training in large volumes but find it tougher and tougher to get “up” for your workouts you may be overtraining.
Sloth like Workouts
Some days your workouts may not have the “zip” that they usually do. If you find that you just can’t hit that 100-meter pace in the pool or the MPH pace you’re used to, you may be overtrained.
Sleep Problems
Most days I try to sneak in a short 15 – 20-minute nap. I’m successful at napping about four to five days a week. If you have the time and ability to nap go for it. However, if you “need” a nap because you’re not getting enough quality sleep at night you may have a problem.
When I’ve overtrained I may get to sleep easy enough but I can’t stay asleep. I’m tossing and turning for no good reason.
Muscle Soreness
So should you train when you have muscle soreness from a previous workout? In my opinion, it depends.
For example, if you’re early in your training season and don’t have any important races coming up, blow it off. On the other hand if you’re in your race phase with an approaching report I’m more likely to do the workout but either cut it short or do it with less intensity. This also helps prevent from over doing it.
When you’re shooting for a podium finish you’re going to be pushing yourself to new limits so be careful with your training. There’s a huge downside to overtraining including increased illness, injury and prolonged recovery.
When you think you’re overtraining you probably are. Back off, smell the roses and you’ll race better in the end.
Cheers!
NEXT LEVEL OF COMPETITION
Q: “When do you know when it’s time to try the next level of competition? I’ve done a few sprint triathlons now and am looking to move forward to an Olympic. Should I try to conquer sprints first and then move on to Olympic? And further… when will I know to move forward from there? Is it just a personal goal?”
-Joe
A:The simple answer is that you are ready to move forward when you want to move forward. With a few exceptions, almost anybody can complete any distance of triathlon, as long as they put in enough time and effort in training. So it really comes down to whether or not you want to try longer distances and if you have enough time to get in enough quality training.
If you have already completed a few sprint triathlons, you should be ready to step it up to Olympic distance if you think you are ready. Just because the Olympic distance it is nearly twice as long as a sprint distance does not mean it is necessarily that much more difficult. Your pace will be slower since it is a longer distance, so it actually could be more enjoyable for you than the faster paced sprint race.
It is definitely just a personal choice when you want to move to longer distances. Don’t do it because you think you should, do it because you want to. Some athletes are perfectly content racing exclusively sprint distances and going fast. Some people don’t feel fulfilled unless they are doing Ironman distance races. It’s all about personal preference.
Just give Olympic distance a shot, and if you don’t like it or it seems too difficult, go back and do a few more Sprint races. Just make sure you can complete the distances in your training and you should be able to do the same in the race. Good luck and let us know how your first Olympic race goes if you decide to go for it.
WHEELS 650 OR 700?
Q: “What is the difference between 650 and 700 wheels besides size? Does one have an advantage over the other?”
A:Great question.
They each have advantages and disadvantages depending on rider size, bike frame size, and what a particular course is like. So the answer is both yes and no.
The most common wheel is the 700. They have a larger circumference and less rolling resistance. This means they will decelerate slower than a smaller wheel would, which is beneficial in races like triathlons where you mostly maintain a constant speed. If you were to stop pedaling, a larger wheel would roll faster and longer than a smaller wheel, which translates into saved energy when you are trying to maintain a high speed.
The smaller 650 wheels accelerate and climb better due to their lower mass and size, but have a harder time maintaining high speeds. You basically have to work harder to hold a certain speed with 650’s than you do with 700’s.
You will find 650’s mostly on smaller framed bikes. One of the reasons for this is to eliminate toe overlap with the wheels. When frames get smaller, your toes get closer to the wheel. If you have a small bike frame with large wheels, there is a chance the front wheel could hit your toes while turning, especially if you have large feet.
Up until recently, it was more difficult to find replacement parts for the 650’s. The age of the Internet has changed this and you can pretty much any part you need for any size wheel.
So it really comes down to what fits your body and your bike. If you are less than five feet tall, you might want to think about getting some 650’s. If you are a taller rider, you should probably stick with the 700’s. If you are somewhere in the middle, the best thing to do would be to go into your local bike shop see what they think based on the size and shape of your body and your bike. There is really no be all, end all answer. In the end, it comes down to your preference and feel.
TEND TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT
Q: “Whenever I swim in open water, I tend to drift to the right. Why does this happen and what can I do to swim straighter?”
-Anonymous
A: Your struggles are not unique, as many people tend to not swim in a straight line in open water. Uneven stroke characteristics are magnified in open water when there are no lane lines to keep you on track. There could be many things causing you to swim off course, or it could be one small little fix. The best thing to do would be to get a swim coach to look at your stroke, but there are some other things you can try that could help.
Try experimenting with different breathing patterns. People that tend to breath off only one side tend to have a harder time swimming straight. Bilateral breathing (breathing off both your right and left side) is ideal for staying in a straight line since your stroked remains even.
When you swim at the pool, try to close your eyes and practice sighting. Take four-to-six strokes with your eyes closed, then take a peek above the water to make sure you are staying straight. Try to increase the number of strokes you take before you sight. Having lane lines is nice, but it is not a convenience you will have in an open water race. Why give yourself extra comforts you will not enjoy on race day? This is best to do when you have the lane to yourself. Don’t try it while sharing a lane; you might go headfirst into a fellow swimmer.
Practice open water swimming. The ability to efficiently sight, and sight less often, can only be attained by lots of practice in actual open water. Start with a low number of strokes in between your sighting, then work your way up until you can take 10-12 strokes between sightings while sill remaining straight.
Hope this helps, keep the questions coming athletes!
