The Swim - What to Expect

If you've never done an open water swim race or a triathlon, you will likely be feeling some apprehension for the swim portion of a triathlon. It's normal to feel this way but knowing what to expect might help you relax a little.

Course Distance - The first thing to know is that the 600 yd distance when you see it marked off with buoys in open water is going to look very long. This is because you are used to seeing and swimming in a short pool that's 25 yards, or at most 50 meters long. DO NOT let this psych you out. You have trained to do the distance. You are prepared. You are just not used to seeing it all stretched out in one chunk. Knowing in advance that it's going to look like a long way will help be mentally prepare. Another way to help you is to know how many strokes (right arm) it takes you to swim across the pool. If you know this you can count you strokes while you're swimming. Let's say it takes you 10 strokes to get across the pool. It might help you to count to 10 a few times when you're out there to remind you that you are making progress towards the end.

Help on the Course - What happens if you happen to get really tired out there and need help? The good news is that there will be lifeguards out there on the course on paddleboards, kayaks, jet skis, or boats who will keep an eye on you. If you need help you can swim over to them and hold on to them while you rest. Or they can come to you. As long as they don't help you make forward progress on the swim, you can then continue on to the finish!

Dog paddle and Freestyle - Do you have to swim freestyle during the race? No! Freestyle is usually the fastest, most efficient way to get through the swim but many swimmers will mix in other strokes. If you need to catch your breath or if you are having trouble seeing where you are going, you are allowed to do breaststroke or sidestroke or even dog paddle! You can roll over onto your back and swim like that. The more you can do the freestyle that you've been practicing the better but no one is going to say anything to you if you do other strokes. Do what ever it takes for you to finish the swim!

Start -  The start for Iron Girl Atlanta is from the beach. When the horn goes off you will run or jog into the water with your group (called a wave). When the water is deep enough stop running and start swimming. If you are not one of the faster swimmers in your group then it's usually best to start a little back behind the leaders so you don't get run over. There are other swimmers around you and not everyone swims straight. Someone is likely to run into you by accident. Don't let this bother you; just keep swimming.

Sighting - Unlike the pool, there are no lines for you to follow on the bottom of the lake. Instead you need to look for buoys that are set out on the course. As you swim you need to periodically lift your head up to see the buoy and know where you are swimming to. It is best to do this while you continue to swim freestyle. Raise your eyes forward like a periscope, take a quick look, and continue swimming. The less you slow down or stop to do this the better. How often should you look? It depends how straight you swim and if there are other swimmers close to you that can swim with to help you go straight. Start by swimming 6 or 8 strokes and then sight the buoy. If you find yourself swimming pretty crooked, sight more often but also try to correct your swimming so you will go straighter.

Caps and goggles - Plan on wearing goggles to help you see where you are going. You are very likely used to swimming with goggles in your training. Don't change now! You will be required to wear a latex rubber race cap for the swim. It will likely be the same color as the other people in your 'wave' (group). If you're not used to wearing a cap, you should practice wearing one so it won't bother you during the race.

Exit - At the end of the swim you will reach the beach, leave the water, and run (or walk) to the transition area. The best way to do this is to swim AS FAR AS YOU CAN before you stand up. Standing up early will cause you to slowly wade in until you reach dry land. This is very slow and frustrating. Instead, swim until your hands brushes the bottom of the lake 4 times. Then you'll know you are probably in water that is shallow enough for you to stand up. After you stand up, take your goggles off your eyes but leave them on your head. No need carrying your goggles or your cap. Take that stuff off after you get to the transition area. The path from Lake Lanier to the transition area is a fairly steep hill. It's okay to walk or jog this so that you don't tire your legs for the start of the bike ride.

Finally, if you are allowed to get wet and warm up in the lake before the start, do it. Get your face wet and do a little swimming. It will help you be ready to go when the race starts. Also start of EASY. You are going to be excited/nervous/anxious/psyched. If you're not used to feeling this way you might feel like you are losing your breath. Stay calm, exhale and inhale gentle, blow bubbles, and start swimming easy. As you get going you can then start swimming at a more normal pace for you.

YOU CAN DO THIS!

Transitions

We are getting ever closer to Iron Girl Atlanta. To be prepared it is very helpful if you practice TRANSITION. Transition is the changing between disciplines during a triathlon. The first transition comes when you come out of the water for the swim and get ready to go out on the bike ride. It's also referred to as T1. The second transition comes when you return from the bike ride, rack your bike, take your helmet off, and go out on the run. It's important to know what you are doing. In order to be comfortable it helps to practice transitions.


What are transitions? from Skip Slade on Vimeo.

Or you can click on this link for the video about transitions that you should watch before doing transition practice. Sorry it's 11 minutes long but there is a bonus: Hurley makes an appearance. One thing to note: you may not be wearing a wetsuit so ignore any references to that. Also, I will be bringing a race belt for you to use that will hold your race number. (You'll understand what I'm talking about after you watch.)