SEA WATER V FRESH WATER SWIMMING – IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?

Does the fact that you’re swimming in the sea rather than the fresh water of a lake or river change how you approach an open water race? Simply put, yes! There are more differences than you might think.

1) Entering seawater from a beach start is trickier than it looks. Enter the water by running in, diving through the waves or knee-high running through the shallows. Running in water is not easy and so you need to stage the way you get into the water, and as you get deeper try a couple of dolphin dives and then start swimming properly. Only time and experience will get you to arrive at a technique that works best for you. What you don’t want is to find yourself all at odds by a beach start when you race.

2) Sea swims are usually choppier than lake or river swims and you also have waves and swell to contend with. You should practise swimming in these conditions before racing in them. Try to keep your stroke and breathing relaxed, even as conditions get more challenging, and remember you may have to sight more often if waves obscure your view.

3) You will need to take account of presence of sea currents. If your sighting regularly thing shouldn’t get extreme. But navigation is particularly important when swimming in the sea. Sighting over waves is going to be harder than in the relative calm of a lake swim, so you will need to catch sight when you can. Whilst you’re focusing on your breathing in choppy waters you may find that when you are totally off course.  You will probably need to lift your head higher than normal and concentrate on not letting your feet drop. Depending on the strength of the current you may find you have to swim diagonally to keep straight.

4) Sea swimming really drives home the need to breathe on either side. If you can only breathe one side you will be facing the rolling waves, or a low sun that blinds you. Breathing one side may also have you with your back to the beach and have you not having any idea where you are if you are trying to swim parallel. The traditional high elbow stroke may need adjusting to a straighter arm swing over. This will stop your hand snagging on a wave. Practice this in a pool and then put this into action in the waves.

5 WAYS YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR OPEN-WATER SWIMMING IN THE POOL

5) Drafting off swimmers in front for the slip stream to conserve energy can be significantly harder in the sea ( harder to avoid a foot to the face) because swimmers can be moved around by the waves in rough conditions so, allow a bit more space than you would in a fresh water swim to avoid unwanted collisions. Wear a bright top swimming hat or wear one over a neoprene cap to give others good visibility and sight of your head in open water. 

6) Coming back to shore needs practice if you are racing in particular. You need to time when you need to stop swimming and start running. Most beginners stop swimming too soon. It is really, really hard to run in water that is higher than your knees so try dolphin diving the last few metres or even body surfing to get you to shallow water. It all depends on the beach, but practice all the options to get your technique perfected.

7) Sea water is more abrasive than fresh water because of the salt so your risk of chafing is much higher. If you’re wearing a wetsuit, ensure you use a good wetsuit lubricant around your neck and also consider putting some around your torso and armpits. For non-wetsuit races, a good dollop of Vaseline at key friction points will save you a lot of pain later (between the legs, under your arms and around any costume straps in particular). Men, if you have a bristly chin it can rub your shoulders raw, so smear any contact points with Vaseline.

TRAINING TIPS: OPEN WATER SWIMMING FOR BEGINNER TRIATHLETES.

8) Most sea swimming is done in the summer months so take heed of sun exposure as you can easily became sunburnt while swimming in the sea or on the beach. Apply plenty of sun lotion before and after the swim.  

9) There is a (small) chance, but it’s not out of the question that you may be stung by a jellyfish in a sea swimming race. In most cases the stings are moderately painful but not dangerous and shouldn’t require you to stop swimming. Just carry on and the pain will recede. If you do suffer a reaction like breathing difficulties or feel dizzy, call for help immediately. 

10) If your competing and your race starts from a pebbly beach, a pair of flip flops can be useful so you don’t roll an ankle before you’ve even started the race. Remember to leave your kit well up the beach above the tide line as it is almost guaranteed that the tide will come in while you are out at sea.

11) Also take into account that in the summer, the sea is often cooler than inland waters, so ensure you have plenty of warm clothes to put on afterwards if necessary. If the rules allow considering wearing two hats and a swimsuit.