Open Immersion..
i'd like to share this with you in account to my own experience in a way may relate to some of your own experience :
1. Many triathletes train in swimming pools where there is relative order and they can push off the wall everytime. Many, on their first time in the ocean or a large body of water, are completely overwhelmed by the vastness , the fact they can't tell how deep the water is, and the fact there is nothing to grab onto. Putting them with a bunch of very competitive and more experienced athletes is a recipe for disaster.
2. Most people greatly overestimate their swimming skills and endurance. That's human nature, I guess. I see people swim like turtles nonstop for two km in a pool. But put those same people in a lake or sea and they would likely have high anxiety or panic due to the great difference in environments and the chaotic surrounding during race day.
3. Biking and running dont require one to think about the rhythmic type of breathing that lap and open water swimming require. Instilling that rhythm takes lots of practice, more than most budding triathletes who are excellent bikers and runners are willing to commit.
4. Wear a Dark tinted goggle and swim at night or in the evening. This will give that "dark" ambiance while swimming and concentrate on your stroke and breathing.
5. Go take up diving or snorkeling, this will aid in your erratic breathing.
i am not an excellent swimmer by the way, there are whole lot of better ones out there.But i am just willing to share it with you on the fact to practise more when in doubt especially when its your first time.
Labels: Training