We are a little over 12 weeks out from Challenge Daytona and things are starting to get real. Not only have I been consistently riding outside for a couple weeks, but I’ve also FINALLY gotten back into a pool.
I have had 3 good swims since my local pool opened back up. Coach is really pushing me to build strength in the water with pull-focused workouts. Swimming is at the heart of why I decided to jump into triathlons. I swam in year-round leagues from age 10 to 17 and loved it. When I finished my Doctorate, I wanted to get back to swimming in that competitive atmosphere but there were not many options for me locally. When I coupled that with my newer found love of running, I thought, “well why not just add biking and do triathlons?”
What I did not realize, and many of you may already know, open water swimming, like you do in triathlons has very little in common with swimming in a pool. There’s no convenient line to follow along a lake bed, the water can be choppy or have a current, and I can only imagine what it will be like with dozens of other ladies surrounding me like a school of floppy fish.
A couple weeks ago I did my first real open water swim and completely spooked myself. I kept seeing a strange glare out of my peripheral vision and thought I saw things that were not there. I had a hard time regulating my breathing, my spotting was all wrong, and I was an anxious mess. Luckily, I had a friend with me, and I got through my swim.
This past weekend I did another open water swim with Sara Davis, one of my QuaranTinas, and a friend of hers. I was not confident enough to follow them outside the bouys, but I did swim point to point between poles multiple times. This really helped me work on sighting. And I was close enough to shore that I could see the lakebed below me. Those two things really helped with my confidence and comfort in the water. I know in a few more weeks, after a few more open water swims, I will be much more comfortable and ready to swim out into the real open.
I’m learning how much of this sport really is about the mental game. For example, that initial OWS, I had to really cut my mind off, and focus on putting one hand in front of the other to get through the motions. On the bike, a couple months ago, I had to tell myself “I control the bike, it doesn’t control me” in order to get over the fear of that two-wheel contraption. Running? Well, so far there hasn’t been a major hurdle there, but I’m sure when I get to it, after the 1.2 miles of swimming and 56 miles of biking, I will have to tell my legs to be strong and keep moving.
Do you have any tips or tricks you use when training or competing?