Alan Bircher, Long-distance Swimmer
Open Water Tips
Ok it took me some time to put together a tips section on the website but here it is! (there will be more to come!!)
I have run over the basics involved in open water and some extra points which I do before I race, of course every athlete is different and finding what works best for you is the most important thing.
Packing some extras:
I have just made a list of the obvious things to pack, but also some extras, which open water swimmers would maybe need unlike pool swimmers:
- Racing Suit
- Hat / Goggles
- Towel
- Energy gel
- Vaseline (for around suit + under arms)
- Sun lotion
- Feeding pole (mainly for the 25km)
- Warm cloths (for swimming in GBR)
Pre- Race:
In open water there is a pre-race briefing, which will include a role call, each swimmer will be numbered, they may need to collect a chip (watch type of instrument which records the finish position of swimmers) and then the officials will complete the rules etc.
Direction:
I will normally a couple of days prior to the competition try and swim a lap of the course. The main reason behind this is the get some sort of orientation. During the race you will lift your head to send you in the right direction, if you have a practice on the course you will obviously be able to find marker points, which can help you swim the fastest course. During most races there will be a lead boat, which should send you on the shortest route possible (which doesn’t often happen!!).
Race Tactics:
Open water is very tactical, I can’t go through all of the tactics involved as this could take all day. The main bits of advise are every swimmer needs to be conscious of what is going on around them and at the front of the main group at all times. Normally during the final 1-2km the pace will increase dramatically and at this point positioning is critical.
Weather Conditions:
I have just listed a few details of what I might change if the weather conditions are different:
- Wind – with the wind up it normally means that there are going to be waves. If there are waves then I would normally try to adapt my stroke by swimming with straighter.
- Cold Water – when the water is cold you will not loose as much fluid so this will mean you wont need to replace as much. The feeds (e.g. gels and liquids) can be reduced on a 10km to maybe just one.
- Warm Water – really just the opposite to cold water conditions, fluids will need to be replaced more during the race to keep the body fresh for the final 2km push.