Ultimate Trihards Triathlon Squad

Hi all,

Great first night in the sea - how flat was that?!! A bit chilly but it should only get warmer!

Before getting into the water

Swim with you mates - Wellington waters are very safe. But swimming with your mates makes you alot more visible. Cramp can also strike swimmers at any time - just ask Fred!
Know the course - you will often hear people asking how many laps it is!?!?! So take the time to check out the course map so you know where you are going and how many times. Check on the entry and exit areas so you know where the best route is for you and also if there are currents. If you are going out with a squad or your mates make sure everyone knows the course that you are going to swim. That way everyone will more than likely stay together.
Note your surrounds - this helps for when you are in the water and if it gets choppy you can aim for something high (a tree, house, hill etc) so you don’t have to lift your head up as much while swimming. Make sure you look forward and back so you can check that you are swimming on the right path.
Goggle selection - can make a difference. It is nice to have a couple of pairs in the race bag. This is 2 fold - the straps do break after time. And it is nice to have a dark pair for those bright sunny days and a light coloured lense for the cloudy and overcast days.
Caps - are essential for open water swimming. It is very hard to be seen in the water from a boat so wear the brightest coloured cap that you can find! Affixing your google strap under or over the cap is personal preference - although it is hard to put your goggles on again if the strap is under.
Wetsuit fitting snugly Take your time putting your wetsuit on. They can be damaged easily. Use a plastic bag to help ease your feet through the legs. Use a silicon based (not petroleum) cream around the neck line to help reduce any chance of chaffing. During races you can also put this around your ankles and wrists to help get the wetsuit off quicker. Take a quick dunk in the water and get out and ‘drain’ the suit. The water in the suit will allow you to adjust it more easily to get that snug fit. You want to have it fitting closely around your crotch - this will give you maximum room around your shoulders.
Seed yourself - if you know that you are a slow swimmer start out to the side and towards the back to avoid the hustle and bustle in the middle of the pack. There is plenty of time to make up this extra time later in the race.

In the Water Technique

Sighting - have a look up every 6-8 strokes. This is a personal preference and with practice you will work out just how many strokes you feel comfortable taking. Don’t fall into the habit of just watching the feet in front of you!
Drafting - is a great way to gain a free ride. Just when doing this ensure that you stay away from peoples’ feet (no touching!) The best swimmers will be just off your hip and you don’t even know they are there! Try and swim just off to the side to miss the front swimmers kick and disturbed water.
Breathing both sides - is a skill that every sea swimmer needs to develop. This allows you to breathe away from the oncoming waves/wind and to also sight easily out both sides. It is also great for spotting your swimming mates on either side of you.
If you need a rest - just roll onto your back and practice your backstroke! Concentrate on breathing easily and you will feel better.

Extra tips!

Jump in and warm up - you may want to save your arms for the race but doing a warm up will help your swim time. It gets the body accustomed to the cold and preps the body and heart for the gun. You can also check your bearings for the race and the sea bed - often dry land starts can be tough on the feet so it is good to know what you are going to run or walk on.
Swim buoys - don’t walk - often races will do loops and have a buoy placed close to shore. Although it is tempting to put your feet down it is always much faster to keep swimming around the buoy if you can. If the buoy is placed on land take your time going around the buoy as it is easy to injure yourself going from swimming to running on soft sand (Nemo!)
Kick strong to Finish - helps get the legs moving and ready to respond to running up to transition.
Swim till your hands touch the ground - this ensure that you get up in water that isn’t too deep. It is hard to wade through water so keep swimming till those fingers touch the sand.

Lots to think about! It will be second nature in no time!

Coach Logan