Set Yourself Up for Success in a Triathlon Swim
Looking forward to swimming alongside 200, 500 or even 2,000+ other athletes? Most athletes don’t.
Even with the self-seed rolling swim starts at IRONMAN Triathlons, there will be plenty of other athletes around you at any point in the swim…unless you’re up near the front.
Here are six tips for a successful swim on race day.
1. Pre-Swim the Swim Course
The goal is to build comfort and familiarity with the swim course.
Take advantage of the practice swim times if available for your race. Swim for a bit then stop. Look around. How many buoys can you see? What landmarks like buildings, radio towers or other structures are readily visible from the water for sighting? What does the swim exit look like from the water?
2. Recon the Swim Course
Even if you’re unable to swim on the course prior to race morning, you can still do a reconnaissance. While doing your recon, ask yourself these questions:
- What is expected water temperature and do you need a wetsuit?
- Where do the athletes enter the water?
- In which direction do you swim around the buoys?
- How many buoys before your turn?
- Are the turn buoys a different color or shape?
- Where do you exit the swim?
- What does the transition from the water exit to your bike look like?
3. Put Your Swim Cap on Over Your Goggles
Cover the strap of your goggles. If your goggles get knocked off by another swimmer, your swim cap will keep them on your head. If your goggles get knocked loose, simply stop, adjust and keep swimming.
4. Pace Yourself
It’s a long day and the swim is only the first 10-15% of the race. From my own experience, it’s always tempting to swim harder and faster to keep with passing swimmers, but racing a triathlon – even a sprint – is also about patience and not slowing down.
5. Swim to the Next Buoy
This sounds obvious but it’s really about changing your perspective from, “I have to swim 2.4 miles!?!?!” (or whatever your race distance is) to “I have to swim to the next buoy.” It’s a way to break down the swim into smaller, more manageable chunks. Instead of swimming 3,800 meter continuously in an IRONMAN, you’re swimming 38 x 100m (assuming 38 buoys). Which sounds better?
6. Stand Up Only When Your Hand Touches the Bottom
Although tempting to stand up early – after all you’ve just swum a lot – wait until your hand touches the bottom so that when you do stand up, you are in relatively shallow water so you can move quickly through shallow water rather than trudging slowly through chest deep water (and wasting energy).
Be sure to also check our tips to prevent a bike fail and tips for a superior run (without any additional training) on race day.
Good luck in your race!
David
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About the Author:
David B. Glover, MS, CSCS has completed 28 IRONMAN distance triathlons including two sub 9 hour finishes and winning Vineman Full twice. Now, David’s passion now is helping triathlete and other endurance athletes achieve their dreams through his online triathlon education and training company, ENDURANCEWORKS. David has an MS in Exercise Physiology and is certified as a coach by USA Triathlon and USA Cycling as well as having his CSCS from NSCA. After six years of living, training and coaching in the triathlon mecca of Boulder, CO, David currently resides in Southern California.
