OPEN WATER SWIM IN TRIATHLON - READ THIS TO SUCCEED

This article is written primarily for complete newbies and beginners, but it could also be helpful to experienced and competitive Triathletes.

The open water swim is considered by many as the hardest and worst part of Triathlon. Some are completely put off by it - hence the invention of a sport called Duathlon where swimming is eliminated altogether. But since you're reading this article, we bet you're looking for ways to make the mayhem of the swim a better experience for yourself. Below are a few suggestions that will help you succeed.

1. Technique, technique, technique. As with other sports, you must work on your technique. Being comfortable in the water because you got the technique down will give you confidence in your abilities and potential outcome. Since the whole issue with the open water swim is primarily based on fear, having confidence will do wonders for your performance. High cadence and quick change of support promoted in Pose Swimming, come especially handy in the open water swim, the technique will allow you to move faster and easier in the mayhem of hundreds of bodies around you moving alongside.
2. Fear only fear itself. Before you even get to the start line, take a look around you, look at everyone that will race with you and know - they have similar concerns as you and they have similar fears. Now that you know that everyone is pretty much in the same frenzy - take a deep breath and take the fear out of the equation. Fear has a funky effect on us - when in fear we don't act as we normally would. Fear diminishes our capacity to perform at our best, so the only thing to fear is fear itself.
3. Eliminate the unknown. When you know what's happening and where you're trying to go, it makes it easier to focus on the right things like how fast you can get there. By getting familiar with the area of where the swim part of your race will start and checking out the course, you will help eliminate the uncertainties that contribute to developing a state of fear. It also might be a good idea to decide before-hand where you should be at the start line - left or right, front middle or back of the pack.
4. Stay Positive. A number of things can and probably will go wrong. You might and probably will get hit, punched, smashed or pushed. There will be plenty of opportunity to freak out and get upset or annoyed, but none of it matters. You're here to race, none of what might go wrong is premeditated, nobody is out to ruin your best day, they are just trying to win the race. No matter what happens, as long as you got yourself in one piece you're doing just fine. When things do go wrong, keep in mind that something similar or worse has already happened to someone else, you're not the first one, certainly not the last one. Keep moving. You signed up for this.
5. Stay Focused. As said above, no matter what happens - keep going. Stay focused on the race and your movement forward in it. Nothing else matters at that point in time. The guy next to you doesn't matter, the one swimming right over you doesn't matter either, if that does happen it will be to your benefit to try and keep up. Focusing on your technique will help you maintain your composure and that's vital to your success.
6. Expect to Succeed. Going in to the race hoping you'd make it out ok is fair, but try racing next time with a different attitude and it might just make this crazy race more like a game that it should be for you. Your success might not be that noticeable to others, but it'd still be your personal success and that cannot be underestimated.

Gwen Campbell, an "overweight, 45-year-old, unfit Scotswoman" finished her first ever "half ironman in a foreign country on a brand-new bike, with minimal prior training, no open water swim experience and the first time in a wet suit" to qualify and seal the deal on the "lottery won" entry for the Ironman in Kona. Read her story and you will see that you can do more than you think!

Article by Dr. Nicholas Romanov
Composed by L. Romanov