IMPORTANCE OF ACCLIMATISATION
Open water won’t always be welcoming temperature-wise. The average sea temperature in the British Isles ranges between 6-10°C in the winter to 15-20°C in the summer. As you’d expect, in general, it’s colder up north, but wherever you aim to swim acclimatisation to the water temperature is crucial, as it reduces shock, which can in turn lead to panic.
“Start by splashing your face,” advises Dean Jackson, founder of Huub wetsuits, “then step into the shallow water and dip your hands in too. This gives the body clues as to what’s coming. If it’s really cold, you should also wear a neoprene cap and gloves.”
The extremities are a great driver of how hot or cold you feel. You can also try six 3min immersions (but not including the head), as this is another proven method to not only dull the shock in the short term but the long term too, with research suggesting that 50% of these dulled responses persist for up to 14 months. Or follow the advice of Ross Edgley, who swam around Great Britain in 2018. Edgley is a proponent of cold showers, starting with 30secs and increasing to 1min. From there, he advises progressing to a cold bath. Also focus on deep, calm breathing.
While these techniques are particularly relevant during the cooler off-season and into late April and early May, there are further safety issues at play all year round. Sadly, open-water deaths annually capture summer headlines, meaning safety remains prescient even for the most experienced of open-water swimmers. Over to Jo Lewis of coaching outfit Tri50.
“To start with, I’d recommend visiting a NOWCA-approved lake that has safety measures in place – namely lifeguards in kayaks, plus a band system for entry and exit into the water.” NOWCA is the National Open-Water Coaching Association. “Advise the lake staff that you’re a newcomer, and be colourful and visible in your choice of swim hat and tow float. The latter can double as a support float in the event of becoming distressed.”
Lewis also suggests always buddying up and even heading out with a BTF level-3 triathlon coach to assist with safety skills and drills. You should avoid swimming if feeling unwell; remove rings as hands shrink in cooler temperatures; and, if you rely on contact lenses, take a spare pair to every open-water swim. “It’s also good practice to change lenses after each session to avoid eye infections,” Lewis adds.“And ensure you buy a correct-fitting wetsuit to keep you warmer.”
“ADVISE THE STAFF AT THE LAKE THAT YOU’RE A NEWCOMER, AND BE COLOURFUL AND VISIBLE IN YOUR CHOICE OF SWIM HAT AND TOW FLOAT. THE LATTER CAN DOUBLE AS A SUPPORT FLOAT IN THE EVENT OF BECOMING DISTRESSED”
Back to Jackson: “Open water isn’t so much about distance, but about your ability to adapt to the swimming environment. You can train in a pool and get swim-fit and swim-ready, but that doesn’t mean your sighting and adaptation to the cold will be good. So practise all open-water elements as much as you can – ideally once a week.”
The minutiae of specific skills would stretch to its own feature, but as a useful snapshot, Jo Lewis recommends the following open-water drills, which can be easily undertaken in a pool. “Practise breathing unilaterally [one side only] to prepare for the cooler temperatures as oxygen uptake will be more frequent. And try swimming further than 1km without touching the end of the pool. It’s also beneficial to swim front-crawl in the close proximity of others to get used to the splash and bash that, if you’re ill-prepared, can knock your stroke and confidence.
“Being able to swim without goggles is a useful technique to practise too,” Lewis adds. “After all, it’s not uncommon for a fellow competitor to unintentionally knock off your optics. And finally, if the club or leisure centre allows it, swim in your wetsuit. It takes around five swims to fully acclimatise to the feeling of neoprene, so this is a worthwhile exercise.”
“OPEN WATER ISN’T SO MUCH ABOUT DISTANCE, BUT ABOUT YOUR ABILITY TO ADAPT TO THE SWIMMING ENVIRONMENT. YOU CAN TRAIN IN A POOL AND GET SWIM- FIT AND SWIMREADY, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOUR SIGHTING AND ADAPTATION TO THE COLD WILL BE GOOD”