My tips for Open Water Swimming

1. Practice swimming in a wetsuit.

2. Practice open water swimming and especially ocean swimming.

3. Wear a second swim cap if the water is cold.

Mass Swim Start (Kona)

4. Take a warm up swim to reduce the shock when you are racing into the water.

5. Be wary of over hydrating prior to the swim start.

6. Be careful of starting too fast, besides the fact that a very fast first 100m could destroy a good swim, it could be dangerous too.

7. If you are not used to open water swims, or pack swims, start a little to the side, or enter the water after the masses by waiting 10-20 seconds.

8. If you feel any shortness of breath, slow down or stop to see if you can recover. Signal for support, even if just to monitor you while you may be trying to ascertain if you have gone too fast, or are in bigger trouble.

9. Make sure your wetsuit fits properly, if it’s too tight it could restrict movement/breathing.

10. If you do have a SIPE episode, get out of the water or the race. (SIPE = Swimming Induced Pulmonary Edema)