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![clip_image002[5]](https://media.dcrainmaker.com/images/2008/02/one-big-ice-cube-swimming-in-cold-water.gif)
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Read My Sports Gadget Recommendations.
Here’s my most recent GPS watch guide here, and cycling GPS computers here. Plus there are smart trainers here, all in these guides cover almost every category of sports gadgets out there. Looking for the equipment I use day-to-day? I also just put together my complete ‘Gear I Use’ equipment list, from swim to bike to run and everything in between (plus a few extra things). And to compliment that, here’s The Girl’s (my wife’s) list. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!
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The Swim/Bike/Run Gear I Use List
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Good post!!
Another thing that happens with novice open water swimmers is when that hyperventilation begins they freak out and freeze or bail out and blame themselves for being unprepared and all sorts of bad things – I wish more people would spread the word that this is simply a predictable physiological response and the secret is to get your face in the water early for a long warmup to get it over with before the event begins.
Wow. I didn’t actually know this. I hate getting in the water–I absolutely hate the cold. I usually put it off as long as possible, which means in a race I don’t warm up…
very interesting…
here in cali, it was 80 yesterday, a little cooler today. water temp in the pacific here is 57-59. still a bit nippy, but warm enough if i wear a hood and maybe booties and maybe wait ’til about noon to start. i’ll let y’all know how it went for sure.
hehehe I appreciate where you’re comming from as we are a creature of our conditioning (example I would be dying in 80 to go for a swim due to over heating) but I swim in a lake that only averages between 34 and 55 in the peek of summer. No I wear no gear, not even a swim cap or googles most casual swims.
I love how different we all are, but still so the same!
Amazing! Amazing!
penguins and water seals look so happy.
Cold water doesn’t freak me out…its those first few strokes when the head is in the water.
after that..everything is fine…
wow, i had no idea. this is a great tip, cuz i’m sure i’d be one of those people hyperventilating and probly giving myself a heart attack. like nancy said.
warm up!
I have a question…i am 57 and for years i have swum everyday,,at seven…during the warmer months maybe for half an hour but as it gets colder just for 15 mins….usually i roll out of bed at 6.45, put my togs on and i’m in the water at seven…I don’t do anywarm up exercise and to date i have been fine…but, for the past month as it has got coldder i feel fine while i’m swimming but later in the day my upper torso, shoulders and arms are aching……any clues???
Hmm… I’m honestly not sure. The question is – is it the water, or some other factor. I’d be interested in seeing if you went at the same time of the day to a local pool and swam the same distance if you’d have the same issues. That way you could rule out cold water. Time of day is somewhat important because your body reacts differently depending on the time of day.
Hmmm… I wish I read this before my first tri. The first couple of minutes were the worst I have ever experienced while swimming. The combination of the water temp, excitement, starting a bit too fast, contributed to feeling like I couldn’t keep my head under water for more than one stroke. It of course got better, and I settle down, but it was a very rude welcome to the tri world for me. To Nancy’s point, I thought I was pretty well prepared but all of a sudden I started having second thoughts… well at least for the first couple of minutes.
I know this is an old thread but i’ve just stumbled on it while discovering your excellent reviews and then moving onto the ’25 most useful articles’.
Please just be aware of the DANGER in the statement “if you keep moving and keep it to about 30 minutes you’re in the safe zone”. This very much assumes either a wetsuit is in use or the water is only a bit cold like 10 degrees maybe.
When you swim in cold water your body protects vital organs by reducing blood flow to the skin & limbs. The core stays warm while the skin, arms and legs cool down. The process is known as peripheral vasoconstriction.
Your limbs will grind to a halt and you won’t be able to keep moving….likely somewhat before hypothermia is an issue you’ll just drown.
My own practical examples; In January I was swimming between 25 and 45 minutes in a tri-suit in our 5 degree sea twice a week. I’d been in the sea at least this often every week since October when I transferred into a wetsuit at the end of summer and temp’ was heading towards single figures. Also in January I took 2 swims without wetsuit. The first of 6 minutes was fine. The second of 14 minutes wasn’t. After 12 minutes i’d credit my swim buddy for keeping me calm, focussed & moving in the right direction because alone I was losing control. At the same time a more experienced skin swimmer in our group who regularly did 18-20 minutes pushed that day to 24 and had a similar experience to me. So it only takes a couple of minutes to go from ok to not ok.
if you have clothing on you will loose heat slower if you ball up and dont move at all. your shivering will keep your muscles producing heat. if you move in cold water you replace the thin layer of warm water surrounding you with cold water creating faster thermal loss. of course if you can swim to a place where you can get out of the cold water, do so, since water immersion is the fastest way to cool or heat a body.
Good article Ray!
Even for experienced athletes I think that the part that a lot of us dread the most is not the burning legs at the end of the bike, the “I can’t take another step and I’ve still got two more laps to go” thoughts on the run, but just getting in the water BEFORE the race.
I know I’ve been there and done that, and the fine fellas at the Tower 26 podcast discussed just this on a recent episode.
Anyway, getting some hard data like this can help make it a bit easier for all triathletes to do what you gotta do and get in and warm-up before the race, so thanks for putting it out there!
Wondering how people can withstand those low temperatures. Currently, there is an ongoing cold water swimming competition at 35 Fahrenheit cold water (2° Celsius) in my hometown. For me this is really crazy. I mean even just entering the water at these temperatures might give me an instant shock. Not to talk about swimming.
Waking an old thread, sorry :)
Any experience on here of SIPE* – I got hit with this at Helsingor 70.3 last summer, ended up gasping for breath and later coughing up blood. How to avoid this?
* Swimming Induced Pulmonary Edema