Training
Shanghai Running, We Run Shanghai
Open Water Swimming
By Tori Widdowson
Now at this time of year it‟s time for winter
swimming! Swimming in colder water brings
different risks and rewards. Cramp is more
likely, but so is a natural „high‟. Temperatures
between 12 and 16 degrees are described as
„fresh‟.
With or without wetsuit, two swim hats are a
must, and neoprene booties, hoods and gloves
are optional. Essentially your extremities are
going to feel the cold. Your lips might feel numb,
so you might mumble your words, but then if
you are swearing about the temperature, that‟s
not a bad thing. The first few minutes can feel
unnerving, and, well, cold, but then once you are
moving it is exhilarating. According to a medic
writing for the Outdoor Swimming Society „the
cause of the swimmer's high is not entirely clear.
Although endorphins may play a part, it could
also be due to the increased levels of adrenalinevia a mechanism not entirely dissimilar to that of
cocaine!‟.
Open water/wild swimming
Currently getting a name in other parts of the
world as „wild‟ swimming, open water swimming is a liberating experience which offers, if
nothing else, a brilliant opportunity to escape
crowded Chinese swimming pools.
As a lifelong swimmer, open water never meant
anything more than adventure to me, but for
many who perhaps didn‟t play in strong Atlantic
waves every summer holiday, or regularly fall out
of canoes as a teenager, the prospect of not
touching the bottom can be intimidating.
Confidence is key, and to give you confidence
you need to feel safe. You can prepare for that
quite easily: never swim alone; consider using
one of those small float-on-a-belt things the first
couple of times (approx. 30 RMB on Taobao);
never jump or dive in, wade into the water so
you can feel the changing depths; and swim
within a few meters of the bank.
If you want to participate in triathlon, definitely
get a little open water experience before your
first race, to avoid any unpleasant first impressions! And once you have a little experience,
consider extending your open water season. In
Moganshan reservoirs, for example, you could
start a little earlier, in April, and finish in November, rather than May to October.
Once you are accustomed to open water, and
want to stay in longer, later in the year, your
next investment might be a wetsuit. Many runners and bikers that get into triathlon naturally
look for ways to make the swim quicker and
overall less energy-sapping. Wetsuits offer this
by providing extra buoyancy, so energy is spent
on forward propulsion rather than staying afloat.
It also might help with endurance training for
longer distances, but still it is better to try training with and without. If you only train in a wetsuit you feel the water much less so it is harder
to develop good technique.
Consider open water not just as a training exercise, but as exploration. Look out for branches
and rocks in the water that might hurt if you
kick them, but also enjoy being in nature, note
how the wind and the sun feel on your back, and
how the water temperature changes in the
shade. Learn to „spot‟ by looking straight forward before a breath to the side, and aim for
something in the distance, not the person in
front of you as they might not swim straight
either!
In the UK, organized „chill swims‟ mandate no
wetsuits in temperatures below 5 degrees
Celsius, with roped lanes to record 30m, 60m
and the challenging 480m distances. Experienced swimmers are also attempting „ice miles‟.
Note, that in these temperatures, organisers are
extremely well equipped with safety boats and
„warming tents‟ to cope with emergencies.
Prepare your exit from cold water well – have
your „changing‟ room organized, out of the wind,
and relatively „private‟ so you can change
quickly; leave the car heater on; and take a flask
of hot coffee or a nip of whisky!
For lots of tips on cold water, and places to swim
around the world, this website is a great resource: www.openswimmingsociety.org
Swim safe
Tori Widdowson
Transition Events
http://www.transition-events.com
Swim date for your diaries – 26/27 April,
Moganshan. 500m/1km/3km Swim.
Copyright Shanghai Running 2013.
www.shanghai-running. com
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