COLD WATER SWIMS

[Kellie Smirnoff]

Okay, I have a couple tri's this year (HIM and Full IM) in which the water is gong to be FREEZING!! Like REALLY freezing and I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on if there are thermal layers you can wear under your wetsuit? Legal of course but wondering if there are any suggestions. Also, hoodies, booties, gloves, etc. Any thoughts? Save the little one from freezing!!

[Julie Dunkle]

Wow which races are you doing? I did IM CdA last year and the water was 59. I wore hood and booties but have to say the Blue Seventy booties are not any good- they fill with water and add weight. The ppl that wore surfing/diving booties has warm feet and were much better off. I put disposable hand warmers in my shoes so when I put icy feet in the shoes they warmed sooner and I put the on my handle bars so I was gripping warmths at the start of the ride.

[Kellie Smirnoff]

GREAT INFO!! CdA was CRAZY cold. Not sure I would have survived that. I am doing Rev3 and IMAZ and I know IMAZ will be low 60s. I froze in IMLP with 72 degree water temps. I dive and have the hood, booties and gloves and was not sure if that was legal but if it is...SWEET!! Your info is AWESOME!! Love the disposable hand warmer idea!! Thanks, Julie!! You rock!

[Julie Dunkle]

The race officials will make the call on hoods and booties well before the race. If below 75 I think they will allow, but it will be posted. Another few options, be sure to get in the water as many days prior as possible to ensure you are not totally shocked on race day. Splash the water on your face a few times before getitng in, will take some of the shock out of it. Bring your core temp up before you get in the water- drink hot water. At CdA I had in insulated bottle of hot green tea. Ensure your wetsuit fits snugly, you should not have water rushing in at any time.


I will be at IM AZ as well- lets stay in touch!! And share traing stories....

[Kellie Smirnoff]

Oh Julie...you rock the house!!! ALL great stuff and I can't thank you enough! REALLY, REALLY great stuff that is giving me the confidence I needed. This is my one fear. Wind is wind and I can get through (scared but will get through) but the water really did scare me. Thank you so much and we will DEFINITELY keep in touch and meet up when we are out there. I am staying at the Courtyard by Marriott Tempe Downtown (3 blocks from the transition area). If you are staying close we will have to hook up!

[Julie Dunkle]

Awesome! I am not sure where I am staying..... we will hook up for sure! Happy training.

[Jen]

We did a race last year mid-July in Lake Michigan and the water temp was 55 degrees and a 2nd one where the water temp was 57. It was sooo cold. The only thing I did differently is I wore two swimcaps, I didn't have booties to wear, so I sat in the water for 30 min before my wave went off to allow my hands/feet to get used or 'numb' to the cold. 15 min before my wave, I started to dunk my face in the water, so that those first few hundred yards weren't so cold to the face.

Good luck!

[Kellie Smirnoff]

HOLY COW that is FREEZING! AWESOME advice! Girl, if I had to get in 55 degree water to swim I would die :) I think IMAZ should be about 10 degrees warmer but still for me, cold. You ROCK for doing that! I better get my wetsuit on and jump in the pool or ocean to get use to the shock. Thank you SO much for the info and good luck in your races this season!

[Mary]

Yay! Lots of people doing IMAZ : ) I'll be there again this year.

Last year I remember worrying about the water temperature so I swam in the ocean 2-3 times. The first time I got in, it took my breath away and I was completely miserable. The second time was slightly better.

By the time I got to AZ, the water temperature didn't feel that bad anymore. I got in Friday morning and found the water cold. Saturday is wasn't as bad and by Sunday, I didn't even notice the cold. I like the idea of the warm drink before hand to really warm you up. That's great advice!!!

Definitely just subject your body to the cold temperatures for a few short swims in the 2-3 weeks before your race and you'll do GREAT!

[Sara Cox Landolt]

All the Idaho comments are really useful. My husband is training for that race in June. We're driving out from Wisconsin as a family. We rotate training for big events and I'm happy to give him his training time this year. These cold-water tips will help a lot.

We've also swam in Lake Michigan at Racine. The first year when it was Wisconsin Dairyland Tri, people turned back before the first buoy and quit. The next year they brought hottubs for T1. I don't know if people used them. The cold water is shocking.

I saw these open-water swim links and get the shivers just thinking about it.
http://www.slsc.org.uk/wwsc2008/index.php?page_id=12
http://www.ouka.fi/iceswim2006/english/

Sara

[Kellie Smirnoff]

Thank you for the links!! Just get through the swim, just get through the swim, lol... You rock and good luck to your hubby!

[Jennifer]

Sara, I'm going to be swimming in spring-fed Lake Andrea in Pleasant Prairie, WI on July 12. Water temp is predicted to be about 70-72 degrees. Don't you think that is warm enough to be able to swim without a wetsuit? When I did the Danskin tri in Seattle several years ago, I didn't use one and I was fine, but I can't remember what the lake temp was.

Thanks,
Jennifer

[Jane C]

By freezing do you mean below 50? I've found that a polar cap is essential and I've used it in high 50 degree water and it kept me much warmer. Most of your body heat escapes through your head so this key. There's one made by Blue Seventy that's very good. you can wear your wave cap over it. They also make thin booties that will help to keep you feet warmer and they also make it easier to get your wetsuit off and keep sand or dirt off your feet so you can transition into your sneakers without worrying about cleaning them off. Make sure they fit snug and you tuck them under your wetsuit or else they will get water in them. As far as gloves, don't know if they are legal but I do have a friend that used them without incidence and they definitely keep your hands warmer. If you do invest in these items definitely practice with them. The cap makes your head more bouyant, the gloves make your hands heavier but your pull is more efficient and the booties create a bit of drag. Good luck. Jane