1/ The wetsuit.
The fit of the wetsuit is the most important here. Look for a well known brand sold from a triathlon type shop and ask around the pro’s and leading age group athletes. The type of suit you buy will be dictated by warmth, arm freedom, length of event. New or second hand is up to you, sometimes you get a bargain more often it’s a lemon. In any event ask around and buy the correct suit for you.
2/ Goggles.
Again type, cost and fit are the three major factors. The type of goggles that triathletes should use are the type that sit around your eye socket, not inside it. You should try out which colour lens suits you (clear or tinted). One last point, buy a pair of goggles with a double strap as they will stay on even when someone is trying to knock them off your head off at the start of the race.
3/ Know the course - EXIT FIRST
Check the last 50mtrs of the swim exit first. There could be rocks, steps and or shallow swelling terrain. Also find an object to swim at on the beach (building, tree or flags) so you can swim at it as you turn around the last buoy. Look at the course map in the registration area.
4/ Know the course -START AREA
Firstly find out where it is! Sounds simple enough, but people still ask me every race I go to. Your wave start time and correct swim colour cap for your age group should be sorted out in advance. Find out if it’s a deep water or run in start, and which way to turn at the first buoy. Watch the other age group starts ahead of you for wind drift, current and shortest direction to the first turning buoy. Make sure you position yourself according to your swimming speed at the start of the race (slowest toward the back) and that you do have your timing band on and fitted correctly.
5/ Specific training
Train in the ocean or bay once a week in your wetsuit. Practice all aspects of the races in’s and out’s, turning around the buoys, sighting, swimming in a straight line in open water should be practiced often.
6/ Learn from your coach the tricks of getting in and out of your wetsuit. The use of baby oil on your lower leg, wetsuit on, then oil on the lower part of the outside of the suit will make it come off much faster in the race.
7/ Pool training-Three sessions/ week
(a) One session an over-distance type training. If your race distance is, say 500mtrs then 1.5kms to 2.5kms would do. Slow and steady
(b) The next session could be a speed set, again working on 500mtrs as your race distance 50s 100s 200s repeats at a set pace with a decreasing rest time in between each separate interval. Total kms around 1.4 to 2kms plus warm up and cool down.
(c) One session a week should be with your swim coach to help iron out your technique. This should last around 1hr.
8/ Tactics
In the swim you are allowed to draft as opposed to the bike section of the race. You will save about 20% in effort if you get behind a faster swimmer; just make sure they are going in the right direction.
9/ Kicking
In triathlon swim racing the use of the legs is more for balance of the arm movement than propulsion. Because of the wetsuit use in age group events you won’t need to fight gravity your feet will be higher and nearly out of the water in some cases. It is important in the last 50-70mtrs to kick a little more as it will shift some of the blood supply to your lower limbs and therefore help with standing and running firstly and the bike riding coming after that.
10/ FEAR
Some people are still scared when they swim in an open water swim race. This fear can be reduced by good coaching, sound technique and re-enacting as near possible the conditions that could be encountered in the open ocean or bay. Remember you have more chance of being run over crossing the road to the triathlon than being hurt in the swim section.
Putting it all together takes time, several years for non swimmers, but don’t be put off, just enjoy the small gains along the way. Above all find a well coached, friendly group and get training!