Last year I had a similar experience with a very early season race in central Wisconsin. The water was freezing and took my breath away when we got out past the 12 ft depth. It wasn't a panic attack, as in being "afraid" of the water, it was more of a shock to my system. Also, I do not think the wetsuit "caused" or contributed to the reaction, b/c, I feel invincible in the wetsuit. More than anything, it was the shock of the cold water constricting my lungs.

The "cure" was a few early season open water swims. Getting used to that feeling and learning how to deal with the cold water helped. This year, conditions were similar and I did the swim w/o incident.

---

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR

This happens to me if the water is real cold, and I go out too fast. I know in my last race, the water was real cold, the current was strong, and I started to lose it. This time rather than stop, I just started to breathe single stoke and just focus! This is where it is mind over body training.



Dave

---

Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

All the things you mentioned can cause it. You might do a search on this topic as it has been discussed a lot.

Solution: Swim more, swim as much as possible in similar conditions as race (murky cold water with wetsuit), go out way slower, think about exhaling fully, warm up better (you did warm up, right?) and never ever think about that movie, The Creature from the Black Lagoon -- not until the last 200 yds anyway.

You are on the right track.

When you go into cold water with your wetsuit notice your bodily sensations and include them in your experience.

"My chest feels tighter. The wetsuit is constricting. The cold water is shocking." Yes, these are real feelings and just notice them when they happen. After a while you will just include them in the event and not be freaked out by them

DougStern

Never2old,

I've know a few folks who experienced similar issues at their races. The remedy that seems to work for them and that I recommend is entering the water as early as possible and warming up longer than your norm. The combination of the wetsuit, cold water, swim packs and race anxiety are a bit much at times. Getting used to the water temp, waves, etc. may take a little more time for you...and It's not uncommon.

Getting past the panic feeling will happen over time. Here's a few things to consider at the swim.

• Properly warming up and visualizing the swim course is important and should provide a sense of comfort.
• Pick other visual markers to help you sight later in the race. You want to swim your race and not get lost/caught up in the pack.
• Doing your own sighting and avoid relying on the pack
• Concentrate on your swim stroke and breathing. Need to control your breathing at the start.

Swiming in a wetsuit does feel a bit weird and restrictive. It helps if you swim more with your wetsuit to get used to it. I typically do my longer pool/lake swims in a wetsuit leading up to an event. A few extra wetsuit swims never hurt (and you will find out where you really need bodyglide).

Hope this helps.

Best of luck.

-WT

---

Ban Wetsuits !! Wetsuitsareforwimps.org/net/gov

I felt that same terror when I jumped into the pool this morning. I thought to myself, what the heck am I doing swimming at 6:15 in the morning in a freezing cold pool. I then proceeded to the nearest exit and went and took a nice warm shower as I laughed at all the fools who continued to swim.

Ah wait a second, I guess that was a dream as I continued to swim onward. 2500 yards this morning in a cold pool. It wasn't for my wife leading the way, my dream would have become my reality. Darn women.

---

Matt Amman

Doug.

It's not the cold water that bothers me, it's the creepy deep dark water in the shark infested, killer squid ladden ocean that gets me. It's also why you should never swim at the back of the pack with the "weaker fish".

Curacao training has started. I'm kicking as much as swimming now. My Zoomers are becoming comfortable !!!

Hope all is well.

AK



P.S. - if you come accross any Ian Thorpe swim videos let me know. I'm looking for either above/below water types. Thx

---

Ban Wetsuits !! Wetsuitsareforwimps.org/net/gov

The panic thing seems to come up a bit. Being a swimmer I really feel for those with little experience. Open water swimming is tough on the nerves. The mental aspect(coping with fear) should be practiced with others in a relaxed no pressure situation. Triathlon is the worst swimming scenario possible and must be prepared for.

As for the cold and wet suit thing it is not in your head. To deal with the cold, you must first dunk you body up to the shoulders for 30 seconds. Then dunk the face only for a few seconds. Then submerge completely. This comes from race experience without a wetsuit in very cold water. Your body has a reflex that slows the breathing and heart rate when the face hits freezing water. Doing it in stages prevents the lock down as I call it.

The wetsuit thing sounds like a fit issue. To get used to mine I practiced in the back yard with the wetsuit for 30-60 minute continuous swims. Now wetsuit and I are friends and we can play nice.

---

Sweat dries, blood clots, bones heal.

It helps me to pre-swim then stay in the water. I float with my face in the water and get use to the water. I also rotate more when I start to panic. Seeing the sky helps relax me.

After totally running out of gas in a tri swim four years ago I Googled swimming and exhaustion and found out about the physiology of hyperventilation. If you breath too shallow while swimming, carbon dioxide builds up in your lungs and you shortly become totally exhausted. What triggered my hyperventilation was my goggles fogged up at the start and I guess that caused me to be nervous and, consequently, breath shallow. The cold water could have done the same to you.
Have not had a problem since then because I make it a point to breath deep at the start of the swim. Good luck.

You are getting some very good feedback. Fear of the water is the only natural thing experience in there! Swimming is life and death whether you are a beginner triathlete or Ian Thorpe. Working with your breath is the critical component of not only tackling this issue, but almost every other issue with regards to aquatic performance. Work on your breathing on dryland and in your life for improvement, not just when you are starting a tri. Many good ideas on breathing out there, google it. Using the breath for tension release has been great for all of my swimmers in their everyday life...and in swimming.

Good luck.

dd

---

http://www.theundergroundcoach.com

Thanks everyone. Some very good advice. I do well in most swims, so the thing that resonates is to practice more in cold water with wetsuit, do better warmup, and start off slowly and under control.

---

------------------------------------------------
#cancersucks - In memory of my brother, helping his kids

It's nice to read the advice from Doug Stern. He really seems to know what he's talking about, in terms even an Olympic cycling coach like myself can understand about swimming. Thanks Doug.
Mike Fraysse

You are already on your way to preventing a similar occurrence. You have the knowledge that you overcame the panic attack, sucked it up and finished. Maybe even had fun doing it. I once had panic attack in a pool swim. It was in triathlon that was about 5000 feet higher than home. After maybe two laps I was out of breath and way freaked out. I just reminded myself that I had driven a long way to get there and was not about to bail in the first few minutes. I told myself that I could slow down and dog-paddle or back-stroke if I had to.

The best advice I ever received concerning swim panic is to ask yourself, "Can I be swimming any slower right now?"

Remember, you've already had the experience of grabbing the canoe. You're not contending in the race if you have to stop, so you might as well slow everything down until you get your breathing under control. I started out swimming in open water and I would hyperventilate within 50 yards. A friend I swam with told me to ask myself this question, and just swim slowly until I got my breathing under control. For the next four or five times (including an Oly distance tri), I forced myself to slow down when I started to panic. You'll get your bearings, you'll take deeper breaths, and you'll eventually get yourself under control.

Cold water and wetsuits contributed to my panic instances.

---

----------------------------------------------------------
Existence precedes Essence.