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This race had a couple of firsts. Need advice.
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Hey,
So some bkgnd: in triathlon for 5 years with mostly lake swims in warm water. Very confident swimmer and typically right behind the FOPers. Mostly sprints. Never had need to use a wetsuit.

So this past weekend I bumped it up for a local Sprint with an ocean swim (NJ), my first salt water experience. Typical water temps expected in upper-60s to low-70s. So I bought a sleeveless wetsuit. Another first.

I took the wetsuit for a swim at a local OWS a week before the race. Probably swam about 750m in the lake that first trial. No issues. Felt fine. Didn't really notice any breathing probs.
Fast forward to Sunday's tri with the ocean swim. No probs donning the wetsuit and gearing up for swim. At the gun, hit the water and started swimming. First 50m I basically inhaled a swell. Ok, I half expected that. But after that my breathing became tough. Couldn't get into a breathing rhythm and felt like I had a boa constrictor around my chest. The sweet thought of raising my hand did cross my mind, but told myself to just get to the first buoy. I made it but at that point my breathing was in panic mode and all I wanted to do was take off that wetsuit. Not wanting penalty for abandoning equipment, I chugged on doing more breast than free but I survived it and completed the race.
So I have NEVER had breathing issues nor have I had any panic issues during a swim before. So what went wrong?. Do I just need more practice in the wetsuit?. Will more practice on the wetsuit help with that boa constrictor feeling?

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It's not about what you've done, it's about what you're doing!
@trecca17
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Re: This race had a couple of firsts. Need advice. [Trecca17] [ In reply to ]
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Just going from my own experience; yes, more practice in the wetsuit will help. Some days are also just bad days. I too felt pretty crummy during my swim portion of the triathlon I did this past weekend. It was the most choppy water I've ever been in with some pretty significant waves blowing right into shore. I didn't go into the swim feeling the greatest, and the conditions were not great either. So even though I felt okay in the wetsuit, everything else contributed to me feeling really awful during the swim and I too felt like I could have easily raised a hand or just stopped mid-swim. I just tried to find some open water, focus on my own breathing as much as I could and just tried to calm everything down a bit. It helped me get through it, but it was still a rough swim. Some days are just better than others. I think the more you practice in various conditions, the better.
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Re: This race had a couple of firsts. Need advice. [Trecca17] [ In reply to ]
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My first tri was a wetsuit OWS. I started swimming pretty young and had done a number of OW swims before. Races from 1/4 mile to a mile. So pretty comfortable in the ocean. I think I wore the wetsuit maybe once or twice in the pool before the race and it didn't feel completely uncomfortable. Race day I just couldn't get right and had a bad swim. I was so off balance I felt like my upper body was being shoved under water. But I have used the same wetsuit for the last 6 years with no issues since that first race. I should have gotten in more practice with it prior to that first race. So there is a chance you just need a little more practice in it. At least that was my experience.

"I think I've cracked the code. double letters are cheaters except for perfect squares (a, d, i, p and y). So Leddy isn't a cheater... "
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Re: This race had a couple of firsts. Need advice. [Leddy] [ In reply to ]
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That's what I'm hoping too. Thinking it might just be an issue of pot in more work.
Thanks

---------------
It's not about what you've done, it's about what you're doing!
@trecca17
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Re: This race had a couple of firsts. Need advice. [Trecca17] [ In reply to ]
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I'd chalk it up to race day adrenaline, and sucking down water, got you in a panic that you couldn't let go. It happens. Go do another race and forget this one.

You might do a few pool/lake swims in the suit for practice - start off really hard and try getting the blood flowing, like a race. Get your heart rate up get used to that feeling in the suit.
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Re: This race had a couple of firsts. Need advice. [integrator] [ In reply to ]
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"A panic I couldn't let go"... That's a perfect description of how I felt. Planning for a local OWS this Saturday morning with the suit. Like the idea of going out hard to simulate the rush at the start of a race.

I'll beat this. And yes still have two races to go!

Thanks for the suggestion.

---------------
It's not about what you've done, it's about what you're doing!
@trecca17
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Re: This race had a couple of firsts. Need advice. [Trecca17] [ In reply to ]
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Make sure the wetsuit is properly pulled up into the body as well. If you rushed it - then it wont fit as well and it will feel tight.

Practice is always sensible.
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