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Channeling Oleander! And others
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Twice in one post Oleander expresses disdain for the pool (see "how much" thread). Wow, love for OW. There is a concept. Can I get some of that?

If there is a formula for getting over my creeps of OW, pleeeease tell me what it is. I seem to be OK on race days, I like the presence of other humans. But in general I am really creeeped out by sea critters and lake monsters. It is a shame b/c there is something really wonderful about swimming out there in nature, and I feel like I'm missing the boat. Is there any way to desensitize or get over this phobia? SHARE!!!
:-)
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [WeRide] [ In reply to ]
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Swim in open water often. Either with others who are swimming or find an escort (kayaker, paddle board etc...). After a while you get used to it. I love open water swimming, but I do remember back to my first tri (a 400 M open water swim), where I freaked out at the second buoy and had to take minute to calm myself down. But even i get a little freaked out if I'm swimming alone (at a beach area with life guards) and I can't see the bottom (because it's murky). I know I'm only 50M from the shore, but it's still a bit strange when you see shadows etc.
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [WeRide] [ In reply to ]
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I was initially super freaked out about swimming in open water. Not only because of marine life, but also the whole no side of the pool to rest when you get tired factor. What finally helped me feel more comfortable in open water was going to a lake that had a "swimming area" and finding a place right on the edge of where I could still touch bottom and where I couldn't and just hung out there in my wetsuit and got used to the whole sensation, took deep breaths and gradually realized that the wetsuit wasn't going to let me sink, no sea monster was coming out to eat me, etc. Once I realized that I could stop and rest any time I wanted to, I felt more confident in doing more open water practicing.

I still get creeped out by "what's down there" and I hugely prefer lake swimming to ocean swimming, primarily for the number of creatures it allows me to eliminate. I also hate when I can see the bottom of the lake, more because of the garbage than the fish - ewww! ;-D Now, I keep a running list of why open water is better than pool swimming in my head with such items as:

1. Don't have to turn around every 25 meters (for a girl who doesn't do flip turns, this is huge.)
2. No strange denizen in the lane next to me doing the modern dance version of the backstroke (though I do enjoy the entertainment value of that.)
3. No chlorine/saline taste
4. MUCH prettier scenery
5. more peaceful
etc.

When I my mind starts to head in that "I wonder what horrible lake monsters are down there" direction, I focus on one of the items from the list and it helps me relax. I've come to really like swimming in open water because it's very relaxing and it's really cool to be in the middle of a lake and realize that you are seeing the world from a unique point of view. And the feeling of triumphing over your phobia is a powerful motivator. When I look back to past freakouts in the water, I'm so proud of how far I've come.

To second GhiaGirl, the more practice you have the easier it will be and don't swim by yourself. I make friends/husband or parents come with, even if they sit on the shore with a book, just having someone around is better than nothing.

M

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The beatings will continue until morale improves
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [WeRide] [ In reply to ]
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I have a lot of positive memories from open water swimming. Try to create some for yourself! Do you know any attractive men you can swim with ;)

I used to ride my bike out to a lake, swim, and then ride home in the summer. Those were great days! Now in the summer we camp at lakes and bring our wetsuits and go for a swim after mtn biking or trail running. I ended the summer this year on one of these camping trips, one of my favorite memories was swimming across the lake, no one else was there. LOVELY!

I have no phobias at all because I have had great experiences. I hope you find something that works for you.
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [WeRide] [ In reply to ]
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I live in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and I will tell you I HATE OW swimming. Ish. It's dark, it's creepy, and lord knows how many dead bodies are in there. Ick.

Sorry. Prolly doesn't help. :p


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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [WeRide] [ In reply to ]
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Definitely try to find a group to swim with. I LOOOVE open water swimming, and I've swam OW for many many years (and one of the strongest swimmers of our group), but still get the heeby-geebies swimming by myself. If I'm with others, nothing really freaks me out, and usually I'm helping others overcome their OW fears, making sure everyone is accounted for and swimming in with the last swimmer. I guess it's a mental thing, thinking of something other than what's below you.

Chris
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Chris
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“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
― Hunter S. Thompson,
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [mmrocker13] [ In reply to ]
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I afraid of the dead bodies too!!! The thought of river critters doesn't freak me out too much, I just get panicky if I think about bumping into a floater.... Highly unlikely, but still.

To the OP. Hopefully the more you do it, the more you'll get used to it. I"m more comfortable in a race situation when there are a lot of people around. I've done many group swims in the mighty Columbia River, but I've very slow and get left behind even when I make sure to get a head start on the others. That freaks me out a bit. The only OW swims I did in 2006 were races. I did all of my training in the pool.
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [cvillatri] [ In reply to ]
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That is absolutely the same way I feel. When I am with others, I am distracted. Races are fine. In my case I like to have a challenge to keep up, then my adrenaline flows and I *really forget the critters. Unfortunately, my easiest and most accesible partner (my husband) is really , really slow, and that gives me tons of time to muse about what might be lurking around me.

In my community it is not that easy to find people who want to swim the lake with me. Often times I do wind up asking my family to hang out on the dock while I doodle around in the water, trying to avert my mind.

it's a shame though....I practice, but the phobia never goes away. I wish i could learn to love it, because, as mentioned , it *is such a unique viewpoint. I guess the common thread here is to keep distracting myself. I will continue trying to recruit partners. I may not learn to love it but at least i'll get some more swims done.

Love the pool, btw..LOVE it! :-P
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [mmrocker13] [ In reply to ]
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OK, I know this isn't going to help the OP get over her phobia. But speaking of dead bodies, in 2001 I did a triathlon in a reservoir in the Sierra foothills and was totally grossed out by the broken beer bottles and garbage (which we felt below our feet but could not see because the water was opaque). Then a week after the race the authorities pulled an actual dead body out of the water! They said it was a Russian mafia hit, the bad dudes had driven up from LA to dump the corpse. It had been there for several weeks. Ewwwww.

I don't particularly like swimming here in the SF Bay but swimming in a clean, clear mountain lake like Tahoe or Donner Lake is a transcendent experience for me.
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [WeRide] [ In reply to ]
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I grew up in Florida and have a fear of alligators since they routinely ate neighborhood dogs. Even though I now do my OW swimming in Lake Michigan and other midwestern lakes, I am still occassionally overcome by a huge fear that an alligator is stalking me.
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [Ariel] [ In reply to ]
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This probably won't help either, but this was just posted on the local paper website. This isn't where I swim in the ocean (too many sharks in this area), but I live 1/4 mile from there and do get in the ocean there a lot after a long ride or run. I'm sure if it really is where he dumped her body (his story is full of holes, so who knows where her body ended up), the sharks got it by now, but still.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/.../BREAKING01/80319055
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [WeRide] [ In reply to ]
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I'm from Oleander's camp. I much prefer OW to a pool, but I find that I lose alot of intensity/speed if I swim alot of OW in training...seems like I need a pace clock keep me from slacking.
My $0.02 for being okay with OW:
1. Get bigger goggles: like the swim masks. The more you can see the less of the unknown there is.
Along that line, for the next tropical vacation you take try snorkeling or even scuba diving. You'll find that sea/lake critters are much more afraid of us than we are of them.
2. When swimming OW alone, try swimming with a rescue can or tube tied to your ankle: http://www.kiefer.com/...E44FFABBDC3C2ED16B8C
If you're swimming in deep waters and need to catch your breath you can hang on to it. Also, the extra drag will help make you a stronger swimmer.
3. The cold water usually gives me some bronchospasm when I first get in. I make sure to pee in my wetsuit to warm it up and sometimes use an inhaler before swimming. This help prevent the hyperventilation of first getting into chilly water.

Good luck! Happy swimming!!
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [kitboo] [ In reply to ]
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I enjoy open water swimming. Indeed, you are not going to sink with a full wetsuit on. Believe me, my husband has tried. If he floats, anyone will!
It's a little better for me if I can't see the bottom. I have one lake near me I swim in regularly and you can kind of see the bottom, but it's a swim area so there's nothing to see but sand. Once, I saw a turtle and that was really cool!!! Mostly I see a fish or so here and there.
There's another lake a few hours away I've swam at, and my idea was to go around the shore, with my husband trailing me in the boat. Well, about 3/4 of the way through I got totally freaked out because I could see the bottom the entire time and it just kept looking like alien landscape or something. So next time I went out and across the middle. Much better.
I mostly have a friend to swim with though, and we just love the lake.
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [WeRide] [ In reply to ]
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Oooh! I've been paged.

OW swimming is a transcendent experience. It is like hiking in the woods for the first time when all you've known is the concrete sidewalk.

The non-chemical water; the birds; the sand; the trees on the edge; the wind; the gentle currents; and yes even the fishies.

I did 40 min. in San Francisco Bay last night. The time flew by. We would have done another 20 min. but got a bit chilled. (That amount of time in the pool, for me, is an eternity.)

The good news, for you, is that most of us started out with the heebie-jeebies and most of us have overcome it. I vividly recall those first few swims in lakes around here and in the Bay. Just going out to those first buoys was mega-scary. I remember my heart rate. I remember wondering what would rouse itself from the bottom of the lake to come eat me. Yeah...all that!

In terms of how to get over your fears; most people have already touched on these:

1. TIME! Practice! After you've been out a few times, and no creatures have attacked, you'll just naturally forget that you ever felt unsafe. For me, this happened after maybe 6-8 swims.

2. Start out floating on your back. COMPLETELY relax. See how you are just floating in your wetsuit? Shift your mental image of the water. The water is your friend. See how it is holding you up? (I don't know if you do any ocean swimming, but that mental imagery helped me deal with ocean swells, too. The swells are just there to lift you up and gently lift you back down. They are rocking you.)

3. Yes, swimming with others helps. If your hubby is slow, perhaps you could stay near him by sort of lapping him.

4. Try focusing on your stroke. Work on the things you'd work on in a pool. Your catch, your glide, whatever it is. It is a good distraction. (And it might keep you from losing your form while in OW!)

By the way, I'm not a swim star. I'm usually bottom 25% in the swim split in races. You don't need to be a fast or a highly experienced swimmer to get graceful at OW swimming.
Last edited by: Oleander: Mar 20, 08 13:48
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [WeRide] [ In reply to ]
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My wife, Timex Team Pro Paolina Allan used to be super freaked out about swimming in open water - still is a bit, but she is way better about it. What helped her was getting in the open water more and more, until it was second nature to her. It helped that we have a cottage on a lake, so in the summer, when we are there she can jump in and swim in the open water any time. Bottom line, more time in the open water the better it helps with the mental side and it also helps the physical as well - in open water swimming there are no breaks. You don't get to hang out at the end wall for 20 sec after each section or push off the wall and glide for a few seconds - you are swimming the whole time.


Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [WeRide] [ In reply to ]
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I grew up swimming in the ocean and there is nothing I enjoy more. But I'm guessing you're already grown up and not moving to Kona. So, with whatever body of water available, maybe try to have some fun. Definitely go with others. Even I don't like to swim completely alone in the OW, mostly because I'm afraid of what would happen if I got a nasty cramp or something like that.

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Awww, Katy's not all THAT evil. Only slightly evil. In a good way. - JasoninHalifax

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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [WeRide] [ In reply to ]
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I'm so glad to see that I'm not the only one that gets the heebie jeebies when I swim in open water. The first time I swam in open water I had a panic attack; I freaked out because I could see the bottom and it grossed me out, then I got a little further out and I couldn't see anything and THAT freaked me out. I eventually got over that, but I still get panicky when I'm in the middle of a lake and realize that I have to swim to get back to the shore (silly I know). I have to continue telling myself that I know how to swim, I'm in a wetsuit and I can float so I shouldn't worry but the demons of self-doubt can be tough to beat down sometimes.

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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [Ariel] [ In reply to ]
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OMG...dead bodies?????? I never even THOUGHT of that complication.

My friend Jeff was swimming in our lake, and a fish bit his nipple. I thought THAT was horrifying enough.
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [redrunningshoe] [ In reply to ]
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My first practice swim in open water was in this tiny quarry lake at a campground (actually a roped off portion of the bigger lake, with a wooden pier on one side and another wooden platform *maybe* 15 yards away.) Next to the lake was a big field and a shallow area with a ton of kids splashing around. The problems began when I noticed the sign that said the water was 40 yards deep. Gulp. Wearing my tri-suit, (for practice, of course) but no wetsuit yet, I get in the water and panic-swam to the platform and half way back had a huge freakout, bad enough to draw the attention of a bunch of small children who are yelling "are you okay?" in an alarmed tone of voice. Through sheer will (and the desire not to traumatize them with my drowning) I made it back to the pier and climbed out in tears, totally humiliated.

Now, I look back on that as being a funny story, but every now and then when I get that "holy crap, I'm in the middle of the lake and have to swim all the way back feeling" I remember how far I've come. And thank god for my wetsuit...

M

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The beatings will continue until morale improves
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Re: Channeling Oleander! And others [mdraegernyc] [ In reply to ]
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your story just reminded me of yet ANOTHER freak out I had - I was so embarrassed I have obviously blocked it from my mind. It was about 3 years ago. We were down in Lake Placid on a training weekend with a bunch of friends and we were swimming in Mirror Lake. I am one of the slower swimmers in our group so I started before everyone so as not to be the last one in. I get passed about 1/4 of the way out to the turnaround buoy. I try to hang on to one of the girls in front of me but I wasn't comfortable with the pace so I backed it off. The water was cold and the sky was grey; there were some kayakers in the water as well. I was swimming along fine when I looked up to sight and I saw that I was totally alone and that the turnaround buoy was still (what seemed like) a long ways away. I started to get panicky. I forced myself to keep swimming but the panic took over. I stopped and started treading water. I rolled over onto my back to try and talk myself out of the panic. I rolled back onto my front to start swimming again, maybe made it 100 yards and really started to panic. I ended up swallowing water, which made me panic more. I kept trying to swim but then I got a stitch. So I stopped and started to do breast stroke (not so easy in a wetsuit!) and started calling for help. I was completely panicked. One of the kayakers came over to see if I was ok and let me hang on their kayak. My husband (who was WAY ahead of me) somehow noticed the commotion and swam back to where I was. I hung onto the kayak until I calmed down and worked through my stitch. My husband swam with me all the way back to shore. I was SO glad to be out of the water but I was absolutely MORTIFIED that I had completely lost it. I think I've gotten a lot better but, I didn't do ANY tri's last summer so we'll see what happens when I get back into open water this year.

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