Drawing from my Ironman experience, rarely are athletes given an opportunity for a warmup swim. Instead of a warmup swim, you can use resistance bands to warm up the shoulderss. I have done this many times. Good luck at the race!

That’s surprising. I would think a lack of swim warmup greatly increases the likelihood of something going wrong for an athlete in the water (e.g. heart attack, panic attack, etc.). Wouldn’t it be in the interest of organizers to do everything in their power to ensure the safest environment?

But besides anything health related I generally need several minutes to acclimate to the open water, water temp, etc. and find a rhythm. Surely I’m not alone there. Guess I’ll be spending the first 5-10 minutes of the race acclimating then!

The part about warming up to avert a heart attack has been raised in other threads here before - especially if its colder water. And raised many times too by some of the most experienced tri guys at ST - like the owner !!

I don't know whether it's due to any Covid related issue ?? (in the UK we still have major restrictions and the flew tri that happened last year went off one by one, TT style.
There was no chance for the organisers to get 1000+ people n the water early, whilst having to (forced to) use pretty draconian Covid precautions to be able to get the race on at all.)

I am not a fan of tris that don't allow a warm-up swim of at least 5 minutes before the participant begins the tri. That worked well at the past couple of USAT short course nationals. Let the first group warm up in the water 5 minutes before the start, then let the remaining swimmers warm up when they are in the next wave to start. There should be at least 5 minutes between waves to reduce positioning issues on the bike.

Swimming 5 minutes probably isn't enough to adequately prepare the body for the stress of a competitive effort in the swim of a sprint or Oly distance tri, so additional warming up exercise should also be done, but I think it is important for the health and safety of the participants to give them the opportunity to swim at least several minutes before their swim start.

a run warm up is almost always adequate for the heart--bands for shoulders of fop athletes


still not ideal---wetsuit legal or not??

Wetsuit is going to be a race day decision, the lake temp measured 78 today. I guess that’s a positive, the water is pretty warm so there won’t be that shock like there is in cold water.

Anyone have any land warmup drills for swimming they can share? Any particular bands I should be looking to use?

It’s not uncommon with big races. It is a bummer. I do really appreciate it when there is a warm up time.

Pre-covid I would try to do a warm up off to the side before the line up or start or my wave. Harder with the swim safe giant line to enter the swim. Sometimes I would dash in and get called out of the water.

With covid spacing precautions even tougher I imagine.

You can definitely do a dry land run warm up. And then start easy - like you would a swim workout. I go out steady counting to 100 strokes EZ. That works for me.

Or if you are a fast swimmer and want to go out fast 100 fast to get your spot and 2 minutes steady to get your rhythm. That works too.

This has always baffled me.

Sure there are dryland things to do
and a run as well.

All things I (and many here) have done to make up for it.

But, as a swimmer, it is just mindboggling to me.
RD's should consider this (having a warm up) when they find a location and think about logistics. Period.
Could you imagine a 5k or 10k road race where people arent allowed to jog at all before ? I mean, they could do leg swings and squats... thats enough isnt it? (should be pink font)

As far as water temp... dont get me started. Does one bring a wetsuit or not? Which impacts what you might wear under it and how you lay out transitions etc.

Water temp for wetsuits should be lowered. It should 74 and under for any chance of a wetsuit. Period. And that should be taken the day before at the time the race will be happening so athletes can have 24 hours to prepare themselves.

As long as the warm up is set up and given a specific time, that should be enough. But at the elite level, this weekend in miami.... absolutely NO EXCUSE to have this sorted already.

daved

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http://www.theundergroundcoach.com

As far as water temp... dont get me started. Does one bring a wetsuit or not? Which impacts what you might wear under it and how you lay out transitions etc.

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Always have the wetsuit ready, especially if your competitive; you don't want to give up an advantage like that.

I think the current procedures for wetsuit temps are pretty good. Taking it 24hrs prior could lead to all kinds of differences in water temp on actual race day. Rain/wind/weather all can affect it by 1-2 degree and that could be the difference in wetsuit or not. But I agree with the lowering of the temp, just go with what IM has, I believe it's what 76.4* threshold (or maybe it's 76*; 78* is likely just a little too hot for comfort for most swimmers)....


Funny story...Raleigh 70.3 we had that race for about 5 years. It's always a Sunday race, and on Saturday the race would give out an lake temp just for an "idea". 5pm Sat it was 84*....I'm thinking "holy hell how are they going to find cold water to make it wetsuit legal....no way it's wetsuit legal". Threshold was still 78*. It's also a Point to point race, so I didnt go to the swim that year as I went to the T2 and run to support athletes that year....So i had no idea it was actually wetsuit legal on race morning.

So I go to the awards and I' talking with the Bennetts who won the pro races and how they used wetsuits....I was like "huh it was wetsuit legal"? That always made me laugh.....However that was the only year they made it wetsuit legal, they suddenly stopped finding cold water after that year.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Therein lies the major issue ... the "advantage"--

selfishly, running isnt my strength...can I reduce the run leg to compensate? (I realize this debate is mute.. but for every swimmer, we think it every time).

RDs should absolutely think safety first. And this is my point.

Ill be racing xterra oak mountain in alabama in may. I will not be traveling with my wetsuit. Even if, for some reason they can find cold water, and allow them, then so be it. Overheat. (a major safety concern) fine by me.

Water temps do not change that much over a day. Sorry. I mean sure there COULD be something ... but generally water doesnt change. The policies should be taking a water temp out on the course as well, not in the puddle next to the start that has been sitting there all night. I guess maybe that is more my issue. Ive seen rds or staff taking that water temp in water that is not remotely close to what folks are gonna swim in. This is also a major reason for me to lean into xterra more.

The vibe is more relaxed. I have been able to swim pre-race at every race i have done and even in Maui with massive waves crashing, they still had the swim. and that is HOW IT SHOULD BE.

Sorry to be so firm on this. But if you are an athlete BANKING on a wetsuit swim, you should rethink what youre doing bc of the risk you are posing to yourself, the swimmers around you, to the race and its longevity and the sport in general. Its a SWIM BIKE and RUN.

ok. Off my soap box.
Not meant directly at you at all. Just venting... from a swimmer perspective.

daved

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http://www.theundergroundcoach.com

The craziest water temp change I’ve seen is clermont 2016. 4 different races in a 6 hour window went like this.

This was itu event so followed 68* threshold

1st race 8am- wetsuit legal (sunny weather)
2nd race 930 am- no wetsuit (windy and cloudy)
3rd race 11am- wetsuit legal (sun again)
4th race 1230pm- no wetsuit

That protocol is water temp taken 1 hr before event.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I would say the same “advantage” with bike for a TT bike vs road bike. Why would you race a non draft on a road bike? Why do the run on training shoes when you can use racing flats.
Every leg has its distinct “advantages” within its sport.

And I’m not saying to use wetsuit as a crutch. I’m saying imo it’s stupid to give an advantage to your competitors when an wetsuit legal race will play out tactically much different and “tougher” swim (wetsuit swim creates much more “confident” swimmers and thus imo more aggressive within packs).

All I’m saying is the change the threshold and keep the rest of the protocols the same. Day before temp check as the official temp is inaccurate imo when temps can and will change based on many factors. Obviously if the temp is 85 then yeah call it non wetsuit. But if it’s fringe temp you can only make that call day of imo.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

For Challenge Miami I’m honestly hoping it’s a non wetsuit swim. 77-78 degree water in Florida in a wetsuit is going to be a HOT swim. Plus the wetsuit changes my stroke and I haven’t had enough practice to feel super comfortable in it. But again I’m new to the sport so what do I know.

Wetsuit when it's "hot" outside to begin with sucks. Challenge and IM basically take a straight up water temp as the threshold. ITU has the ability to take into account the air temp as well. So a race in Miami would actually have a lower threshold due to the air temp being *hot*.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

At Race time it's supposed to be 76F. I have done several "hot" swims where I wish I had used nothing but my race suit or had a proper swim skin.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

I did the very first AG draft-legal event at Lake Louise State Park (Clermont) eons ago with ITU rules. The women's field went first w/o wetsuits, but then it was wetsuit legal for the men's field. Wierd.

I've made that same mistake. A full wetsuit is an anchor when you are dying of the heat in a long course swim. Nowadays, I'll wear a pair of lava shorts instead of a wetsuit if the water is marginally wetsuit legal.

Lake Louisa is really open to wind changes and that can drop the temps within an hour. And when the threshold is a 1* difference, wind chop can move enough water to make the difference + cloud cover, etc.

The transformation from Clermont in 2011 when it was more of a run than a swim to now what it is; it's been very very choppy the last few years....its fascinating.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I only did it once. I signed up thinking it would be the typical demographic of a regular triathlon and there would be other guys in my AG to form a draft group with. Instead, the modal age was something like 21 and if I recall correctly, I was only about 3 places ahead of DFL. I had a solo ride working hard just not to get lapped. :)

I feel terrible for you "old timers" in that event. I did the AG race there when it was the world's "qualifier" in Nov '15. The AG race now consists of the non stud EDR athletes who can't make it there so they race the AG ranks, which still makes the AG race "fast". Kudos for giving it a go, i know that race appreciates all the support it gets from any of the athletes.

ETA: And back to the OP, I think if you cant get a swim warm up, I suggest a few things. Get your head/face in the water as soon as possible and "acclimatize" as quick as possible. That first "gulp" of water + immersion can be unsettling, so if you can just "relax" with it, it'll certainly help.

I was there at the swim warm up for Daytona and it was sorta a shit show, people still in the water when they weren't supppose to. I like the idea of the 5 min "warm up" window after each swim wave.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II