I'm an open water swimmer living in southern China who also do aquathons for cross-training.
All races nearby, apart from one which is my target race next year (including triathlons, aquathons, open water swimming races), are held in extremely hot weather (e.g. 32°C air and 29°C water). There are no wetsuit-legal triathlon / aquathon races in my region, races are never held in wetsuit-legal season, while for open water swimming races, the only race with wetsuit allowed is my target race (while my target is to compete in non-wetsuit category).
I am very afraid of heat, and always do badly in those races, especially the run segment. Also, these races may not be enough to prepare me well for my target OW swimming race (probably the only cold water swimming race in Asia, which is considered the most demanding race in Asia with world class marathon swimmers participating)
The extent I'm heat-adverse is that, I constantly complain about the standard heated pool temperature of 28°C being too hot in the squad training of my triathlon club, sometimes jumping out of the pool between sets to cool down. For me, any temperature where wetsuit is not allowed is too hot, while I swim happily in skin while all other people are wearing wetsuits.
I swam at a local beach today at 20°C air and 19°C water, i.e. standard wetsuit temperature, without a wetsuit for about an hour. I can swim for hours in this temperature but I was tired from the pool training in the morning today (The pool I use is unheated, which was 22°C today which I felt warm but still tolerable). I met a local triathlon club at the beach doing their training, and most were in wetsuit. A guy in that club who didn't have a wetsuit got hypothermia and had to be pulled. In fact, this winter is a warm winter and the normal sea temperature this season should be 16°C, now it is already 3°C warmer than normal. I want to swim in skin in 16°C but I can't, but for those tri guys, it would be cold like hell.
I'm very bored and also frustrated now. I'm bored because I can't train in my desired temperature (16°C water), and also the lack of races now where I can perform the best (I expect my run is at least 20% slower in hot weather (30°C air) than in cold weather (10°C air)), and frustrated because I don't know how I can overcome the hot season and how I can prepare for my target cold water race without any other cold water races.
Can anyone give me guidance how I can overcome my boredom and difficulties, such that I stay motivated for my training and prepare for my target race enough?
All races nearby, apart from one which is my target race next year (including triathlons, aquathons, open water swimming races), are held in extremely hot weather (e.g. 32°C air and 29°C water). There are no wetsuit-legal triathlon / aquathon races in my region, races are never held in wetsuit-legal season, while for open water swimming races, the only race with wetsuit allowed is my target race (while my target is to compete in non-wetsuit category).
I am very afraid of heat, and always do badly in those races, especially the run segment. Also, these races may not be enough to prepare me well for my target OW swimming race (probably the only cold water swimming race in Asia, which is considered the most demanding race in Asia with world class marathon swimmers participating)
The extent I'm heat-adverse is that, I constantly complain about the standard heated pool temperature of 28°C being too hot in the squad training of my triathlon club, sometimes jumping out of the pool between sets to cool down. For me, any temperature where wetsuit is not allowed is too hot, while I swim happily in skin while all other people are wearing wetsuits.
I swam at a local beach today at 20°C air and 19°C water, i.e. standard wetsuit temperature, without a wetsuit for about an hour. I can swim for hours in this temperature but I was tired from the pool training in the morning today (The pool I use is unheated, which was 22°C today which I felt warm but still tolerable). I met a local triathlon club at the beach doing their training, and most were in wetsuit. A guy in that club who didn't have a wetsuit got hypothermia and had to be pulled. In fact, this winter is a warm winter and the normal sea temperature this season should be 16°C, now it is already 3°C warmer than normal. I want to swim in skin in 16°C but I can't, but for those tri guys, it would be cold like hell.
I'm very bored and also frustrated now. I'm bored because I can't train in my desired temperature (16°C water), and also the lack of races now where I can perform the best (I expect my run is at least 20% slower in hot weather (30°C air) than in cold weather (10°C air)), and frustrated because I don't know how I can overcome the hot season and how I can prepare for my target cold water race without any other cold water races.
Can anyone give me guidance how I can overcome my boredom and difficulties, such that I stay motivated for my training and prepare for my target race enough?