5k open water tips or tricks

Triathlon Forum
1

What are your key tips or tricks for open water 5k race? Or even just often overlooked stuff

2

Do you mean for training or the actual race? I’m doing Lake Lure 5k in a few weeks. For me its putting in the training yards to where I’m comfortable with the distance. Also, realizing that holding my pace for the last 1000 is going to be hard and being ok with that helps.

3
  1. Lubrication under your arms and on your lats, maybe between your legs too.
  2. Have a plan. Whether that is to just hold a steady pace, to sit on feet, or to go with the surges and try to win.
  3. Put in the work.
  4. Respect the distance and know your fitness level.
  5. Have an idea of how long it should take you and communicate that with someone there watching for you.
  6. Have fun!

Jake

4

  1. Lubrication under your arms and on your lats, maybe between your legs too.
    If it’s saltwater and no wetsuit; add the front of your breathing side(s) shoulders. Maybe even your chin.

  2. Have a plan. Whether that is to just hold a steady pace, to sit on feet, or to go with the surges and try to win.

  3. Put in the work.

  4. Respect the distance and know your fitness level.

  5. Have an idea of how long it should take you and communicate that with someone there watch for you.

  6. Have fun!

Jake

What race? Someone here probably has intel.
If at all possible, preview the course. Learn what the surf, wind and currents will do.
Don’t stand until your hand touches the sand.

5
  1. Wear a comfortable suit. I like Nylon or Lycra. Polyester is a bad choice. I don’t usually wear wetsuits so can’t help you there.
  2. Make sure you’ve trained for the distance. Otherwise it will suck.
  3. Don’t try brand new goggles on race day.
  4. Optimize your nutrition before the race because a 5K is really too short to justify taking in anything during the swim. For the same reason, make sure you’re hydrated.
  5. Find some feet if you can - definitely saves a bit of energy. If that doesn’t work out, just settle into your own pace and don’t worry about it.
  6. Swim straight to minimize the distance.
  7. Don’t burn a whole lot of energy at the start. Same goes for getting around buoys. Just swim a nice, steady pace the whole way if you can.
  8. Don’t sight off other swimmers unless you’re very near the front of the pack (good swimmers tend to know where they’re going - the rest are not trustworthy).
  9. Review the course map ahead of time. Look at the start and finishing chutes. Make sure you know exactly where you’re going and what your plan is.
  10. Sprint to the finish!
6
  1. Lubrication under your arms and on your lats, maybe between your legs too.
    If it’s saltwater and no wetsuit; add the front of your breathing side(s) shoulders. Maybe even your chin.

And the back of your neck, even with no wetsuit it can chafe in saltwater

7

When you pass people, speed up and do it decisively. This prevents people finding your feet and getting a free ride.

I also imagine it’s demoralizing to have someone motor boating past you :slight_smile:

8

If you’re doing the one at Lake Lure in August, don’t do the Tri before. I did that last year and had to be rescued about 400 yards from the end of the 2 mile swim. Leg cramps like crazy.