…you might find this amusing but this morning while doing laps staring at the black line I started to wonder what the consequences of my pool water consumption would be if I repeat the same scenario in sea water.
I am a wanna-be triathlete who is just mastering the swim. In recent weeks I have improved significantly (now doing sessions of about 1.4 to 1.6km x3 per week) but as a consequence of my extended submersed pool time I am definitely taking on more pool water thanks to a less than refined breathing technique. So I have two questions:
Should I expect this consumption to reduce as my technique improves thus making the problem a mute issue?
Or, what are the consequences of swallowing sea water in an open swim prior to the bike and run, apart for looking for a rest room at T1 and s shrub on the bike?
I grew up surfing in Southern California. I have swallowed a lot of sea water. Never bothered me or ever gave me or anyone I knew stomach or other problems. Might make you a bit dehydrated due to salinity, but beyond that it will feel a lot better than chlorinated water.
Swallowing large amounts of salt water will make you puke. I think the puke threshold depends on the individual, but I don’t think the occasional small “sip” will hurt you.
If your consumption of pool water doesn’t improve (lessen) with time in the water then something is wrong. An occassional slurp or sip here & there is the norm (ie. once every 10X in the water?). I guess in a way, swallowing less water than when you began swimming is a form of technique improvement (?).
I accidentally ingested a nice big gulp of sea water during St. Anthony’s tri about 4 years ago, during rough waters. It wasn’t too bad during the swim but I thought I was going to barf on the bike. I had a hard time removing that “salty mouth” taste (gatorade helped). It stayed with me until about 1/2 way on the bike (thank goodness). I was fine during the run or I would not have made it (maybe walked 6mi).
I have swallowed water once or twice since (not big gulps), with no issues. I’ve spoken to others & almost everyone ingests a small amount at some point. Just try not to do that on a bad day like I did.
One year at Hawaii I took in a lot of sea water and the first 60 miles of the ride I was puking - took a ton of focus to keep on drinking - but two minutes after every drink - out it came — settled down after 80 miles but fun while it lasted…
the more you swim, the better your technique will become and the less water you’ll ingest.
All in all, swallowing a little sea water here and there is no big deal. In fact, I think you’re more likely to get sick to your stomach both during or after a race from drinking the water in a lot of the lakes races are held in due to run-off and pollution issues.
Try not to drink it, obviously, but if you do, no biggie.
I ONLY swim in sea water (just got out as a matter of fact) and I don’t think I’ve ever swallowed water. I almost always have some in my mouth (swimming) and waves will bitchslap me and cause me to choke but I’m not sure I’ve actually swallowed. I really don’t think you need to worry that much about it but I also can’t imagine actually swallowing the water.
It takes more water to eliminate seawater from your body than seawater possesses, meaning that the more you drink the more body water your body will use to get rid of it, leading to dehydration quicker. You can google the ratio to see how much you loose , but I doubt if it would take very much to start making a difference. In a longer race that can be a big problem.
Best to figure out how not to drink the pool water.
what are the consequences of swallowing sea water in an open swim prior to the bike and run, apart for looking for a rest room at T1 and s shrub on the bike?
This is a tough questions as it depends on many factors. I have swallowed a lot of sewater over the years, particularly between 6 to 15 years old messing around on purpose with big waves. I never got sick but that was probably because in third world countries our immune system is always on guard.
Swallowing seawater may or not be a risk depending mainly on:
Where you are swimming. There are some areas that are much more polluted than others.
When you are swimming. I would never swim in the ocean near shore after a heavy rain or even after a light rain. Fecal mater on the streets (dogs, cats, rats, etc.) and other stuff always ends up in the ocean near cities.
Unless you drank at least a cup of seawater in a polluted area or after a heavy rain, I would not worry much. Anyone that has surfed can tell you that.
Your ability to not swallow will definitely get better with more time in the water.
Swallowing a large amount of saltwater can definitely have a bad effect on a race. I have a very tough stomach. I can generally eat just about anything – including during a race – and deal with it. In B2B last weekend I got kicked in the gut and ended up swallowing a LOT of water. I puked twice during the swim and again on the bike, and had issues on the run. Not fun.
