Open water swimming...when will you start?

Triathlon Forum
1

ok…so spring is here (sort of…for those in the northeast). i’m just curious, for those of you who live in cold weather climates, when will you start open water swimming? How cold will the water be??

I have started in early/mid may before…and I always wish I had invested in a neoprene cap. i’m not really sure what the water temp was, other than cold.

2

I don’t like to swim in water less than 60°F and won’t unless I have a race in that water temp soon afterwards.

jaretj

3

unless global warming throws its big switch on here in Michigan …ya we are looking at early May
.

4

Where do you swim?

5

60+, just not interested in getting in before then. Although we have a few open water triathlons coming up here in NC in April, it is going to be chilly!

6

I’m good at water temps 53 and over no sweat.

I’ll swim in 50 or 51 degree water, but i don’t necessarily like it.

7

I think today is the first day in months I have seen the sun here in Michigan…
My Lifetime membership ends April 30th, which will put me into “open” water early May. Perfect timing for the triathlon at the end of May at Island Lake. It’s funny cause I went and talked to a few guys ice fishing there just a few weeks ago…

8

I’ve been swimming already, as long as its above 40 I’ve got enough crap to put on to be warm. I did get a swim in in the great salt lake earlier this year as well, 28 degree water is a different kind of painful though, makes you appreciate 50s.

9

My first race of the year is the San Diego ITU age group race on April 20th. So, April 20th.

10

This weekend at dirty Lake Perris, CA in prep for the Big Rock Oly tri April 13th
.

11

Been about 4 times already. It was (close to shore water level) 59 the first time, 57 the next, 74 the third and low 60’s last weekend.

12

Two weeks ago
.

13

Last november started this open water thread. Since january 1st, have done 37 openwater swims and 28 pool swims (as of last week). Total yardage 126,546,
63,246 pool (52%) and 61,357 OW (48%), 10,546 per week. So am always in on the open water training. It is always nice to see a dead calm driving down to the lake because that means fast, but sometimes it is not. Swimming in the chop is part of the open water game. And the cold water in the winter.

Pool swimming is for two reasons, easy drill work and EN3 type sets. The open water is the EN1 and EN2. Mead is now starting to warm up. 59F. So no more wetsuit except just prior to a race when I will work on the wetsuit race pacing. BTW, for me, the wetsuit is an 8% speed increase.

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=4309435;page=1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=-1;&t=search

14

When I don’t have to chop a hole in the ice to get in and swim. So, pretty much June around here, earliest.

15

June 23
.

16

Pickeral and Silver lakes in The Pickney Recreation .

17

I’m doing New Jersey Devilman on May 5th. So about 10 minutes before the race goes off.

The water temp is around 68º

18

Thats a gut laugh for sure. Can’t wait to go into A2 today, everyone will be walking around with smiles.

19

lol, I don’t know how you northerners do it. It’s been mid 70’s here for almost a month and high 50s water.

20

We can’t even get the air temp to the 40ºs yet. As it stands, my first race is the first weekend in June. Hopefully, I’ll get in the OW sometime before that. If not, race day (not ideal but I’ve done it before)