Expert Advice to Help You Make a Big Splash
The British Gas Great Swim series’ resident outdoor swimming expert provides regular advice to help you negotiate your outdoor swimming training.
This month, he’s taken a look at three key issues raised in the Great Swim Forum and come up with some tremendous advice – why not take a look at the forum (you’ll need to complete the quick registration process but you’ll not only get access to the lively Great Swim online community but also be able to utilise a whole host of brilliant tools to help with your swimming).
Is breaststroke OK?
Podiatrist.mobile writes: I am planning on swimming in the Great Salford Swim 2011. Is it OK to swim it in breaststroke? Read the full post
Great Swim Expert replies: Although swimming front crawl is faster than breaststroke, if you are a more confident breaststroke swimmer and aren’t after breaking any records, then I’d recommend you stick to what you are good at. Breaststroke does have some advantages over front crawl, you can swim straighter easier as each time you breathe you get a chance to see the marker buoy in front of you to aim for.
Some people do find swimming a mile breaststroke harder on their knees and if you are not used to wearing a wetsuit while swimming breaststroke it can be tricky keeping your feet in the water to kick. But those points aside taking part in a Great Swim is all about completing your event and having a good time, so breaststroke is a perfectly good stroke to swim in open water.
1st Swim Event
Moyse asks: This is my first attempt at a great swim. Not sure what to expect. Bit worried about being in amongst such a large group of swimmers - will anyone notice as I sink never to be seen again! How cold is the Loch? I have swum in the North Sea during the autumn - but not stayed in for the length of time it will take me to do a mile. What is the water like - can you see anything under water? Is it OK to hold on to someone’s legs and let them pull you along (only joking). Read the full post
Great Swim Expert replies: You’ve covered quite a few points in your question and sound a little nervous about taking part in an outdoor swimming event. Great Swim events were designed to welcome people into open water for the first time, so although we can take up to 5,000 people in one day, we split the starts up into groups of 250 to 350 swimmers. Each swimmer has a timing chip around their ankle and we start the swims with a land start. This means if you aren’t sure about the number of swimmers around you, simply wait at the back and give yourself some space to swim in as your time won’t start until you cross over the start mat.
This year all the swim events are wetsuit compulsory, this was due to the dates of the events all being at the start or end of the swim season, so the average temperature for the swims is around 15 degrees, the coldest that we swim in is 11 degrees (and the course will be shortened if it’s that cold). But the key is to get a good fitting wetsuit which has been designed for swimming in.
As you swim around the course, you will notice our teams of safety kayakers and rescue boats with lifeguards at the start and finish points as well as on the boats. On top of this we have an event control, who watch over the check-in and check-out system to make sure everyone is accounted for. So all you need to worry about is swimming around the course. Any swimmers who need assistance, simply turn onto their backs and raise one hand in the air and a support boat will come to see how they can help.
It’s often said that the elite swimmers have their legs pulled as they compete, but they do get disqualified if this happens and it’s best not to try this out in one of your swims!
Outdoor Swimming
shera27 asks: : I am hoping for some advice on the British Gas Swim. I love swimming in pools and I am thinking of entering the London swim. Is it essential to get outdoor swimming experience before participating? I am not sure there are many safe places to swim outdoors near Swansea-pollution, strong currents etc. I am not afraid about the actual swim as I have scuba diving experience. Can anyone help?Read the full post
Great Swim Expert replies: Swimming in a pool is the ideal way to build up your fitness for an open water swim, but you are correct in wanting to practice outdoors before the big day.
Look out for our training swims which will be advertised soon. These will be primarily for those new to swimming outdoors. You can also look at our swim map tracker where people can put on their own favourite swims and tell people about training venues - greatswim.org/Training/MapTrack/Default.aspx
Don’t forget to look at our advice for swimming outdoors at: greatswim.org/Training/TrainingAdvice.aspx
Otherwise there are some good guide books available from Amazon on Wild Swimming or Wild Swim.