HOW TO TRAIN FOR AN OPEN-WATER-RACE SWIM

If you can't get into open water to train, it is still possible to prep for the demands of an outdoors triathlon in the pool. Ben Bright has the session to work on the skills required...

- BEN BRIGHT

We all know that triathlon swimming in open water is not the same as pool swimming. In fact, I like to say that no two strokes in open water are the same. While in the pool you can be metronomic with your stroke rate and distance per stroke, it's almost impossible to replicate in a lake/river/ocean with waves, buoys, currents, poor sighting and other people to deal with. It's why I believe we should swim in open water whenever possible - the pool is controlled and consistent, open water is not.

That said, not everyone can swim au natural through the spring/summer, so how can we manipulate our pool sessions to better prepare for the demands of racing?

One way I've found over the years that works well is to go through the gears within a set. This develops your ability to accelerate when you need to in a race and then settle back to a sustainable pace. This is useful at race start, pushing into a buoy or bridging up to a competitor you'd like to draft.