Swimming Diary: Training is getting tougher

Former competitive swimmer and Sport360° journalist Kara Martin gets back in the water in preparation for the Zoggs Mina Mile Open Water Swim Series on November 18th.  Here’s her update on her training progress...

So 400 metres in open water is the goal, and I’ll be honest with you, today I’m not sure why I set it. I hadn’t realised how great of a distance that was until I measured it out in laps at the modest 15m apartment pool I’ve been training in this week. It certainly hit me when after eight 15m laps (out of thirty I proudly completed, albeit with breaks), my triceps began to burn. That’s only 120m in!

To be fair though, trying wakeboarding for the first time the week before, as well as fighting in a boxing match, is probably the reason for my arms burning.

Swim training several times a week is without a doubt the last thing those troopers need. But I’ve been lucky enough this week to have a sports massage and that certainly helped.

Locally-based tri-athlete Neil Flanagan has returned from Kona, Hawaii, where he competed in the Ironman race earlier this month, and was kind enough to share with me these open water swimming tips: Practice in the sea with others.

Swimming in open water amongst a crowd is much different to swimming in an orderly lap pool, but stay relaxed. Also, try to get a few training mates out with you to simulate that crowded feeling a few times before your race.

Keep an eye out. It’s a good idea to practise checking your progress and location every few strokes. Every 6-10 strokes, lift your head slightly as part of your normal breathing movement to look up ahead of you. For a race, practise using landmarks instead of buoys. Open water conditions may not make it easy to see buoys from a distance, and the larger, more visible objects, like a building on the shore, will help you stay on track.