Most triathletes aren’t afraid of swimming. They’re afraid of open water — the chaos, the cold, the contact, and the feeling that there’s no wall to grab.
Keep The First 60 Seconds Boring
The biggest mistake? Sprinting from the gun. Going out too hard spikes your heart rate, blows up your breathing, and flips the panic switch.
Instead, commit to 10–20 strokes of “deliberately easy” swimming at the start. Let everyone else sprint; you’re playing the long game.
Practice Your Breathing Pattern
If you only ever breathe every three strokes in the pool, you’re limiting your options. Practice breathing every 2–3 strokes on both sides so you can adapt to chop, sun, or other swimmers.
Sighting Without Burning Energy
You don’t need to sight every stroke. Try every 6–10 strokes: a small lift of the goggles just above the surface, then roll to breathe like normal. Think “peek, then breathe,” not “head out of the water like a seal.”
Get A Few Easy Reps Before Race Day
The more you can make open water feel routine, the less your brain will freak out on race morning. Even 2–3 short, relaxed open water sessions can make a huge difference.
You don’t have to become an open water fanatic. You just need to stack a few calm, controlled reps so your nervous system has proof that you can handle it.