Note…you might also want to read this older post about Fear of Ocean Swimming.
A blog buddy who is doing her first tri at White Lake wrote to me saying…
Ok, are you ready for this, I swam today in Lake Gaston, the water was cool, but do able with the wetsuit, but I had a complete panic attack after i started and really couldn’t get my face in the water. What in the world. It kept taking my breath away and I just couldn’t relax. I made it to the turn around with some real talking with God and the other friend that was in the kayak who by the way talked me through the worst part. Once I turned around and I guess new I was heading home, I could take bout 5-6 strokes and then spot for a second or two and try to start over. Oh my g–! I feel completely unprepared now. I was so confident coming to the water today because of how successful I had been in the pool. Now I have doubts. My transition practice was fine, great actually. But the swim, whoooo weeee. I’m just not sure. I felt great once I got out, not cold or anything, it was just trying to get my face in and relax.
Any thoughts???
Thanks, T.
Yes, we start in waves. Each wave will be probably ~150 swimmers! It’s too late to train for this, but one of the things we’ve done at the lake swims is get in each others faces while swimming…ie., purposely bump into each other. You can also swim in a pool with kids and ask them to purposely bump into you while you do laps. That gets you used to the pack.
One thing you can do on race day is to wait 20-30 seconds and then start swimming. Letting everyone else go ahead of you is probably worth the few seconds lost if you are afraid of the pack.
l told her that it was great that she was practicing before her race, so that she didn’t experience that feeling for the first time DURING the race! And what she’s doing is just right – swim a few strokes, stop to get your bearings, then restart! Eventually it will get easier!
I also suggested that she swim breast stroke if she feels uncomfortable putting her face in the water. There’s no rule that says what stroke you have to swim in a triathlon – anything goes. I have even seen people doing backstroke! You are also allowed to hold onto the lifeguard boats and take a rest. As long as you don’t climb into the boat, you can continue your race.
I reminded her that the water in White Lake is much clearer than most lakes, which may make things feel easier than looking down into muddy water. That’s one reason White Lake is a popular race! Hopefully, those tips will help her feel better about next weekend. Sometimes just knowing that your fears are normal helps!
The fact is, it is normal to feel SCARED looking down into murky water and see nothing, and worse, imagine that maybe you see something. It took me a lot of open water swimming to get over that. And I still feel that way sometimes. Luckily, race day excitement prevents me from feeling that way during races.
The photos below clearly show why you feel panic swimming in open water, even if you are completely comfortable swimming in a pool. A picture is worth a thousand words, eh? (click to enlarge)
 Underwater shot at the Triangle Sportsplex pool in Hillsborough, NC. Crystal clear blue water with lane lines to follow! |
 Underwater shot at Eastlake in Chapel Hill. This is the lake I run to when I do my “six mile run to the lake and back”. I carried my underwater camera there this week, just to see what it would capture. Uh, not much! |
Thank you everyone for your stories; it makes me feel better to know that I’m not alone. Yesterday, I did my first sprint tri in Denver. Swimming was supposed to be my forte! I can swim a half mile in the pool in under 13 minutes! I even went to an open water training camp and thought it would take me 15 minutes tops in the open water course. Wrong!
Immediately after starting the swim, someone kicked me on the side of my wetsuit bootie and it filled with water. It felt like an anchor. My breathing became ragged and I realized I was gasping. I didn’t even swallow any water; I remember hearing myself dragging air in and couldn’t believe I was making all that noise. As others described, the wetsuit began to feel like a vise around my neck, even though I had on a shortie sleeveless. I tried to resort to breaststroke, but couldn’t keep my face in the water, so was kind of bobbing and frog-kicking along. My tinted goggles added to that closed-in feeling, so I positioned them on top of my head. I just did the whole swim alternating between semi-breast stroke as described, with something like a side-stroke which seemed to be faster and still kept my head out of the water. I’ve never even side-stroked before in my entire life; what in the world was that?! Majorly humbling experience!
I had this exact problem last week at the DC tri. Could not catch my breath, felt totally panicked. I had done the tri last year and it was fine, and I had been training. Even on the bike I couldn’t take deep breaths and when they took my oxygen levels, they said I was at 81 (instead of the normal 96-100). I had to quit after the bike because the medics thought it was too dangerous to continue and I still couldn’t breath well. They think I aspirated water (went down the wrong pipe, into my lungs), which caused a “bronchospasm,” meaning I couldn’t get oxygen. I don’t remember swallowing water, but the beginning of a tri is always chaotic. I’m relieved to hear I’m not alone, but I’m nervous it will happen again.
Thank you guys for all the comments. Just did my first sprint tri this weekend. Swimming was my weak spot any way and when I tried to freestyle with my face down, same thing, panic attack like I was closed in. I also did the breast and back stroke and as a matter of fact, part of it was over a sand bar and I just walked ha! That part of the tri was terrible but over quick. I kicked some bootie running to the transition, biking and running though. I guess from now own I will do the breast stroke in the pool and just get stronger that way. Heck with the face in the dark water 🙂
Great post Carol! It is normal to feel a bit panicy (if that is a real word) in your first open water swim. Especially if you don’t normally swim with a bunch of people, or in a pool, or don’t swim in a wetsuit. Getting in a wetsuit doesn’t feel natural and is constrictive, then having to dela with 50-60 sets of feet and arms, and then murky water is very nerve wracking the first few times. If the water is very cold, you might even find it is hard to get into a normal breathing rhythm. I started hyper ventallating my 3rd race in 56 degree water every time I put my face in. I second Carol’s advise. I tried to stay calm and breaststroked until I could get my breathing under control. Don’t worry it happens to alot of us from time to time and you have two more legs to make up for any issues you have on the swim.
Yep, I had the same experience at my 1st OWS. Fortunately, I had great friends who made me try it again and with their help, learned to calm down in the open water and just swim!
A friend of mine was a collegiate swimmer, went to swim his first triathlon (750 meters) in a lake and had the very same experience. The best way to over come that panic and everything that comes along with it is, as soon as you feel that onslaught of panic, is to stop and tread water, let other swimmers go past you. Take as many deep breaths as you need, start to swim a few strokes at an easy pace, stop again if you need to. Try not to do any other stroke other than your normal swim. Eventually you will get into a rythem, stay slow, go easy and within a few minutes you will be catching your breath and swimming. Its key to go at your pace, not a race pace if you’re in a panic.
Experienced same thing last Oct. After a few adjustments, my next experience was much better. 1) Let the pack go. I let the
whole group ( 45-49) get out 20 yrds ahead. No people around.
2) recited Psalm 21..a word for every right hand entry. This is usually good for about 350 yrds in pool. Helped me achieve a rhythm. 4 of these and i was out of the water. 3) Got a sleeveless. The freedom of mobility greatly lessened the constricted feeling. Water was 63, but felt fine after just a bit. ( and cuts transition time) good Luck
Just did my first triathlon (sprint, Pumkinman Las Vegas) today and had a similar experience to what has been described here as a panic attack. I was about 200 m into the swim when I became very short of breath with severe chest tightness. I just could not get a deep breath and felt like ripping of my wetsuit off. I was about to call for help, given my severe sense of impending doom. However, I was able to calm myself . I did finish with combination of breast stroke and back stroke. But wow, i was really in shock as my pool training went great…. I did one practice session in the lake and had no problems. Next time, I will be sure to get more practice in open water. Also, I did not do a warm-up which I think was also a big mistake. Thanks to all for the comments and suggestions. Good to know that this is not an uncommon problem.
Just completed the Long Beach Tri and had a horrific swim – had been practicing for months and could not make the transition from pool to ocean well at all. Should have trained in the ocean prior and didn’t – big mistake. Had to pull myself out and was so disappointed. It is such a different experience from even doing a swim in a lake – no current. This time it was so difficult and I could never get a rhythm or even put my face in the water. Anyway – I will keep trying but may only do them if in lake conditions. I love the competition but wonder if I’m cut out for the ocean swim. Ugghh!
I (like many) am comforted by the comments posted on this blog. I just completed my second triathlon today (Cincinnati Triathlon). It was my second triathlon, my first was in May. Both were sprints. I have competed and placed in several duathlons over the years, but wanted to make the switch to triathlon for the hope of completing an Ironman. Today, just like in May, I felt that sense of panic in the water, of course this one was in the Ohio river, so that alone was rough. Today I realized it’s the idea of breathing out underwater that panics me. I can swim 2+ miles in the pool, breathing with no problems, even trying to make it harder to prep for race situations. Yeah, that doesn’t work. Next weekend I’m going to my parents farm to practice in their pond just to get a grip on breathing in the “murky” water.
Thanks to all of you for being open about your experiences in the water.
I’m new here! Holy heck, I can relate! Fear of open water swimming surmounts my fear of swimming in general. I’m finally improving at swimming, but my first time in the ocean was terrifying. It was clear and I could see fish, shapes, kelp, etc… There’s no cure but practice and a zen like heavy handed lid on that fear! It makes me feel better to know I’m not alone though 😉
Hi Rick,
Thanks for your comment. You are certainly not alone, as this blog post is my most frequently commented post ever! You did a great job getting through that swim despite your panic, so kudos to you! Maybe you need to do some open water training, if you can find a group or good spot, give that a try. It took me a year of doing open water swim training once a week before I really felt comfortable in open water (looking down in the murkey water really freaked me out for a long time).
Good luck!
Carol