Swimming

its not in the pool. its in the thames :-(

practice in the Thames nearer the time, but also swim in your pool when it is really busy, especially when you get a bit fitter, if they have busy session go then, getting used to the turbulence will go some way to helping. Plus, get goggles!
I actually find the river in summer much nicer than the pool, what will have an impact is loads of people swimming at the same time.

thanks adroit, ill be back with a status update to bore you all with once I actually get in the pool and see how far I can go first time

did i post this yet?

very good australian site i just recently came across.

http://www.swimsmooth.com/

practice in the Thames nearer the time, but also swim in your pool when it is really busy, especially when you get a bit fitter, if they have busy session go then, getting used to the turbulence will go some way to helping. Plus, get goggles!
I actually find the river in summer much nicer than the pool, what will have an impact is loads of people swimming at the same time.

You can't practice in the Thames.

Jaitch-
Don't fret about it- if you want to swim 1500m you will- a few things:

1. Hire/ Buy a good Tri wetsuit- get used to it at least a few times before the race- try an open water place which does specific Tri training days
   You'll notice that you're massively more buoyant than before when in the wetsuit. Plus you can't swim without one.
   
2. Test yourself at the end of each week by setting a distance for that week and training up to the distance during the week- so that by the RebbecaBlackDay you'll be able to pound out that distance. Tick 'em off through the distances and you'll be fine.
   
3. Train farther than the distance- if you've got 1.5k- practice swimming to 2k. This means that you know that you're capable of more and so the whole race is just a tonne more pleasant.
   
4. Learn to love the pool. Its hard, monotonous and incredibly tiring, but do some of the interesting swim sets that Dooks posts, and you'll enjoy the whole training more and on top of that- get fitter.
   
   

For the day of the Race-

1. Expect to be kicked in the face. I've never been to one without being kicked at least once- so goggles under cap. By the same token expect that someone will be on your legs so learn to swim in a tiny box- it can be disconcerting at first.
   
2. During your training you'll have found a breathing rhythm that you like. Use this to monitor your pace during the event. Also decide whether you want to be a part of the melee that occurs in the water- and decide if you're going to swim to the side.
   
3. The Docks that you swim in are fucking horrible. Its cold as hell- the only prep I can really suggest is head down to the Serpentine on the weekend and have a few training sessions there (no wetsuits!!!!).
   
   

Hope these are helpful.

did i post this yet?

very good australian site i just recently came across.

http://www.swimsmooth.com/

Errr no, I did !

:)

Why are you not allowed to compete without a wetsuit ???

I think you are if the temp of the water is over 14 degrees i think it is. Thames<14 degrees but ive never been in it let alone in july it might be different

just got back from masters. slightly shambolic and sparsely populated session. shoulders stiff after saturday and i was lacking verve. fly set didn't help.

warmup, something sprints then:

16x25
8x50
4x100
1x200

all swum full stroke fly was enough to knock the fight out of me.

as the coach wasn't there we reverted to doing medley drill to break the monotony of the yet more fly he had down for us.

won the final freestyle sprints at the end of the evening though which was cool. i'm not far off going up another lane i don't think. another couple of months and i might chance my arm in the "top lanes" for a session.

oh and i didnt realise this but as its open water, if the temp goes below a certain temp i need a full wetsuit.

think of it more that unless the water goes above a certain temperature, you'll be wearing a full wetsuit. this is England, we don't do warm water as a rule.

wise words. ordering mine tomorrow. woohoo!

Why are you not allowed to compete without a wetsuit ???

from the London Triathlon website:

2.7 Unless otherwise notified by the Event Organiser swimming wetsuits are compulsory for open water.
It is the Participant's responsibility to provide and use a wetsuit which complies with BTF rules and
regulations. Participants without a wetsuit will not be allowed to compete and will not be refunded their
Entry Fee

from the London Triathlon website:

yes, I read the t&c. But I just wondered why they have made them compulsory ? What is the reason ?

Maybe, it gives an unfair advantage to some elite ? The time you spend trying to get out of the damn things, must give you a minute or so on your bike !

Or could be a temperature related thing ? What temp is the thames in summer ?

just got back from masters. slightly shambolic and sparsely populated session. shoulders stiff after saturday and i was lacking verve. fly set didn't help.

warmup, something sprints then:

16x25
8x50
4x100
1x200

all swum full stroke fly was enough to knock the fight out of me.

as the coach wasn't there we reverted to doing medley drill to break the monotony of the yet more fly he had down for us.

won the final freestyle sprints at the end of the evening though which was cool. i'm not far off going up another lane i don't think. another couple of months and i might chance my arm in the "top lanes" for a session.

Won the sprints ?! I think the lacking of verve was in your head !??

I swum Tuesday and Thursday as normal this week and have definitely been more fatigued, by half way through my session.
Time for a change this weekend !

You can't practice in the Thames.

I think you can, well at least you can swim in it, we do a lot during the summer, and nobody has ever stopped us! We probably could in the winter if it was warmer, but we are all wusses and head to the pool.
We aren't talking the tidal river, I live a bit further upstream, but I am sure that swimming, like cycling, is one of those inalienable rights.

not in the docks... where the event is held- as there is no current in them.
If you want to swim in the the Thames in London- you're a bit cracked.
I've been in it a couple of times by accident and never want to be in that position again. Takes ages before you feel clean again.
and yes- I've been swimming in it in Oxfordshire before.

@nick-nack- it is a temperature thing. Its for the safety of the competitors.

i know it's not what adroit meant, but just to be clear, i really wouldn't recomend getting in the river in town. it's filthy, full of debris, the tide absolutely rips up and down here and there's heavy boat traffic. hopefully you'd get dragged out by the river police before getting smashed into a pillar and drowned or mown down by a tug or catermeran. not withstanding all of that, my office overlooks the river by blackfriars and i've seen enough bodies hauled out over the years to put me off getting in. i'd want to be upstreaam of at least richmond before considering getting in the thames.

what do you guys reckon to this?

https://secure.shopdesq.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Product&ProductID=18014&OrgID=7529

i know you should really try first but... there's only a handfull of sizes and i'm pretty sure which one i'm in. i can always return it if it doesn't fit anyway.

what do you guys reckon to this?

https://secure.shopdesq.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Product&ProductID=18014&OrgID=7529

i know you should really try first but... there's only a handfull of sizes and i'm pretty sure which one i'm in. i can always return it if it doesn't fit anyway.

Where are the details of the wetsuit ? What mm is it ? The shoulders are coated, not so flexible ?

what about any of these ? I have 5mm on chest area etc and 2mm on arms, lovely and buoyant !

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/orca/swim/wetsuits/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=orca%20wetsuits&utm_campaign=orca&referid=googwig&utm_adgroup=Orca_Wetsuits

The Kaisai or S3 are fine !

hmmmm. ok thanks. about to press the button on that kaisai. am right on the cusp of medium tall and 7. going to go with 7 i think. here goes.

*ssssplurge!

done.

Open water training, £5 ! bargain !
http://www.openwaterswim.co.uk/

(thats £5 to swim, not for coaching aswell..... )

hmmm... i like this ^ once I get a bit of the training behind me i might look to pootle on up there just for a bit of experience like...

Reckon ill get my company to buy me one of those Kaisai wetsuits...

Back swimming 3x a week. Swimming is the lick!

it's skill.

We used to have a saying at primary school:

"Skill is a bum disease." (in reponse to "that's skill that is").

I've no idea why, Derby thing.