You may have heard it before, but it’s worth repeating: no matter how many races you’ve done, there’s always the chance you’ll panic during an open water swim. It’s comforting to know that there’s no shame in it, and that it can happen to anyone, but the challenge remains accessing that comfort when your face hits the water.
Anyone who’s done a triathlon knows that the swim has the potential to be a bit…uncomfortable. It’s likely that you’re adjusting on the fly to a swimming space you’ve never been in. The water may be cold, which can cause your breathing to feel restricted. Not to mention that at any given moment you seem to be surrounded by at least a dozen athletes trying to swim past–or sometimes even over–you; it’s definitely not the pool at your local Y!
It's useless to believe that you’ll “just be strong” and never panic. Instead, try some or all of these tips when you feel panic encroaching on your open water swim. Practice them as you would anything else, a little at a time, and you’ll find yourself not only comfortable in the water but enjoying it much more as well.
1. If You Feel an Attack, Lay on Your Back
One of the quickest ways to combat a panic attack, and the first method that I was taught, is to simply flip over on to your back, float and breathe. It’s incredibly simple, and effective. Don’t worry about your time or if you get pulled from the swim, this most likely won’t happen as once you give yourself the chance to catch your breathe and regroup, at most a minute will have passed. Usually, it’s closer to 20-30 seconds. Not to mention, if the weather is right, you can stare up at the sky and hopefully get a little nice daydreaming in! Seriously: if you feel a panic attack coming on, just try laying on your back and taking deep breaths.
2. Sing a Song…to Yourself
When I first started training in the pool, I didn’t have a watch or any reliable way to measure distance. To keep track of my laps, I’d say the alphabet in my head (26+26+18 = 60 laps, approximately one mile). While this worked better than simply counting laps, it would still get monotonous, and I found myself singing song for each alphabet letter. For example, for the first lap “A,” I would sing “All Along the Watchtower” in my head (Jimi Hendrix’s version). For the second lap “B” I’d sing “Back in Black” by AC/DC or “Back in the USSR” by The Beatles. (Honestly, my musical tastes extend far beyond Classic Rock, but what can I say, these are the songs that would come to mind!) Doing this I’d be able to keep track of my laps and give myself a little soundtrack to swim to.
When I hit the open water, I found this method also worked to keep me calm. If I ever started to feel panicky, I’d simply fire up my alphabet and start singing in my head. My mind would naturally jump from song to song. Sometimes, I would just hang on a chorus I liked over and over, but I didn’t care as long as it kept the panic at bay! Give it a try the next time you feel uncomfortable on a swim–just make sure to sing in your head to avoid a mouthful of water!
3. Face Your Fears a Little Bit at a Time
Not everyone has this luxury, but if you are able, try to do a little bit of open water swimming every week throughout the season. That is, it’s better to swim in open water 2-3 times per week over 12 weeks than to cram in 4 sessions per week over 6 weeks. If you can do it gradually over a longer timeframe, your body and mind will have more time to adjust to the intricacies and quirks that come along with swimming outside of a pool.
Rye Tri Club is fortunate enough to have access to one of the best open water swimming opportunities in New York. Starting in June, we swim in the Long Island Sound at Oakland Beach in Rye, right next to Playland Park. Rye Town Park provides lifeguards in kayaks, and swimmers can choose between a number of distances. There is nothing like getting off from work and unwinding in the water with friends as you watch the lights of Playland come on! It’s the most relaxing and exciting way to spend a summer weekday evening, and I always leave feeling grateful and rejuvenated.
To learn more about this and other perks, check out our member benefits page, or consider becoming a member.
Keep Calm and Swim On
While open water swimming can be intimidating, don’t give up on yourself. When I started, I was certain that I’d never be able to get in the water without panicking, and now open water swimming is one of my favorite activities! If you do start to feel scared, use one of these tips, or better yet, try to develop your own.
Hope to see you in the water and remember–keep on tri-ing!
