How do I approach getting into the ocean for a triathlon?

Question

I am doing my first ocean swim and am concerned about the current and getting past it. Any suggestions? I will be swimming around a pier.

Answer 1

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming... itll take a lot of strength so ull just have to keep swimming! just try to avoid the huge rises and u should be good! GOOD LUCK!!

Answer 2

Run into the ocean and high step it up to about your knees.

Then start dolphin jumps, jump over the little waves and under the big ones.

Once you can't touch bottom anymore start swimming. Take long relaxed strokes and get into a rhythm.

Look up and spot your course about every 10 strokes. Don't count on the person next to you (many go off course using that stragegy).

Coming out try to catch a wave if you can. Keep swimming until you can touch bottom. Then you can dolphin a little and high step it out of there.

Oh, yea, and I always wear ear plugs. You may find that you are a bit disoriented when you get out of the cold water. For some reason ear plugs tend to help. It works for me anyway, I've never had a problem.

If you're wearing a wetsuit unzip and pull your arms out on your way to your transition area. Don't take off your goggles or cap until you're arms are out of your suit.

Personally, I don't wear goggles for an ocean swim. I don't see the point as in my area you can't see underwater. I would just as soon have one less thing to worry about (i.e. fogging up, getting knocked off, etc). I should add that I'm usually the only one without goggles, but I just haven't found a good enough reason to wear them yet.

Most importantly, get to the ocean and practice a few times before the event. Especially the ins and outs.

The day of the event you will want to get in the water before your wave takes off. Check out the conditions, do a few ins and outs and swim. This will warm you up and help work off some of the adrenaline.

Good luck, have fun and tri like heck!