Fearless Swimming for Triathletes: Improve Your Open Water Skills

Are you afraid of mass swim starts, being pummeled by surf, eaten by sharks and swimming blindly off course? Most triathletes learned to swim in a pool in nicely marked lanes, but they have to race in murky rivers, lakes and oceans with hundreds of adrenaline filled athletes whose only thought is getting to the buoy first. For many the physiological and emotional reactions to racing in vast open water brings on disorientation, seasickness and anxiety that can make the triathlon swim the worst part of the day. This guide addresses more than a dozen fear factors including panic, cold water, bad memories, muscle cramps and water in the nose, and offers specific strategies to overcome each one. You will be given tools to help you calm your body and mind and the skills that will improve your competence in every kind of swim venue. Learn to deal with wind, currents, big surf, and even polluted water.