Open Water Swim Trips from a Panic-Struck Swimmer

Since my San Diego bust, I signed up with a highly recommended swim coach who specializes in people with a fear of open water.  We spent some time in the open water where she would kayak next to me while I went from one end of the lake to the other (a mere 100 meters).  However, the unexpected thing was that we spent A LOT of time hanging on the dock with our toes in the water.

She had me talk.  About the anxiety.  About the pressure.  About disappointment.  About imperfection.  About not being someone else's rock.  About feeling alone. 

My fear of open water had nothing to do with open water.  My fear of open water was a huge crushing fear of failure.

After weeks of coaching, I realized that I actually liked the open water.  It was much more interesting, picturesque, and overly a lot more relaxing than a pool.  Better still, I was practicing without a wetsuit so that it wouldn't become another crutch.  Now, I just needed to create a bubble for myself when I competed in the open water.  I needed to tell myself it was okay to swim "my" race.

My go-to's when hitting the open water:

1. Feel the water.  Sounds goofy, huh?  But seriously, allow yourself to get acclimated to the water.  Is it warm?  Is it comfortable?  Is the water soft?  How does it feel against your fingers?
2. Control your breathing.  Duck your head under the water and let out a huge slow exhale, emptying out all of your breath.  Then, come back up and take in a nice big inhale.  Repeat and relax.
3. Long boat.  Take a couple of strokes but stretch with each stroke.  Imagine that you are a boat and you are trying to make yourself as long as possible.  Stretch, stretch, stretch those nice strong arms of yours. 
4. Check your breathing.  As you continue to stroke and start to quicken your pace, check in with the breathing again.  Are you taking good inhales and exhales?  We don't want you winded after all from not having enough air.

Now, if I start to freak out:

1. Flip on your back.  I pause, get on my back, and try to relax.  I remember that I could float on my back forever.   So, while I'm on my back I check in with my breathing and try to get it back under control.
2. This is a one buoy race.  My goal is just to make it to the next buoy.  I don't overwhelm myself with the math of how many meters I have left to swim.  I just make a deal with myself that I want to make it to the next buoy.  Then, if I need to, I can re-evaluate how I feel about swimming out to the buoy after that. 

It's much less overwhelming -- I promise.  In a recent race, I bargained with myself to swim from the vicinity of one safety kayaker to the next.  Knowing that I had the option to grab on the kayak made me feel better.  When all of the other swimmers are bypassing me, I remind myself to swim my own race.

Afterall:         Dead Last > Did Not Finish > Did Not Start