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Help Needed! Heart rate spike when beginning a race swim
I need some help. I have Ironman Boulder coming up and I want to fix some things from IMTX. At Ironman Texas I experienced a massive heart rate spike when I started the swim. I wasn't panicked and I wasn't being swum over. For the first 200 yards I just breast stroke/frog kicked, waiting for my breathing to slow down. I was unable to put my head in the water. It wasn't that my face was cold, I was panicked breathing even just floating there in my wet suit. I didn't feel stressed, just pissed off and questioning if I could do this swim. Eventually I was able to get my head under to a few strokes. By the time I was 400 yards in I was in long swim mode.
Here are the facts as I can best lay them out.
So what do you recommend I modify for my training sessions and race morning?
How do I find my "swim all day" mode?
Should I run and really work up a sweat before I queue up at the swim start?
Here are the facts as I can best lay them out.
- No open water swims since my last race in November.
- This happens in almost all of my open water race swims.
- I did not jog or do cords before the IMTX swim.
- For this build, from 1/1/2018 to 4/27/2018 I swam a total of 104k yards.
- Water temperature was ~72 degrees.
- The swim was a rolling start and I seeded myself in the mid-back of the 1:30-1:40 group.
- I swam a 1:29. Previous PR was 1:41.
- At the pool I typically hop in the water and acclimatize while I put on my goggles, cap, swim-mp3 and tempo trainer.
- I have swim cords and use them occasionally at home, but never at the pool pre-workout.
- A lesser version of this occurs at the pool during my warm up (~400 yards). This often results in me shortening swim sets.
- I dread long swims and typically do not swim sets longer than 200 yards. I often do 50 or 100 yard reps over and over.
- I feel out of breath and never relaxed while working out. I haven't been able to find a pace/gear that slow enough that I could just "swim all day."
- My favorite "toys" to use at the pool are the buoy and snorkel. I've cut them both to 1/3 of the total swim yardage of a given workout.
So what do you recommend I modify for my training sessions and race morning?
How do I find my "swim all day" mode?
Should I run and really work up a sweat before I queue up at the swim start?
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1. Adrenalin! At the start of the race you're swimming much faster than it feels/than you think you are and quick get winded. Imagine how you would feel if you ran the first mile of a marathon at Z5 pace. My trick to not start too fast is to do catch up swimming the first 200-400 yards.
2. If you prefer to start off fast then during race rehearsal swims, practice swimming the first 400 fast (make yourself get that out of breath and I still have 2 miles to swim feeling) then settle into your race pace. Also, during the first 400 sight 2-3 times each length to simulate a race start.
3. If possible, do a swim warm up before the race. If not do exercises to get your HR elevated.
4. If this was the first time wearing your wet suit this year, it was tiggter/smaller due to shrinkage. Unfamiliar restriction on your chest + cold-ish water can trigger that fight/flight response/panicked breathing.
Hope that helps!
Even at the pool, I like to start the first 500 really easy...either 500 straight with a pull buoy or alternate breast stroke and freestyle until I am ready to go. And I do a lot of arm swirls before I get in the pool because I want my shoulders loose.
Yes, you should be sweating some before you start the race. I always take advantage of a swim warm-up if allowed, otherwise, some light jogging, jumping up and down in place, etc... anything to get my heart rate up. And if the water is cold, I will make sure I get it on my face as much as possible before we start.
Good luck at Boulder!!!
1. It’s a race so you are super jacked. Anything to try and switch your focus to just a training swim/I’ve done this a million times will help with the confidence and reduce the anxiety.
2. I would suggest when you are closer to race day (six weeks out or so) I would be doing lots of race distance swimming so you have that confidence. It will help you also figure out what the right pace is for you and muscle memory will take over.
3. I don’t know how many days a week you swim, but I would try three at least. One can be shorter intervals like you already do. One should be longer intervals because the only way you get used to it is by doing it. I personally would recommend pink mist as a way to get in the distance and work. The third day is long and steady, think race rehearsal stuff.
4. On race day, if you can get in the water and warm up first, that will a lot I suspect. If not, chords will work.
At at the end of the day Chris, experience will lead to reduced stress and more confidence. At this point you just need to give yourself that experience both on race day and before.
i guess I’ll try and get to transition as soon as it opens to give me time to get that jog in.
How cloesly do you time it to queue up? I want to minizime stress. Any other tips for keeping warm? No room for arm circles in the swim line.
@Derrek Sanks this was my first swim in the wetsuit and it felt very tight on my chest. I’ll try and get a few more in to loosen it up before Boulder.
@Satish Punna This was the forstbeace in a long time that I didn’t have my pre race gel and forgot to bring my pre race Gatorade. I was sipping water.
@Tom Box I was aware of the holding breath issue. It I don’t remember if I tried that as a strategy. I will add this to my race plan. Thanks.
@Scott Giljum I’ll try and incorporate the longer sets again and use it as an opportunity to get familiar with being uncomfortable.
@Paul Hough @Tim Sullivan @Al Truscott I used the “just left them go and take it easy” strategy and plan to again. I will do my best to not miss my pre swim jog. I will also start bringing run shorts/shoes and swim cords to the pool to practice this type of warm up pre swim.
Also, have you tried integrating breathing changes to your warm up and/or long sets? I like to do a couple hundred where I only breathe facing one side of the pool (forcing me to breathe on alternating sides every other length). I also like to warm up by only taking a breath every 3/5/7 strokes, sort of expanding your lung capacity slightly prior to beginning the main set.
I believe it's due to the constriction on the chest from the wetsuit, along with the gravity of realizing you're about to start something incredibly difficult. The issue with soap in the goggle was likely a factor
Two questions: 1) did you practice swimming in your wetsuit? It doesn't cure the panic, but more swims closer to race day can help minimize the effects; 2) was IMTX a jump-in start? At IMLOU we jumped off a boat dock, and that was a significant contributing issue
To address your questions:
"So what do you recommend I modify for my training sessions and race morning?"
==> For training, the above posts are all good suggestions; for race day, just plan to do the breast stroke the first 100-400 yards
"How do I find my "swim all day" mode?"
==> Do a lot more swimming, and do video analysis of your swim form. My hunch is you could have a flaw in form that causes undue fatigue
"Should I run and really work up a sweat before I queue up at the swim start?"
==> Not for an Ironman, I just don't see the value of doing that; and there's no indication that it would stop the panic
- Get in some pre race wetsuit workouts. I had none that year and skipped the Friday swim prior.
- you need to get in some longer swim sets. Do you ever do a 1000TT or any RR swim's? I'm not a swimmer and definitely no expert but my wife made the same comments about feeling out of breath and never feeling relaxed. For her it was making sure she was breathing out prior to taking in a breath. She was holding the exhale under water for the first stroke or two then trying to quickly blow prior to taking a breath. I do this when I come back from a long layoff and it results in me not getting enough air. As for feeling relaxed this takes time in the water for me and if you are struggling for air you won't be relaxed.
- someone can correct me but the snorkel should be ditched completely. I realize this is probably allowing you to get in some longer swimming but you can obviously do it as indicated by your IM swim finishes. In this or your previous IM swims do you have to stop or break them up once you get a rhythm?
- To add to what Lucas said above. I have in the past done 3/5/7 strokes in the warm up and try to work it in to the drill or faster swimming. For example and will try to use less breathing when timing the swim golf going for 3's in the 1st 25, then 5's for the middle 50 and finish with what I can.