Most new triathletes will point to one element of racing as being the most nerve-wracking. Yes, while there is a lot to consider in multisport (transitions, skintight outfits, chafing and trying to get trainers on without socks, just for starters!) it’s the open-water swimming that causes the most sleepless nights. More so than that, it’s taking on a sea swim that can be the most worrying – and while you can manage that by only racing in fresh water (mainly lakes) – this means you’re automatically ruling yourself out of so many great events, including qualification to world champs, if they’re held in a coastal area.
Often these worries come down to lack of experience, as well as fears or phobias (we’ll level with you – it might have been a terrible robotic shark and two sinister notes, but Jaws has a lot to answer for). After all, if you haven’t grown up in the surf then there’s a lot you won’t have experienced, including waves, swell, tides and currents, rips and wildlife. It’s a shame, though, as a fear of sea swimming means you’re missing out on one of nature’s greatest playgrounds, as well as the chance to confidently compete in some of the best triathlons.
So, over the next few pages, we enlisted the help of experts Norma MacLeod and Steve Bowens, authors of the ‘Safer Sea Swimming’ course (available online) to guide you through how to approach the ocean. Let’s dive in…
BAPTISM OF FIRE
Eager to get a taste for multisport, Ben Clement takes on the duathlon at Xterra Matterley in Hampshire and discovers it's far from a walk in a park...
SWIMMING'S GREATEST INNOVATION
FORM’S NEWSMART, SWIM 2 GOGGLES PROJECT YOUR ACCURATE!} HEART RATE ONTO THE. GSGELE. LENS FOR ON-THE-FLY FEEDBACK, IT’SSET TO TRANSFORM THE PERFORMANCE OF ALL EEVELS OF TRIATHLETE. WE SHOW YOU HOW..;
ON TEST TRIATHLON BAGS
In need of a pack to keep all of your kit organised on race day? We put seven options to the test
TRIATHLON WETSUITS UNDER £400
On a budget? Then there are some great wetsuits out there, starting at a little over £100. Here's our pick...
LONG DISTANCE RACES FOR LESS
Struggling to stomach the cost of a full or middle-distance tri? These picks will test you physically and mentally, without being as painful on your pocket...
HOW TO CONQUER SWIMMING IN THE SEA
The sea is nature's greatest swimming pool - and features in many of the world's best triathlons. But if you're new to oceanic adventures, it can be daunting. Here's how to feel at home...
THE POWER OF RESILIENCE
Georgia Taylor-Brown is one of Great Britain's finest triathletes whose strength of spirit has seen her overcome a litany of injuries and personal issues that would end the careers of most. And, as Adam Leitch finds out, just making the 2024 Olympic team would be her biggest victory to date..
QUINTANA ROO V-PRI
QUINTANA ROO’S BACK WITH AN UPGRADE ON ITS V-PR. ON THE FACE OF IT, IT LOOKS IMPRESSIVE, BUT YOULL NEED DEEP POCKETS...
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
Hugo Milner may be fairly new to the sport of triathlon, but he's already one of Britain's brightest prospects in years. In fact, he's that good he even has an outside chance of heading to Paris...
"I DON'T LET THE STROKE AFFECT MY DECISION TO RACE"
In 2022, personal trainer Richard Higgins, 33, suffered a stroke two months before Celtman, but he refuses to waste any energy thinking about it...
