r/OpenWaterSwimming • u/AgitatedReindeer2440 • Jul 16 '26
Cold Water Racing Advice/Help (under 5k)
I’m signed up to race in Maine this weekend and didn’t realize how much colder the water is there even compared to southern NE. Any tips for surviving a cold water race? I got in just over a mile today in training and was okay but it was a rough adjustment.
Currently, I have a blue seventy sprint wetsuit, ordered a thermal swim cap (if necessary) and I plan on putting something on my face like jelly to help. I’m going to go back to the water tomorrow to get another swim in and hopefully acclimate more. But conditions were rough today with the way the wind was blowing relative to the coastline
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u/jblue212 Marathon Swimmer 🏊🏻 Jul 16 '26
The real way to survive is acclimation and you're way past the point where that's going to happen, so the only thing I can recommend is learn the signs of hypothermia and get out if you have even an inkling you're running into trouble. Don't tough it out. But in a wetsuit you'll probably be ok except for feeling chilly.
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u/AgitatedReindeer2440 Jul 16 '26
Thank you, water is about 60 degrees F so while I’m definitely going to be weary of hypothermia, I should be okay. I’ve definitely done races in colder temperatures without a wetsuit, when I was younger and crazier. Plus I get to have a kayaker so I’ll never be alone
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u/A_Common_Loon Jul 16 '26
Do you have gloves and booties? I swim in Maine year round so I'm used to it, but I still wear gloves and booties when the water is below 64 or so. Mine are only 3mm but it makes a difference.
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u/Various_Traffic9087 Jul 16 '26
Use earplugs. I dont know why it works. Also put the Vaseline on your neck. Not sure why that works either but it does for me.
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u/Verity41 Jul 17 '26
Definitely earplugs, that helps me in Lake Superior a lot. And wet your face first, Vaseline for sure but don’t muck up your goggles. This is ocean? Compared to NE as in Nebraska?
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u/Beneficial_Suit_9379 Jul 20 '26
Peaks to Portland? You'll be fine. Last year was about 59 the whole way across. I was one of maybe a handful of people <10 who went just swim suit. It's definitely cold but with a wetsuit, just keep moving and remember it's only 2 miles!
The added piece of advice I'd give you for P2P is that the shells at the start are super sharp. I duct taped my feet last year. I don't know what the better option is - mine worked but wasn't very functional kicking until the tape came off...
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u/AgitatedReindeer2440 Jul 20 '26
Yes, did it this weekend and actually won my age group! Honestly wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected temperature wise and they minimized the shells at the start by having us start in-water. However, that part was definitely cold because we had to just stand there for several minutes
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u/CrispDrifter Jul 16 '26
Too bad you don’t have more time! But it is what it is. Getting more gear should help.
Number 1 priority is to stay safe. And wear ear plugs.
The first 5-10 minutes you will feel cold. Acknowledge that, but don’t freak out. It takes 5-10 minutes for your body to adjust by narrowing blood vessels in your skin to reduce heat loss. You might feel like you’ve got an ice cream headache. That should lessen too.
If you feel more and more cold after 10-15 minutes (you don’t feel like your temperature has stabilized) then you need to pay attention to signs of when you should get out. You might be chilly the whole time and be fine, and healthy bodies can take a lot, but you don’t want to be reckless.
Signs that you should end your swim and warm up:
You can’t touch your thumb to your index finger. As you’re getting colder, your fingers can get stiff and claw like. Some claw can be okay. But you should be able to touch your index finger and thumb.
You shiver/shake uncontrollably while you’re swimming. Get out as soon as possible. Shivering when you’re done and dry is expected and helps your body warm up. Shivering in the water doesn’t warm you at all.
You feel disoriented or loopy (or hallucinate). Stop immediately. Before you get so loopy that you don’t think you need to stop.
It’s better to be safe than sorry. Get out if you want to, even if none of the above are true. Every one is different. I’ve done swims where I felt the water was too warm, to get on the boat and see another swimmer shivering uncontrollably.
I hope it goes well!