How is your Cold Water Acclimatization going? – see earlier blog

So, you need a new wet suit? Cool, I think we all need to treat ourselves to comfort when it comes to any athletic sports wear, so why not in your new wet suit too. From your research online, you would have found there are so many on the market, with reviews and feedback from 'star' Triathletes. Although somewhat helpful, it's hard to decern between those marketing ploys to purchase the latest suit technology and actually feedback about a particular suit from actual experience/usage. Keep in mind when reading these articles/reviews that just because the winner of a certain Triathlon won wearing a particular suit, is not an indication that this suit is the winner's secret or for that matter, the winning magic for your next event. So just like any purchase of equipment, it takes a fitting and asking around for feedback from your peer group.

We have such a great tool for research online these days, but this tool can often make the choice more challenging, virtually. I do not recommend an online purchase of an unknown company on an unknown brand and most certainly not for a first time wet suit purchase. Refund policys can often be complicated or impossible. Plan to get out and visit a local store for this important purchase. Here are a few tips for picking the shop and how to prepare for the fitting.

I recommend that you first find a shop, local, that offers at least 3 different brands for try on. Consider going with a training buddy, if possible, so you have someone to help make the choice with you. Even better if he/she is ready to buying too, as there may be a discount in the double purchase from the store. Some other things to consider when choosing the store are:

• Availability of Sales Support Staff - Is there someone there the help you – 1on1 sales help – or be sure to take a friend (training buddy) with you.
• Temperature – Trying on wet suits is hot business. You will get hot and sweat while trying on the suits, so pick a cool day or a store which had great air conditioning.
• Under Garment - Be sure to take along your swim suit or tri shorts and keep them on while trying on suits. If the changing area is a tight cubical, don’t be modest. Get out into the hallway where you have room to move around. Don’t be shy with the sales person as they have likely seen it all, before the met you and trying on the suit will have them right into your 'personal space'. Now, there is nothing to read between the lines here. I’m sure all wet suit sales persons are on the ‘up and up’ when it comes to helping out clients, I’m just saying be prepared and be open to being slightly more exposed then what might be ‘normal’ and wearing a swim suit base garment will help to eliviate a lot of undue stress.

Right, so you picked to store. Perfect, here are a few more tips:

• Time - Pick a time that isn’t really busy. Saturday 2 pm is not a good time. Monday 9:30 am is a good time. You will need a good 90 minutes to try on your 3 suits.
• Shower - Do us all a favor and have a shower before you go trying on your suits. You are going to break a sweat and will be in close proximity to either your sales help or your training buddy so be kind… if it’s in your nature.
• Sticky Deodorant - Don’t apply a heaping amount of deodorant either for this venture, just a thin layer will do. There is an expectation, that people trying on wet suits will sweat, from the dealer’s point of view, but they don’t expect your brand of deodorant all over the suits and nor do you want someone elses used 'Old Spice' slathered on your body.
• Nails - Long nails are totally out, unless you want to be responsible to purchase the 'try on' suit you've just torn a big hole in. Take a moment to trim your nails prior to the session. For the athletes with faux nails, I’m not sure what to suggest, accept for sure, those Dragon Lady nails are totally out! If they are those rounded types, which are sort of thick and not too long, it could well work. Better, just wet suit shopping on one of your ‘cuticle breathing’ days.
• Washroom Visit: Oh, and be sure to go and have a pee (or more) prior to starting as with all the bending, sitting, standing, jumping on the spot, squeezing your abs, stretching, struggling, huffing and puffing some ‘issue’ is likely to come up down there.

So, with that, I think we’ve gotten all the personal formalities of picking the shop and preparing yourself for the fitting, out of the way. Now, off you go to make your purchase.

Coach K

Our human bodies have the ability to acclimatize to being, some what, comfortable in colder environments. We especially can acclimatize to colder water. The plan is to spend the next 3-4 weeks acclimatizing to colder water in your shower or bath. The process will take no extra time in your day and can be done during your current showering routine – assuming you shower daily.

You should start the acclimatization process at least 3-4 weeks in advance of your first open water swims. Basically you are going to begin showering daily at a slightly colder temperature, reducing the temperature of your shower water weekly. You could shower more than once a day for a better effect. Naturally bathing – bath tub – works just fine too.

First, let’s define a shower and Bath:

• Shower - Let’s assume a shower is completely soaking and for more than 15 minutes. This includes getting your head wet for most of the time too – in fact, the head and face are both quite important in this process.
• Bath - The water should be deep, to mid rib cage while sitting and for more than 15 minutes.

So in the first week, you’ll shower (at least daily) at ¼ less hot water, then you regularly do. Then, the next week reduce by ¼ again. By the 3rd week you are showering in nearly just cold tap water. On the 4th week, you should be able to handle showering in just cold tap water.

Now, I know this does not seem pleasant and in fact, showing in cold tap water in NOT pleasant. But the idea here is to take away the natural aggrivation (sensation) of being cold. Currently, it is likely shocking to be in nearly cold tap water temperature for any short or long period of time. In 3-4 weeks, it will be ‘do-able’. You’ll have to just trust me on this – Suck it up Buttercup!

Sure, you could start open water swimming with your wet suit or without – without acclimatizing. Eventually (a month or 2 down the road), you will get to the same place as acclimatizing as I've suggested above. However, if you start to acclimatize prior the experience will be so much more enjoyable. There is nothing worse than shivering so hard after 15 minutes that you can’t swim, talk, towel off, walk, change, or ride your bike to get home. If you get really cold, it will become totally uncomfortable and might take a good hour or 2 to totally recover. By following my suggestion above, you will be able to swim much longer without getting really cold and you will recover much quicker, should you get quite cold.

I know this works as I do this annually in Toronto prior to taking my athlete into open water for training – yes, I’m in the water with them! If I don’t do it, I just shiver away after 15 minute like everyone else. Nothing less motivating than the coach instructing with blue lips and shivering so hard you can’t understand the instructions!

Naturally we are all different and your response to the cold water and the cold water acclimatization will vary, but you can be sure to have some gains in ‘cold water coping’ by acclimatizing in advance. Now, get up and go take a cool shower!

Coach K