Swimming over people

Not having been through the washing machine, I am nervous about the potential for being swum over, kicked, losing goggles, and generally being pushed about.

If someone thwacked me during a swim I would feel a distinct urge to (edit edit edit) get my own back.

Is there a protocol to overtaking in the open water?

Not that I have noticed! Being a slow swimmer I avoid trouble by always starting to one side or at the back. I have actually been pushed under the water and swum over, so now I make sure to stay out of the way.

Other then a few bumps have not really struggled with the start of the two i've done

Agree with Pugsley.  If you let your anger or frustration get the better of you then you are more likely to panic and get in a mess, or swim off too fast and then suffer later.

Take it in your stride and aim for the clear water.

Blisters, we practice this at our club so you get very used to it.I would say don't put yourself infront of faster swimmers as much as possible. Also without being aggressive you can hold your own space, I have pushed people off that are swimming into me. Nothing nasty just stopping myself getting hurt.

The only person I've ever elbowed back was the one who after we'd collided put her hand on my shoulder and attempted to use me to push off on.  Totally unecessary - we were both near the end and in the middle of the lake. Every other time you just move away and get on with your own race!

No, Doozer, for many of us it is 3800m!

watch this for tips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3S0wu4Zbfk

agree thats it usually just the start..and all my hits are accidental from people where you are just swimming at an off angle and clash........apart from enduroman this year when it was 13 laps and just a couple of the fast boys were so rude that when they lapped they were pushing and kicking..even got one of the marshalls........there were less than 40 people in the lake and no need for it....it would have been faster just to go around that over........when one grabbed my legs down and then pulled me down then i did stand up and swore loudly .......i couldn't get hiws number as it was on the other side but the lap counter got it.......

the Yanks seem to be particulalry brutal in the swim - no prisoners at all.  IMFlorida was a 3.8K fight (2200 started).   

but then Smiley Lady got punched in the face deliberately during the swim exit for lap 2 at IMCH.  the punch broke her nose but they never did find out who did it - no video evidence and you try telling the differenece between one person in a wetsuit wearing a swim cap and goggles and another.  she finished btw - tough old bird is SL...

I've only deliberately hit one other in the swim - at London Tri. one guy kept constantly swimming into me and after the 5th time I smacked him on the head - never saw him again.

but it's always best just to focus on your own swim and accept that 99% of the time it's not personal and it happens

fat buddha wrote (see)

the Yanks seem to be particulalry brutal in the swim - no prisoners at all.  IMFlorida was a 3.8K fight (2200 started).   

but then Smiley Lady got punched in the face deliberately during the swim exit for lap 2 at IMCH.  the punch broke her nose but they never did find out who did it - no video evidence and you try telling the differenece between one person in a wetsuit wearing a swim cap and goggles and another.  she finished btw - tough old bird is SL...

I've only deliberately hit one other in the swim - at London Tri. one guy kept constantly swimming into me and after the 5th time I smacked him on the head - never saw him again.

but it's always best just to focus on your own swim and accept that 99% of the time it's not personal and it happens

I find it quite ironic that all this can go on in the swim, yet the bike is so rule heavy and enforced. I guess it's because there is no real way of policing the swim?

Kk - in what way is it ironic?

i'm with you on this one KK. All out warfare in the water (particularly at the start of the Male 40-45 age group... still trying to prove they're not past it) and then the sphincter police take over at T1 and we all have to play nicely.

Gyraffe wrote (see)

Kk - in what way is it ironic?

Well I directed that at fb because we've talked a bit about officiating and I'm interested in his views now being that side of the coin.

My point is that bike rules are enforced quite rigidly in well organised tris, quite rightly as most of them are from a safety point of view predominantly.

However, the swim is always a free for all with virtually no rules. I just find it a juxtaposition.

slowerthanilook wrote (see)

i'm with you on this one KK. All out warfare in the water (particularly at the start of the Male 40-45 age group... still trying to prove they're not past it) and then the sphincter police take over at T1 and we all have to play nicely.

Ok, I now have taken on the challenge of using the phrase 'sphincter police' in work in some context this week without raising an eyebrow.

it's almost impossible to tell what's happening in the water unless it's being heavily monitored and video'd and you won't get that unless it's a major international event like an ITU Grand Prix event.   it was the vdeo evidence that got Harry Wiltshire a ban for impeding Javier Gomez in the swim at an ITU event.

generally speaking though, most people avoid conflicts in the water but inevitably there will be clashes in a mass start and you just get on with it.  

 Can i admit I quite like the swim scum. Don't get me wrong it's me so would never elbow or punch anyone if I can in anyway help it but I'm finding that first few hundred metres while people and knocking into you invigerateing. Saying that anyone who enbow's me nomally thinking they have hit some sort of whale. kk know what you mean it's a little strange.

Err anyway first rule of swim club you do not talk about swim club.

second rule of swim club no smoking.