5 Tips How to Prepare for Your First Open Water Swimming Race – Island Man

The Island Man with the concept of Fit for Sea is coming soon in a month (on Saturday the 5^th of October in 2019) on a beautiful island of Thailand, Koh Chang. And many of you might be wondering what to do and how to prepare yourself, your body, and your mentality for. The sports for this event include 1.5Km swimming in the sea, 2Km kayak, 2Km running on the beach carrying coconut, CrossFit circuit, and 5Km running in the juggle.

As swimming in the sea is the first challenging sport that you are going to nail it, let’s gear up for your first open water swimming race together.

The process of getting ready to swim fast is one that is demanding and individual for each person. We each have our own approaches to racing, our training routines, our special meals, and so on.

Although there is no pattern that works for everyone, there are somehow necessary and worth-to-know tips that will help you to be physically and mentally well-prepared for the upcoming open water swimming race of the Island Man in October.

1. Stay consistence with your cardio workouts.

Why is this important? Of course, it is due to the fact that swimming is one of the cardiovascular exercises. So it is helpful for you to keep your physical fitness strong by doing any exercise that increases your heart rate and improves your cardiovascular endurance.

For example, you may try to set a timer, and walk up and down the distance of the pool, trying to walk exactly as fast as you want to swim. And you can simulate the breathing you are aiming to do.

2. Simulate the race.

This is one of the important ways for practicing. First, you may rehearse your swimming in a pool and then if you are not far from the sea, you can head out to the open water with the real ocean currents and practice your swim.

Believe me, this will not only help you get used to open-water swimming, but it also gives you enjoyment like you are swimming in the sea on a holiday.

3. Have a solid base of training.

6-7 weeks before the event is a crucial time in the preparation timetable for you to review your training progress. Figure out which form of training is best for you, and then continue doing it consistently.

Remember, you owe it to yourself to do everything in your power to make this experience worthwhile.

4. Relax and take care of yourself.

When it comes to 1 week before the competition, which is by far the most significant time in meet preparation. At this point in the season, you have put in the hours and the hard work, so make it count and take good care of your health by adequate sleep, proper diets, and meditation.

5. Visualize your success.

Who knows, how much visualization will amazingly help you improve your performance if you do not give it a try. However, to make the most of this tool, you should be practicing it long before the big competition.

Either way, sit down 20-30 minutes before your race and visualize it in glorious details from beginning to end, burning the performance into your brain so that the moment you step up on the beach, you will get the sensation that you have already raced this race 1,000 times. This way, you will gain great confidence.

Finally, book the ticket and get ready to join us at Island Man on Koh Chang, Thailand.