For the final section of the video, Sara will just swim... and you can review how she practices her skills in advance of race day.  

When you work on technique, remember to slow down so you can focus and learn.

Bilateral breathing is the most important skill you can have as a triathlete or open-water swimmer.

Use the pool to prepare for deep-water starts... 

... and for the unexpected.

Use Sara’s trick of Turning at the “T” to get ready for long swims.

Enlist your friends so you can learn to stay calm when swimming in a pack.

And to practice your drafting technique, both in the pool...

... and in open water.

Make sighting a regular part of every practice in the pool.

And in open water.

Practicing your buoys is something you can do on your own...

REFERENCE FINAL CLIP OF 164 WHERE THEY SHOW GOOD TECHNIQUE    ... or with a group.

REFERENCE 178 OR THEREABOUTS   And dolphin dives in the pool...

REFERENCE SARA HIGH-STEPPING INTO THE OCEAN AND THEN DIVING INTO THE WAVES    ... can prepare you for a fast start on race day.

The best way to have a great race is to swim within yourself.   If you’ve prepared well, at the pool and in open-water training sessions, your training will be there for you on race day if you just give it a chance.  

When the gun goes off, think of it as a signal to slow down and breathe rather than a trigger to start racing and building to a state of high anxiety.

Swim as calmly as you can to the first buoy, make the turn, and then see how you feel. 

Pick someone that you might draft behind.  You might even be surprised to find that someone is drafting off of YOU. 

Keep breathing. Keep sighting for the buoys.  Match your strokes to the rhythm of the water.  Keep swimming within yourself, and before you know it the finish line will be straight ahead.

Thanks for joining me!  I hope this video has given you the skills and techniques that will make you more confident and comfortable in open water.  If you feel confident, you’ll have more fun, and having fun is the ultimate goal of our sport.  


Sign In to watch video

Go Swim Triathlon Skills