June 2, 2026 - Open Water
First, take a minute to thank and visit Sara Mclarty's Swim Like a Pro website.
Open Water Swimming Discussion
Glenn introduced a meeting with special guests Sarah McLarty and Craig Beardsley, both University of Florida alums, to discuss open water swimming. He mentioned filming with Brooke Bennett and noted how her stroke has changed due to focusing on open water swimming. Glenn highlighted Sarah's achievements as a 4-year swimmer at University of Florida and her success in triathlons, while introducing Craig's background as an Olympic swimmer and world record holder. The meeting began with Glenn asking Craig to discuss Swim Across America, an event focused on promoting safe open water swimming experiences.
Swim Across America Fundraising Events - Find Your Swim here
Craig explained that Swim Across America is primarily a fundraising organization that uses open water swimming events to support cancer research, having raised over $100 million since 1987. He emphasized the importance of proper preparation and safety in open water swimming, noting that many participants underestimate the difficulty of transitioning from pool swimming to ocean swims. Glenn shared information about upcoming Swim Across America events across the country, including the Chicago swim in late August, and mentioned his research on the history of open water swimming.
Swimming Training Videos Discussion
Glenn and Sara discussed swimming training videos, with Sara expressing satisfaction with the current content and recommending that any new videos should challenge swimmers outside their comfort zones. Sara shared her approach to coaching different age groups, explaining how she treats adult swimmers as volunteers who can choose to follow suggestions rather than enforcing strict compliance. Barbara asked about managing swimmers who refuse rest periods during a specific training set, and Sara advised that coaches should respect different motivations for attending practice while encouraging those seeking improvement to follow the suggested approach.
Open Water Swimming Regulations
Glenn and Sara discussed the importance of respecting people's training choices without making assumptions about their goals, using a social media trend as an example. They then compared rules between triathlon and open water swimming events, noting that while triathlons have specific regulations about touching buoys and boats, Swim Across America events have fewer restrictions except at the start and finish. Glenn mentioned that in longer open water races like a 10-mile swim, participants cannot touch anything during feeding breaks, and Helen confirmed that USA swimming rules prohibit touching the bottom in open water or triathlon events.
Open Water Swimming Techniques
Glenn, Helen, and Sara discussed open water swimming techniques and safety considerations. They covered topics including USA Swimming rules, body position drills, and the importance of wetsuits for less experienced swimmers. Sara explained her approach to coaching different skill levels, from beginner triathletes to advanced swimmers preparing for World Championship qualifying events. The conversation also touched on sighting techniques in open water, with Sara sharing insights about wave conditions in the Gulf of Florida.
Swimming Sighting Techniques Discussion
Glenn and Sara discussed teaching methods for swimming sighting techniques, focusing on when and how to stop during swimming to sight buoys. Sara explained that while lifting eyes forward to sight is the faster method, some beginners naturally prefer turning their head to breathe and then rolling eyes forward, and coaches should accommodate natural tendencies rather than forcing a specific method. Sara emphasized the importance of developing consistent breathing and sighting patterns, recommending glancing up every 6-9 strokes to maintain proper course, particularly important in crowded races where swimmers need to avoid collisions.
Swimming Techniques and Safety Buoys
Glenn and Sara discussed swimming techniques, focusing on proper body positioning and breathing during freestyle swimming. They noted that forward-first movement is faster and more commonly used in competitive swimming, and Sara emphasized the importance of nose exhaling while swimming face-forward. The conversation also covered the evolution of safety buoys in open water swimming events, with Sara explaining the variety of buoy designs now used for safety and tracking purposes in triathlons.
Open Water Swimming Strategies
Sara and Lana discussed strategies for open water swimming, including when to fight for position versus maintaining safety, and the role of kayakers in long-distance swims. They explained that swimmers should trust their kayakers to set direction while focusing on pace, and described how drafting can provide a 30-40% energy savings when done properly. Lana shared techniques for handling close drafting situations, including looking for foot bubbles and adjusting hand entry to avoid kicking, while also discussing her experience with swim run events where tethering requires even more careful positioning.
Open Water Swimming Techniques
Glenn and Sara discussed techniques for open water swimming, focusing on cadence, energy management, and the differences between pool and open water swimming. Sara explained that in open water, higher stroke cadence helps maintain momentum due to waves and other disturbances, while in pools, swimmers can afford more extended gliding. She advised preparing for challenging open water events like the Mackinac Island swim by practicing no-walls swimming, sighting, and drafting in the pool. Glenn and Sara agreed to plan a future session to further discuss open water training techniques, and they mentioned upcoming sessions with other swimmers like Jessica Hardy.
