2019-06-01_220_Triathlon

ELITE ADVICE

Open-Water Swim Special 2019 / / 17

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NO BLACK LINES

I love the unpredictability of

openwater, the tactics of racing in it.

You’renot just following a black line

everyday. That really hooked me.

SWIM SMARTER

Inopenwater, it’s not always the fastest

swimmer who wins; sometimes it’s

thesmartest. It’s a bit like road

cycling in that way.

GO FURTHER

Theendurance side has always

appealed to me. I guess I’m bloody-

minded, but I do love the grind

ofswimming races up to 10km!

JACK BURNELL

ON ENJOYING

OPEN WATER

TOP

TIPS

you’retrainingforsomethingthat’s
3.8km,thenyouneedtobedoing
6-7kmswimsinthepooltogetused
to doingthatcomfortably.There’s
no magicwand,I’mafraid!

220: HowabouttipsforIronman
swim marginalgains?
Jack: I think,forme,thetacticsin
terms ofdraftingandconserving
energyarekey.Yes,youcanget

fitter.I thinkthat’sa given.

Everyone’slookingforanedgein

termsofequipment,butformethe

nextinimportancewoulddefinitely

beyourpositionwithintherace.

Somepeopledoa lotofhardwork

unnecessarilyinanopen-water

race.It couldbethey’reswimming

justtotheleftofsomeoneinclear

water,butthey’renotovertaking

thatperson.Thereforea goodmove

is to give up a couple of strokes and

justsitinbehind.It won’tcostyou

anytime,butit willconserveyoua

lotofenergyandthen,if youdo

haveextraenergy,getridofit atthe

endtosurgeaheadratherthan

wastingit inthemiddleoftheswim.

220:Whatwouldyourtipsbetoget

fasterinshorterswims,Jess?

Jess:I wouldsaytryworkingon

yourtechniqueatleastoncea

week.I stillworkonminenowas

it’sreallydifficulttochangeyour

stroke!I focusonstrengthquite

a lottoo,sothroughthewinterI

usedragshortstogetstrongin

thepool.Also,a thingthatpeople

don’tdothatoftenis flexibility

“It’s about putting the miles in.

An easy route just doesn’t exist.”