Rekta Tri Club: Open Water Swimming
Into the blue: Team Rekta during open water swim practice (photo by Coach Bhenjo)
Open water swimming is the first event in a triathlon. Here in the Philippines, all open water swim leg of a triathlon is done in the sea but I have seen races in other countries where they hold the open water swim in a lake. Wherever this event takes place however, it is still scary as compared to swimming within the safety confines of a pool where there is a lifeguard, corners where one can rest, a pool bottom that you can reach, and a line that guides you from start to finish.
In open water, there is only the ocean surrounding you and the deep waters under your feet. Just these thoughts send me to panic, to ease this and ditch my fear, I joined Rekta Tri Club’s- my triathlon team- open water session at Subic.
We arrived at about 0800H at All Hands Beach Resort. A little while later, we were already at the shore in preparation for the swim. It was scary seeing the buoys stretching up to 250-m away from us. I have no idea how am I going to swim that far, then return to the shore again when a 25-50m lap at the pool already sends me gasping for breath.
I had no to time to think because our coach told us to start swimming. All fear went away after that and I discovered that open water swimming is one of most exhilarating activities. We went around following the buoys completing the 1.2-km loop. It was much easier to swim in the ocean than in the pool because of the buoyancy so I still have energy to play around after our training.
Instructing us was Coach Bhenjo Bernardo- he taught us about sighting for us not to lose sight of where we are going, and other techniques such threading and back floating so that we can rest and recover while on deep waters. Most importantly, he encouraged us and boosted our confidence when the swim feels difficult.
I did two 500-m swims again after our activity. It was a bit scary going alone but I found out that I enjoyed the silence of the water, and of the sky whenever I do a back float. The sunlight streaming underwater was also beautiful, as well as the mountains outlining the horizon. I can't help but remember that as a child, it was my dream to be a swimmer- this thought calmed me especially in the part where there are no buoys that I can hold.
After lunch I did another 200-m easy swim- it feels so nice to be at sea. If at the beginning, the vastness of the sea feels stifling and scary, it vanished at the end and was replaced by an enveloping sense of calmness and freedom.
Swimming in the open water- it feels that it is one of the things I am born to do.
Let's swim again! :)
