After months of hard training, swimmers from the FCAT-Towaoc Swim Club joined members of the Durango Swim Club to complete an open-water swim on McPhee Reservoir. Held on June 29, the swim required participants to swim more than two miles through McPhee’s brisk water. Along with providing a unique training opportunity, the event allowed teammates to come together and bond outside the pool setting. By the end of the swim, athletes were left tired, but excited and eager to continue training and competing throughout the upcoming year.
While swimmers generally spend the vast majority of their time training within the concrete confines of pools, open-water swimming can provide a unique physical training experience. Unlike pool water, open water is often cold, murky and unsteady. As a result, swimmers often experience muscle fatigue and difficulties with visibility. Waves can make breathing uncomfortable and water inhalation is always a possibility.
“The cold water was definitely a challenge,” explained FCAT-Towaoc swimmer, Emily Harris. “It was tough to get used to. My harms felt heavy and my back felt stiff.”
“Trying to get my stroke right in the open water was especially difficult,” stated FCAT-Towaoc swimmer Mae La Paz. “It certainly pushed me out of my element a little bit, but it was fun.”
Along with the physical benefits provided by open-water swimming, swimmers benefit mentally from swimming in open water. Whereas pools have defined walls and visible bottoms, lakes are open and can cause swimmers to feel uncomfortable and exposed.
“Not being able to see the bottom and not being able to stop at the wall was difficult,” said FCAT-Towaoc swimmer Leonard La Paz. “There were times that I felt a bit nervous.”
In the end, every swimmer who participated in the lake swim overcame physical and mental challenges and swam well. In doing so, each athlete took an important step forward in preparing for the remainder of the competitive swim season.
In addition to the training benefits that the open-water swim provided, the event provided an opportunity for team members to bond. Bonding opportunities are especially important for swim teams because socialization between teammates is often limited during practice. Because heads are underwater, verbal exchanges are infrequent.
“The lake swim was really nice because it allowed us to interact and engage with one another,” stated Harris. “We have always been a close team, but fun swims like this allow us to become even closer.”
“It was really neat to see everyone enjoying one another,” added Mae La Paz. “Teammates were cheering one another on and watching out for one another. It was a great.”
Following the swim, athletes ate lunch, lounged on the beach and enjoyed some casual boating. In the end, the swim proved to be an enjoyable experience for all and an experience that swimmers will undoubtedly remember for years to come.