_ForceD_

hammnerdog...
I'm not slamming you, but using your experience as yet another example. Congratulations on finishing! So often I tell people who tell me that they're signing up for XX triathlon...and they figure they can survive the "short" swim and muscle their way through it..."you MUST get experience in the open water!" Just yesterday an acquaintance told me a similar story about a friend of their's, an accomplished team/pool swimmer, who had a terrible time getting through the "short" open water swim at a recent sprint tri. Whether it's lack of proper swimming technique, fear and apprehension about swimming in open water, or swimming in such close proximity (full-contact) of other swimmers...the swim is by far the most commonly misconceived discipline among first-time triathletes. Even for experienced pool swimmers.

Dan