Vancouver T100: How to Mentally Prepare for the Swim
As race day for the T100 Triathlon in Vancouver approaches, it’s easy to get caught up in big-picture prep. But in the final few days, your focus should shift to short-term strategies, especially when it comes to the swim.
The Vancouver T100 swim course is unique, and for many athletes, it’s the most intimidating part of race day. Here's how to dial in your mindset, your gear, and your approach to the swim so you can start the race calm, confident, and ready to go.
Think Short-Term: Win the Mental Game
Instead of obsessing over what you didn’t do in training, focus on what you can do in the next few days:
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Scope out the course: When you head to the athlete check-in, take the time to walk down to the water. Better yet, get in for a short swim. Know where you’ll enter, how the Aussie exit works, and how far it is to transition.
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Pre-race warm-up: Arrive early on race day. Get in the water, do a few strokes, and adjust to the temperature. It’ll calm your nerves, adjust your core body temperature, and help your water entry and stroke feel smoother from the start.
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Bring the right goggles: Check the weather for race day—if it's going to be sunny, avoid clear lenses. A mirrored or tinted pair of swim goggles will help cut glare and ensure you can see the buoys and course markers.
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Use a mantra: Before the gun goes off, visualize the swim. Repeat something simple like “Swim strong. Swim steady.” to stay centred and composed.
- Start calmly: Don’t sprint from the gun unless you’re confident with that pace. Settle into your rhythm and trust your training. Watch for fellow swimmers, sight frequently, and pick your course. Follow the feet of fellow swimmers, but be sure to sight to see if they’re heading in the right direction.
Vancouver T100 Swim Course Tips
The Vancouver T100 swim is incredibly scenic, but also full of variables. Here’s how to navigate it:
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Sight often and breathe bilaterally if possible. Open water can be unpredictable, and the current or chop might not always work in your favour. Be sure to sight regularly to ensure you’re staying on course. If you need to compose yourself in the water, tread water or do a few strokes of breaststroke in order to recenter yourself.
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Dealing with chop. To navigate choppy water effectively, maintain a low head position and keep your body in a streamlined shape to minimize the impact of the waves. Consider slightly increasing your stroke rate and adjusting your breathing to breathe to the side with the least chop.
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Stay out of the washing machine. If you’re not comfortable in close quarters, start to the side or back of your wave at the start of the swim and build into your effort. Mass starts can often be hectic with arms and bodies all over the place, so get comfortable in the water and then push as your body allows.
Mastering the Aussie Exit
An "Aussie Exit" in open water swimming and triathlons refers to a race course design where swimmers exit the water after one lap, run a short distance (often across the beach), and then re-enter the water to swim another lap. This design is used to compress a longer swim course or to create a more exciting spectator experience.
Never done an “Aussie Exit” before? Here’s the quick lowdown:
- How to handle it:
- As you approach the exit, switch to a strong kick to get blood flowing to your legs.
- Stand up gradually in shallow water—don’t pop up too early, and try to keep control of your heart rate, which tends to spike after standing up after being horizontal for a long time.
- Run with purpose but stay relaxed.
- When re-entering, dolphin dive if it’s shallow enough, then resume your stroke smoothly.
- As you approach the exit, switch to a strong kick to get blood flowing to your legs.
Have Fun!
Your goal in these final days before you line up for the T100 Vancouver isn’t to become a better swimmer—it’s to become a calmer, smarter one. Trust your training (you’ve got this!), know the course, get to the start early, check conditions, and keep your focus.
The swim is just the start of your day—set yourself up for success by starting it strong. Have a great race out there, and we’ll be cheering you on!
