AQUAFEST 2025 CHENNAI
This was my first race and first open-water race! I did a couple of back-to-back 3k swims to prepare for this swim and was reasonably confident I could do a 5k on race day.
Landed in Chennai on Friday for the race on Sunday. Friday evening’s practice session was an eye-opener. I was doing it alone and did not have the confidence to cross the waves! The waves threw me around all over the place, and I got back to the hotel, wondering how I would ever cross the waves and begin the race.
The official pre-race session the next day was better. The better swimmers, mainly locals, crossed the waves and reached some distance in a matter of minutes. But some of the Hindi speakers (with little access to sea), including myself, were being tossed around by the waves. After trying for 30 minutes, I gathered the courage to cross the waves, but I didn’t go very far, as a teenager next to me started to panic and asked for help. He was probably stung. I, a novice myself, was happy to assure him, hold his hand, and swim for 5-7 mins to reach the shore. After another try, I did make it across the waves.
I have struggled with panic attacks in the open water. Had one during the practice, too.
Somehow, I got decent sleep, which surprised me given how nervous I was! I visualised what I would do if I had a panic attack during the race: take a second, breathe, and calm down! Visualisation helped.
The race started very late. The directions were not clear. The buoys were hardly visible, and the sea was visibly rough.
Nevertheless, I entered the race with some self-assurance that I would muster the courage, make it across the waves, and swim! But that was not to be, at least in the first try.
I did cross the waves, but my swim buoy snapped. Someone probably jumped on it, or maybe it was the waves. I was left wearing a belt. I swam back to the shore, looked around for a buoy and got one from someone who had completed his 2k race - kindness from complete strangers is the best kind.
Crossed the waves again, was practically swimming alone as everyone was far ahead. Thankfully, no panic attacks, and I was surprisingly composed. The buoys weren’t big enough, and poor visibility meant I wasted a lot of time not going straight to the target. Got stung on the face. Later threw up too.
The returning route was much better as I could swim straight for the shore - the buildings on the beach were easy to sight. I completed one loop, supposed to be 2.5 km, but I ended up doing 3.4 kms. I did not even think about going for the final loop - ran out of gas, and there was no confidence left.
I learnt an important lesson: get as many open-water sessions as possible before an open-water race! That practice cannot be replicated on land or in a pool; Hydrate and fuel better; Check the kit - keep extra stuff handy on the beach. Even a swim buoy. Wear the googles under the cap - we can lose the caps in waves.
Thinking back, I don’t think I knew what I was getting into signing up for a 5k race in the sea, when I learned swimming in the pool only a few months ago. Encouraging messages from the Coach and swimming mates meant that I was not wrong in reaching this conclusion - while I did not complete, it was not a bad effort.
Struggling with the waves, swimming in the rough sea, and getting stung somehow strengthened my conviction that this is what I want to do!