Swim Smooth Ltd

You know that advice about studying the course map before an open water race? 😅

Well… this morning at the 5km Best Fest race in Colònia de Sant Jordi, I managed to completely ignore it.

As the race started, I headed confidently towards the wrong beach on the wrong side of the hotel, adding a little extra sightseeing to my swim and gifting a couple of places to the competition in the process! As you can see from the map, it wasn’t exactly the recommended route.

Still, once I realised my mistake and got back on track, I was pleased with how the swim felt. Averaging 1:15/100m over 5km, the speed is coming along nicely and the body is feeling strong ahead of a big week of swimming here in Mallorca.

A timely reminder that open water success isn’t just about fitness and technique. Navigation, preparation and paying attention to the briefing matter too.

And perhaps the biggest lesson of all? Even coaches who spend years preaching these things can still get them spectacularly wrong from time to time. 😂🏊‍♂️