The Best Open Water Swim Workout for Triathlon: Ocean Speed Circuit in Santa Monica, CA

For many triathletes, the open water swim is the toughest portion of the race.  If one is living in a coastal area, this is especially true when factoring in waves.  Get ready to read about the best open water swim workout for triathlon in the history of man.  Well, not the *entire* history of man.  Maybe “most epic open water experience since scurvy” is more apropos.  Though this open water triathlon workout won’t make your gums swell, the Ocean Speed Circuit will leave you feeling like an animal.

Triathlon has 5 sections.  Swim, T1 (transition 1), bike, T2 (transition 2) and run.  Most people new to triathlon focus only on the 3 sections everybody thinks about:  swim, bike, run.  The distance between the swim portion and T1 for people doing coastal triathlons can be a bear and a place to shave time.  This is usually the section where triathletes have to run through deep sand to get to their bikes in the transition area.  Like the open water swim, this section is the most difficult to simulate.  Until now.

The Ocean Speed Circuit is a weekly workout in Santa Monica, California that simulates triathlon with a series of open water entrances and exits combined with a stretch of deep sand running.  Think: big triangle with one side as the sand run.  Bring the pain and priceless experience (and parking machine cash).

Just like a triathlon, there is a mass start on the beach.  The group quickly stretches out as the experienced swimmers and triathletes jump ahead.  A few hundred feet out, past the break, there is a giant orange buoy (pictured above).  Swimming in a clock-wise fashion, the group rounds the buoy and makes their way to a cone on the shore.  After not getting pounded by the surf, each person rounds the cone and runs in the sand towards the entry point.  That’s lap 1.  If you are a newbie, 2 laps might be enough to make you feel like you got a good workout.  If you are a lifelong swimmer and have gills, you may do 4 laps at race pace and kick Neptune in the crotch.  Totally your call.

Don’t forget:

1.  There is NO lifeguard on duty

2.  This is not a coached session…each person swims at their own risk and is responsible for their own safety

3.  Bring cash for the parking machine

4.  Bring wetsuit just in case it’s cold

5.  Bring brightly colored swim cap (no blue, white or grey)