I still remember my first open water start. Heart racing. Buoy looking impossibly far. The water below me, dark and unknowable. Everything I’d learned in the safety of my pool lane suddenly felt like it belonged to a different sport.
If that sounds familiar, this post is for you. I wrote Unlocking the Open Water Swim: The Beginner’s Guide to Competing in Open Water Events for the athlete standing at the water’s edge, half excited and half terrified.
The Problem: Open Water Feels Like a Different World
Pool swimming is comfortable. You have a wall every 25 meters (or yards). You can see the bottom. The lane line keeps you straight. Then you wade into a lake or ocean, and all of that disappears.
Most beginner triathletes and swimmers don’t lack fitness. They lack a roadmap for the open water itself. The fear isn’t irrational; it’s a signal that you’re missing specific skills and a plan to build them.
That gap is where races fall apart. Athletes who swim beautifully in the pool find themselves zigzagging, hyperventilating, or stopping to tread water within the first 200 meters. The good news? Every one of those problems is solvable.
Why I Wrote This Book
I wasn’t always an athlete. I laced up my running shoes for the first time at 48, then worked my way into triathlon and open water swimming. I’ve felt every doubt my readers feel, because I’ve lived them.
When I turned 53, I signed up for a master swim group, and that’s where I learned to swim for the first time in my life.
Over the years, I earned my certifications as a USA Triathlon Coach, USMS Level 3 Swim Coach, and WOWSA Open Water Swim Coach. More recently, I completed an 8.2-mile swim around Mackinac Island, a distance that once would have seemed impossible to the version of me clinging to that first start-line buoy.
What You’ll Learn
This is a true step-by-step guide that takes you from the comfort of the pool to the start line of your first event. Here’s what you will learn:
- Gear That Actually Helps
- Stroke Technique for Efficiency
- Pool-to-Open-Water Training
- Sighting and Navigation
- Race Day Preparation
- Mental Strategies
Real Stories From Real Swimmers
You’ll find inspiring stories from first-timers and seasoned competitors who started exactly where you are now. Their journeys prove that progress is possible, no matter where you begin.
Who This Book Is For
This guide is built for beginner triathletes eyeing their first race, pool swimmers ready for a new challenge, and any endurance athlete who feels nervous about open water. If you’re an elite open water competitor chasing marginal gains, you’ll find plenty of confirmation here, but the book is designed to meet you where the journey starts.
Book Launch Party
On Tuesday, October 13 at 7 pm, I will hold a book launch celebration at the Barnes & Noble in Huntington (301 Walt Whitman Rd, Huntington Station, NY). This will be a great opportunity for me to meet fellow athletes and share some of my personal experiences with open water swimming. I’ll also be signing copies of the book and answering any questions you may have. Come join me in celebrating this milestone achievement!
Pre-Order Today
Unlocking the Open Water Swim publishes on October 1, 2026, and you can lock in your copy right now on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Whether you’re training for your first sprint triathlon or finally signing up for that open water event you’ve eyed for years, this book is here to help you get there.
Open water isn’t a barrier. It’s your next big opportunity. Let’s get you ready for the start line.
👉 Pre-order Unlocking the Open Water Swim on Amazon
See you in the water.