Open water swimming is either the best part of triathlon — or the reason you haven’t signed up yet. This week, we’re talking about it.

In this bonus episode of Girls Talk Tri, April and Kate break down everything you need to know before your first open water swim: what to wear, what to bring, what to do when the washing machine start feels like actual chaos, and — most importantly — what to do if you panic. Spoiler: you’re not the only one. Kate’s first open water swim with goggles nearly ended her triathlon career before it started, and April grew up as what she calls a “sea witch” in Minnesota lakes (which, it turns out, is not the same as swimming in a race with 300 of your closest strangers). We’re sharing the tips we wish someone had handed us on the pool deck, and taking some hot takes on the sport’s most debated open water questions.

In this episode:

• Wetsuit 101 — when to wear one, which kind, and the calf cramp nobody warns you about
• Goggles, caps, and why you should always pack a backup pair
• The washing machine start: what it actually feels like and how to survive it
• Sighting — how to swim in a straight line when there’s no black line to follow
• What to do if you panic in the water (this one is important)
• April’s Ruidoso race recon that turned into a 7-hour unexpected adventure
• Our current reads and listens: Dungeon Crawler Carl and National Park After Dark
• Hot takes: Is skipping open water practice okay? Are wetsuits cheating? Should you always start at the back?

Find us on Instagram @girlstalktri and send your open water questions, horror stories, and wins to girlstalktri@gmail.com. If this episode helped calm the nerves even a little, leave us a rating and review — it means more than you know. 🌊