Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

Are you a follower or a leader? In a pack of swimmers competing in the open water, are you more comfortable sitting in the lead or sitting back in the pack? In the pack, do you prefer to sit on the heels of the leader, smack dap in the middle of the pack or at its trailing edge?

What does a leader think or have as a strategy? In general, these individuals include those who are comfortable in making the rest of the pack follow their pace, those who want to swim their own race pace, and those who want to make a concerted surge in the lead or to win.

What does someone who prefers swimming in the upper tiers think or have as a strategy? In general, these individuals are prefer to conserve energy and are comfortable in waiting for others to push or reduce the pace. They are skilled in responding immediately to changes in the pace and direction of the pack.

What does someone who prefers swimming in the in the trailing tiers think or have as a strategy? In general, these individuals love hanging back and really swimming comfortably in the rear and love to respond to changes towards the end of the race?

What type of swimmer are you?

Photo from the Maraton Acuatica Internacional Santa Fe – Coronda in Argentina.

Copyright © 2015 by World Open Water Swimming Association