Triathlon Swimming Q&A: Losing Goggles in a Race

February 1, 2010

Q: Last year, I did a triathlon race where someone ripped off my goggles. I searched for the goggles, but couldn’t find them. I finished the swim, but swallowed a ton of water. What should I do if this happens again?

A: Losing your goggles sucks, period. And it can happen even though you do everything right. Here’s what to do. If those goggles are gone and you can’t find them right away (like in 15seconds or less), then stop looking. With all of the churning water, it can be a fruitless and frustrating effort.

The next thing to do is to relax and stop worrying. It is difficult, I realize. Tell yourself that it’s not your goggles that make you float or swim. And the reality is that in most swim courses, you can’t see anything in the water even if you had the goggles. Stop for a moment, gather your wits about you, and take a deep breath. If you flail around in a panic, chances are that you will choke on a wave or a competitor passing by.

Once you are relaxed, start swimming forward again. You don’t have to quit just because some idiot got in your way! Keep your distance from other competitors as now is not the time to get aggressive. And keep your eyes closed when they are in the water. You won’t see anything anyway, and getting all that water in your eyes will make your vision blurry. Instead, make a conscious effort to open your eyes only when you turn your head to the side to breathe or upwards to sight, when your eyes are in the air. Sight frequently, and breathe frequently so that you can get your bearings and swim straight.

An odd thing happens when you close your eyes in swimming. All of the waves and turmoil around you can make you very dizzy when you hit shore and try to stand up. This is because you have no idea of what’s hitting you with your eyes closed, so your brain and nervous system quickly lose a sense of balance. So when you exit the water sans goggles, prepare to stumble a little. If it takes a moment or two, stand still at the finish, then start running once you are sure you are okay. It is a lot better than tripping and falling over.

I hope this makes a bad experience tolerable. No one wants to lose their goggles in a race. But no one wants to quit, either!

View previous triathlon swimming tips.