My first open water swim ended in a full panic attack

I was about 200 yards out in the local lake and suddenly couldn't breathe, felt like my lungs just locked up. I had to flip onto my back and float for like 5 minutes before a kayaker came over to check on me. Has anyone else had that moment where you just freeze in the water and how did you get past it?

2 comments

2 Comments

barnes.shane8d ago

Oh man, that first open water panic is brutal. I did the same thing at a reservoir - spent my first 10 minutes doing the world's most pathetic backstroke while hyperventilating. A nice old lady in a rowboat asked if I was okay and I just wheezed "fine" while my brain was screaming. The thing that helped me was sticking to the shore for a few weeks and slowly going further out like 10 yards at a time until my lizard brain figured out the lake wasn't trying to kill me.

caseyl188d ago

Have you ever read that bit about how your brain basically re-calibrates after about 15-20 minutes in open water? I swear it's like a switch flips and you finally stop fighting it. Took me way too long to get that dialed in.