Ginger Rogers might have done what Fred Astaire did, only backwards and in heels, but in distance swimming, women have the advantage. Open-water swimming attracts growing numbers of fans every year, in part due to the popularity of triathlons. Dangers inherent in ocean or lake swims make organized group outings a good idea; coaches or swim organizers can accompany swim participants to keep everyone on course and to provide supervision and sustenance on longer swims.
Basics
U.S. Masters Swimming defines distance swimming or endurance swimming as any pool event over 1,650 yards, or 1508.8 meters. Alternately, the distance category applies to any swimming event over one hour in length. Open-water events get the label of distance swims regardless of their length and duration. The 2008 Summer Olympics hosted the first distance open-water marathon race, the 10 km swim, won by Larisa Ilchenko and Maarten van der Weijden of Russia and The Netherlands respectively.
Buoyancy
Part of the effort you make during distance swims goes toward just staying afloat. In general, women have 11 percent higher body-fat percentages than men, but 8 percent less lean muscle mass than men, according to Dianne Hales, author of "An Invitation to Health." Whereas men collect fat in the waist and abdomen, women collect fat lower, in the hips and the thighs, making the energy-hungry muscles in the legs float better. Because fat is buoyant, the higher body fat percentage gives women a slight advantage in energy conservation during long swims.
Water Temperature
Conditions vary in open water, in contrast to pool conditions, and lakes and ocean water can be very cold. The higher body-fat makeup of women helps insulate them somewhat better than men in very cold conditions, and their better buoyancy allows them to swim faster without exhausting themselves in the process. Extreme warm-water conditions might favor leaner swimmers, but no studies exist proving the benefit of lower fat percentages in warm water conditions.
Considerations
Any advantage a woman has in buoyancy might be made up for in the increased pulmonary capacity and overall strength of a man. Long-distance swimmers face changeable and often challenging conditions in the open water, including large waves and powerful currents. Elite racer Fred Crippen died during a swim event in the United Emirates in 2010, where water temperatures rose near 90 degrees F. The untimely death raised questions about maximum and minimum water temperatures and long-distance swimming.
References
- ABC News/Health: Fran Crippen's Sister Says Swimmer Voiced Safety Concerns; Andrea Canning; October 2010
- U.S. Masters Swimming: USMS Long Distance Swimming
- Swimmer: Lynn Cox Open Water Pioneer; Laura Jones; April 2011
- "An Invitation to Health;" Dianne Hales; 2006
- FINA: Structure -- Open Water; Craig Lord; 2008
- "The Daily News of Open Water Swimming;" Olympic Champion Larisa Ilchenko Retires; Steven Munatones; March 2011
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