Long-distance triathlon glossary·Sea legs

Sea legs : wobbly legs out of the water

Swim

The 30-60 s wobbly feeling when you exit the swim.

After 30-90 min horizontal, the vestibular system and venous return need tens of seconds to readjust to upright. Result: dizziness, wobbly legs, sometimes nausea. It's NORMAL and short-lived : sprinting out of the water is counter-productive.

In TriPaced:

TriPaced doesn't prescribe transitions explicitly, but the first 30 s of T1 should be deliberately calm: breathe, walk steadily, focus on what comes next. You make up 5-10 s in transition; you lose minutes from a cardiac panic.

Source Nowak M. et al., 1997 : Vestibular reflexes and postural equilibrium after swimming (Aviat Space Environ Med) - orthostatic reorientation post-immersion

Related terms

  • CSS : Critical Swim Speed
  • Swim zones : from Z1 recovery to Z5 VO2max
  • Open water : swimming in lakes, sea or rivers
  • Wetsuit : triathlon neoprene suit
  • Drafting in swimming
  • Sighting: open water navigation (head lifts)