Quick tricks for replicating open water training in the pool

• Simulating longer distance 'no-break' swims: Begin by swimming 200m continuously, without pausing or touching the pool walls at each end. Remember to factor in a 'no-touch' turn around as you approach the wall. If space in the pool allows.

• Close your eyes: Swim 8 to 10 strokes in the pool with your eyes closed, then sight above water. This will help you learn to swim straight without using the bottom of the pool as a guide.

• Get off to a fast start: Practice a few sets of fast starts, followed by settling down to a more relaxed pace.

• Dolphin it: Practice dolphin dives (pushing forward off the bottom in a series of short dives to propel yourself through shallow water)

• See what you can see: Practice regular sight-breathing in the pool, lifting your head up to look forward in rhythm with your breathing. Start by looking up every eight strokes.

• Pack the Lanes: One of the most daunting aspects of swimming in a triathlon swimming in a pack of people, all fighting for the same space in the water. To get used to the chaos of swimming in a pack, swim 25s with two other people in the same lane. All three of you should start at the same time and fight for the lead until you reach the other end.

Get out of the pool and go into the outdoors!

• Get a practise: Swim in, just so you can get a feel for the surroundings, what's underfoot, what the entry and exit look like. Working out in the open water enables a quick acclimatization for everything that Mother Nature can bring: wind, waves, surface chop, cold. It is necessary to mix open water swimming in with your pool workouts before you transition to more.

• Get to know the venue: If arriving a day early is viable, get a practise swim in. Look at the swim course and work out whether there are any large, fixed landmarks (pylons, tall buildings) or notable trees on the horizon that you can loosely use for sighting.

• Gearing up for open water swimming: You will need to invest in a wetsuit and it is imperative that your wetsuit fits your body properly.  Try lots of different designs on to find a cut to suit your body shape. When looking at the features, you need to think about whether you kick hard, whether you would like warmth over flexibility, how the neck sits and what your budget is. Men and women are also different shapes so buy a wetsuit designed for your gender.