Triathlon - 1st open water swim - sick from pond water?

So I had my first open water swim - Walden Pond, W. Concord, MA. Great spot but without my usual pool conditions and maybe concentration I wound up swallowing a lot of pond water. I was fine until that afternoon and evening where I kind of had some gastrointestinal incongruities ...

Any suggestions for NOT swallowing water? It seems like when I went for a breath I got water in my mouth, and instead of inhaling it, which is good, I swallowed it, which is bad. I'm not sure why my body would have trouble just expelling the water. Maybe because I was out of air and had nothing left to blow out?

It was a nuisance because every time this happened I lost that breath and went further without breathing.

maybe roll your body a touch more so your mouth clears the water better? without seeing you swim it's tough to say. short of that just keep it in your mouth until you go back to face down and just blow it out. in open water you will tend to have that happen to a degree.


edit... how often are you breathing?

get used to it? Or swim more

maybe roll your body a touch more so your mouth clears the water better? without seeing you swim it's tough to say. short of that just keep it in your mouth until you go back to face down and just blow it out. in open water you will tend to have that happen to a degree.

+1 Just dont panic when you get water in your mouth...its normal....when I go back face down, when I exhale out I make sure to purse my lips at the end to spit the water out...almost like you see people spitting tobacco......

Have you tried to lay on the pool steps sideways to practice breathing with water resting in your cheek?

got back to the pool - felt good to get back to me concentration. wow the lake was so distracting. I'll try the lake again cuz the weather is nice but I find the pool is better for concentrating on everything.

thanks for your suggestions! I have not tried that pool step thing.