The sun hadn't even peeped over the hill, and I was already hot. My heart pounded. I felt squeezed in all directions, and sort of, well, rubbery. It was my first open-water swim.

I was training for my first triathlon this summer. Although all parts of the event - swim, bike, and run - intimidated me after several months of inactivity, the swim inspired the most irrational fears. I had probably spent too many hours as a little kid in the clear, chlorined waters of my local pool. Whenever I saw a murky lake, I froze. As the water lapped around my toes, I started having visions of deep water alligators, and the fearsome lake sharks. Okay, I was crazy.

Now, having completed two triathlons, I'm in love with open-water swimming. But the journey from lake sharks to confident swimming took a winding path.

I started out preparing for open-water swimming by testing out a calmer environment - a pool. By practicing breathing drills, I felt more confident in the water. I also steadily increased my distance over several weeks. I learned to be a better swimmer (and a triathlete) with the help of coaches, mentors, and participants of the Leukemia Society's Team-in-Training (http://www.teamintraining.org). But if you're mainly interested in improving swimming, a Master's program can provide coaching and motivation for all levels(http://usms.org). There are also drills and swim tips available on several website. I usually head to TriNewbies (http://www.trinewbies.com), because it's aimed at beginners like me.

When it comes to the open water, you may have an advantage that pool swimmers don't - a wetsuit. Wetsuits keep even the most lead-legged swimmers afloat. It's nice to know that you can come to a complete stop in the water and still bob about like a cork. Wetsuits also provide warmth for cold water lake and ocean swimming. Several companies make a range of wetsuits for different water temperatures and swimmer preferences. I have a wetsuit made by Orca, which I like. Other wetsuit companies include DeSoto and Quintana Roo. All of these can be found at TriSports (http://www.trisports.com).

Getting in and out of the wetsuit can be a challenge. A swim wetsuit is much tighter than one worn for surfing or other water sports. To slip in more comfortably, I use a lubricant called BodyGlide on my ankles and wrists. I also put the glide under my arms and anywhere else that might chafe during my swim. It's important not to use Vaseline to get into your banana skin - it can eat away at your wetsuit. You can also speed up the process by wearing socks, which make the suit slip more easily over your feet. (But be sure to take the socks off before getting in the water).

I also wear two caps (for warmth) and goggles during open-water swims. I'm still experimenting to find the perfect goggles. Some companies make goggles with tinted lenses, which help if the day is extremely sunny. Although you don't have to wear a cap (except for races), I like keeping my hair away from my face and making sure my head is warm.

On my first open-water swim, held in a nearby reservoir, I was extremely nervous. I took a warm-up swim before my race started. During my first few strokes, I had trouble breathing. The cold, dark water was a shock. I practiced floating in my suit, so I'd remember it would keep me up. Then I tried to slow down my stroke. This allowed me to slow my breathing and feel more centered.

When the race started, I tried to stay at the back of the pack. The first few minutes of a race swim can be scary. There's a lot of jostling for position, with people kicking, stroking, and bumping each other. Now that I'm getting more confident, I may try to start closer to the front. But for my first swim, I felt better watching the fast swimmers dive into the water ahead of me.

As we made our way to the first buoy, I felt people swimming all around me. To stay on course, I lifted my head up every few strokes to look at the buoy. This strategy, called sighting, helps you stay on track. I noticed other swimmers were straying from the course, so I tried to make sure I watched the buoys and not the brightly-colored caps in front of me. I rounded the first buoy. The swimmers had spread out, and now I could concentrate on my own stroke. I took three strokes, then a breath, three strokes, then a breath on the other side. This alternate breathing gave me another chance to see what was going on on both sides of me. I periodically looked up to check on the next buoy. Finally, I was down to the home stretch. A huge white tent stood on shore, and I aimed for it as I swam. Before the race, I had looked around for something big by the finish line that I could spot from a distance. Suddenly, my hands hit the sandy bottom. I filled my wetsuit with a final dose of water, which helps to get the sticky thing off. Then I stood up, peeled my goggles back, and ran to the finish. Hooray! I had made it. And I hadn't even been eaten by a lake shark.