Swimmers - Cap headache?

[mrs.jacinthe]

I have a problem that I haven't yet found the solution to, so I thought I'd ask you ladies and see what the hive mind comes up with.

When I swim longer than about 15-20 minutes, I get headaches if my cap is too tight. Obviously, when I'm in the pool or even my OWS group, this is something I can control - just wear caps that aren't too tight - I layer my favorite silicone one and a nike-branded latex one I love.

However, when I do OW races, I have to wear their provided cap. These are usually/always latex of the ultra-cheap variety and (obviously) are brand new, so they're completely unstretched. This usually results in a serious headache about halfway through the race.

Since I'm transitioning to the longer 2.4 distance this year, this becomes even more of a concern. I'm not 100% positive I can swim that distance with a headache that bad for 3/4 of it.

Are there any tricks or tips for pre-stretching a cap (w/in the confines of a half hour or so) so as to not acquire that headache? Should I take the race cap off after hitting the water and just wear my silicone one most of the way, then put my race cap back on (stuff the race cap in my swimsuit for the bulk of the race)? Wait and see, then take the race cap off if it is headache-causing? Call the race organizers ahead of time and go buy a silicone or nike latex cap in the correct color before the race??

WWYD?

[katandkevin]

You can try to stretch out the latex one before the race, but I don't know how loose you will get it. Mine stretch out with wear. I would probably see if you can find out what color cap your age group will be wearing and then see if you can get a silicone one in the same color or layer the latex one over your silicone cap. If you layer and it feels too tight, you could always pull off the race one once you are in the water. I don't think they care what you wear coming out of the water, most times I have my cap and goggles off before I am all the way out.

[Susie]

I can honestly say I've never had this problem. I'm not sure what to say. Are you dead sure it's your cap and not your goggle strap being tight? Or a cold water brain freeze headache? I often hate the cheap latex caps because I find them too big and they slide back past my hairline! I have never worn layered caps.

I am not sure race staff will be very accommodating of this unusual race cap complaint, unfortunately. Usually they're pretty strict about formalities like wearing their cap. You can always try though.

Don't try to switch caps in the water. It'll take forever and it's just asking to drop your goggles in the process.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Susie, I'm positive it's the cap. I've had the problem 3x this year, always when wearing a new or different (not my usual) cap as my top cap. The problem always goes away when I take the latex cap off. For example, this morning in the pool (82 degrees, not cold at all), I wore the cap provided for one of my races last year as top cap and got a headache 20 minutes in. Took the top cap off (leaving my goggles and my silicone cap - I'm ALWAYS a two-capper) and within 5 minutes, the headache was gone.

I'm questionable about their willingness to accommodate even a request for advance knowlege of cap color and I just can't bring myself to lie about a latex allergy. Also, there's a pretty good chance race rules will require me to wear the provided cap for the duration of the race.

So I need to figure out a pre-stretching routine, and I'm stumped. **sigh**

[katinthehat]

can you stretch it out over a soccer ball?

[gumi]

why do you wear 2 caps? i know others that do this but i dont know why.

i get a headache too but its from goggles.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Kat - That's a great idea! Now i just need to find a basketball or soccer ball in our shed!

Gumi - I wear two caps because the goggle strap ends flapping around at the back of my head really bothers me and I don't want it under my cap altogether to pull at my hair. So I put my goggles over cap 1 (the silicone one) and then put a latex cap over that to hold the goggle straps stationary.

Some of the competitive OW swimmers I know wear it for heat preservation. Some OW swimmers do it because there's an apparent danger in the start of a race of getting hit or whatever and losing your goggles or cap. Or both.