Steroid Shots, Sore Tendons, and Nose Clip Shame: Inside the 10k Swim Prep Debate

Preparing for a 10-kilometer open-water swim is a daunting challenge for even the most seasoned endurance athletes. But when that preparation involves a freshly injected cortisone shot in a throbbing shoulder and a humiliating fight against inhaling pool water, the challenge becomes a high-stakes psychological battle.

One local endurance athlete is facing this exact dilemma ahead of the famous Bridges to Bluffs 10k downstream race in Knoxville, Tennessee. Dealing with severe biceps tendinitis, the swimmer received a cortisone injection just weeks before the event. Now, they are caught in a classic training trap: how do you build enough volume to survive six miles of open water without permanently wrecking your shoulder tendon?

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After logging a 2,000-meter test swim in the Tennessee River—clocking in at a blazing thirty seconds faster per hundred meters thanks to the current—the athlete expressed uncertainty about how far to push their upcoming long training swim. With plans to test their shoulder on a looped lake course with an easy bail-out option, the question remains: what is the absolute minimum peak distance required before tackling a 10k?

The endurance swimming community quickly split into two passionate factions over the issue.

One seasoned marathon swimmer, who has completed over forty-eight 10k events, warned against relying too heavily on downstream assistance. While river currents provide an initial boost, veterans note that the push often fades during the second half of the Knoxville course, leaving under-prepared swimmers to struggle through scenic downtown stretches on pure grit. Advocates of high-volume preparation insist that peaking at roughly 5 to 5.5 miles (6k to 7k) is essential for mastering race-day pacing and building mental stamina.

However, a counter-group of adaptive athletes strongly advised against heavy mileage while recovering from joint inflammation. One commenter noted that they successfully completed a 10k after peaking at just a 5k (roughly 3 miles) during training, arguing that a solid baseline of consistency, daily physical therapy, and smart race-day nutrition are far more vital than forcing high volume through an injured arm.

To compound the drama, the swimmer revealed a secondary struggle taking place in the lap pool: chronic water inhalation. Despite trying every underwater exhalation technique imaginable, water continuously floods their nasal passages, draining down their throat upon breathing. Suspecting that short, wide nostril anatomy creates a pressure difference that sucks water in, the swimmer relies on a plastic nose clip—a fix that leaves them feeling deeply self-conscious among other pool regulars.

Community members were quick to dispel the pool shame, pointing out that synchronized swimmers, elite triathletes, and recreational lap swimmers alike rely on nose pegs to prevent sinus infections and breathing disruptions. In the world of open water and endurance sports, functional comfort always beats fashion.

Our podcast hosts get into it into this exact training controversy on the latest episode of Deep End.