trick the waves

Swim - 1.2 miles, 39:36 - Lake Monona, choppy water
Run - 6.2 miles, 56:50 - Arboretum loop, hot

Is there some secret to swimming fast when you are going with the wind? I didn't go much faster going against the wind as going with it. I felt like I was getting pushed forward with each wave, then pulled backward. Is there some open water swim technique to "trick" the waves?

I did my run in the hottest part of the day to keep working on my heat acclimation. The hotter the better since Ironman somehow always tends to be on the hottest day of the year. I didn't let myself walk and I tried to focus on running strong for the whole time.