Terese Luikens' articles on Beginnertriathlete.com

When it was over I felt a little sad. I had trained for twelve months and the race was over in 72 minutes. My goal was to not come in last which I wasn't. I was content with my accomplishment!

The first time I ventured into the deep murky green lake and could not see the bottom my muscles tensed and my imagined fears surfaced. What exactly lies beneath?

Rest, Enjoy, Lighten-up, Attitude check, and Expectations, all of which are possible, spell “relax.” I believe if I practice, I can succeed at becoming a relaxed swimmer.

My first duathlon was a success. I had so many fears before the race but none of those fears happened. And when it was all over, I felt I had accomplished something big.

Attempting to copy someone’s stroke is like attempting to mimic their stride, voice tone, or any other personal idiosyncrasy. Their stroke is their stroke. You can learn from them, but you can't copy.

Have a goal when you get into the water. If your purpose is distance, then set your pace for endurance. If your objective is speed, then incorporate drills.

Relaxing during the swim. Relaxing the muscles that you are not using is the topic of this month’s swimming tip.

Find a mentor. Make a list of at least three people that you could approach for help, list your specific needs and then be courageous enough to begin asking.

Swimming three times a week is the minimum amount of time you will need to set aside if you are hoping to swim in a sprint triathlon. Three times a week allows you to vary your practices.

As a novice swimmer I have listed a few things that may help you build your endurance as you approach the water with a sprint race in your future. It can be overwhelming if you are not a fish.

Over this next month I will be learning more about my bike each time I take it out to ride. I want to take full advantage of what it has to offer.

My goals for September were to continue my daily workouts, biking at least five miles and running two miles every morning. I have also set Sundays aside as a day of rest.

I learned that you actually take breaks from training. It is not about bucking up, but about working up to a certain level.