1st Tri - A DNF Discouragement (Page 2)

Ok it's Monday morning and I forgot to say one thing. 

Suck it up!  Buttercup!

Oh yeah,

Put on your big girl panties and come out and play!

I know how you feel about the frist time DNF-happened to me yesterday. Swim had my bad hip in bad shape and then my bike broke during the bike and I hurt my ankle trying to push it. I'm trying to make it into a learing experience-I learned a lot about how to pick what triathlon to do next. 1) Pool swim if possible 2) Road bike course!!!!! 3) No lakes with dead fish My fiance keep trying to cheer me up too, but I'm still disappointed but I'll get over it in a bit. Going to Run a 5K & 10K here in a couple of months and that should cheer me up.

So just take what ya learned from this one and apply it to next time. Also might want to look into some nondrowsy motion sickness medication to take before the next OWS. Ginger root works well too-some nice ginger tea before the race, yum and relaxing. 

Been  there, done that, only it wasn't my first tri, it was my first IM.  I think it's been referenced in this thread, check out my IMAZ race report.  Swim was the least of my worries, but it bit me on the a$$.  It could happen to anyone.  Just have to get out there and do it again, I am heading back for a bit of revenge in November

Get out there, practice in your wetsuit, and swim as much as yhou can until you no longer think about it

Good luck

I DNFed my first tri to because of the OWS. Columbia 2004 or 2005 (I can't remember) and it was cold and the water was freezing, and I just could not get my breath well enough to swim a decent stroke. I finished my next swim in choppy waters with 2-3 foot waves. Slowly, but finished. Then, I DNFed at least 2 more swims in calm waters, but finished 2 others ruled by chop and currents. It just took me a while to get the comfortable with open water swimming. Then, last year I had a panic attack while swimming in my wetsuit in a fun, practice tri. And this was in a beautiful, calm, clear lake.

Turns out my biggest issue is the wetsuit. My first one was maybe too small, and the tightness around my chest freaked me out. So, I now have a new one (Blue Seventy Helix...it is awesome), but living down here in MS, I rarely get the chance to use it, and I still have the initial sense of "I can't breathe" when I get in the water.

I know that practicing OWS is great advice, but if you're like me, it's not necessarily convenient. Luckily, I've gotten my head wrapped around the open water swim thing, and I now actually really enjoy it.

I guess what I'm saying is don't despair. It will come. And you will be so darn proud of yourself when you step out of the water and head to T1.