for those that hate to swim

mmmm probably cause there isnt a semi recognized logo that follows from completing duathlons? Duathlon just seems like the halfway point between doing a running race or a bike race and a full tri. I love to swim so this is just my 20 second ill conceived input.

Because nobody knows what the heck a duathlon is. Bike - swim? Run-bike? Run-Swim? 

But if anybody, I should be doing duathlon, since I'm getting murdered on the swim!

Are duathlons actually popular anywhere? 

In South Africa we do Duathlons in winter and Tri's in summer.

Sprint distance:  5km run, 20km bike, 2.5km run
Standard distand: 10km run, 40km bike, 5km run.

I find them harder than triathlons, but then I love to swim. Although changing from running shoes to cyle shoes and back is a lot easier than getting out of a wetsuit....

I do race duathlons, around here (say, within a two-hour drive) there are only like 3 or 4 of them, primarily in the late winter and early spring. Compare that to 15-20 triathlons from early spring to late fall.

Don't hate swimming but it is my least favorite of the three.

I strongly disliked, nay, hated to swim, because when I decided to try triathlons, I couldn't believe I couldn't swim more than one length of the pool without stopping. Of course, I never tried to swim the length of a pool or more, before.

Swimming became the challenge I needed to overcome. I never ran before either, but at least I could run in some way, shape, or form.

I did a duathlon as my first multisport event, but it always kind of stuck as a sore spot with me because I did a du because I had to; I couldn't do a tri because I couldn't swim the distance for the accompaning tri. I'm not busting on people who choose to only do du's. I wanted to do a tri but I couldn't do it. I was jealous of all the triathletes standing by the side of the lake in their shiny wetsuits, and I wasn't.

I have spent two to three hours a week (sometimes more when possible) in the pool for the past year and a half. I have since completed 8 sprint triathons, some in a pool, some OWS, I have my own shiny wetsuit, and I have slowly been working on my swimming technique.

First two tri's last year...
#1, .79 mile OWS, 25:21, 161/179 in the swim,
#2, 900 yards pool, 21:30, 34/38 in the swim.

Same events this year...
#1, .79 mile OWS, 18:45, 60/199 in the swim,
#2, 900 yards pool, 18:10, 25/53 in the swim.

I hated swimming when I couldn't do it. I still have a long way to go, but my attitude has changed now that I have seen results. I wasn't going to let my lack of swimming ability stop me from participating in triathlons.






Edited by nxm165 2009-09-09 5:16 AM

I like the cross training the swimming provides as well as the challenge.  There is something rewarding about doing things you don't want to do especially if you get good physical results from it.  In addition, I like the tri-world.  More races to choose from, great community,  even more toys to blow my money on.  Absolutely nothing against duathlons but marathons, ultras, and tri's are what get me up in the morning

If I hated swimming I wouldn't be doing triathlon that's for sure.  That being said though, I would have a very boring race season as there is only one local duathlon (that I'm aware of) as opposed to 8-10 local tris.

I suppose this is in response to the salute thread to those who struggle with the swim?

Since I posted there I will post here.  I don't hate swimming but it has been a struggle to learn how to swim.  Give me a pool Tri and I am ready to go.  Give me a wetsuit and OWS doesn't bother me as much.  Give me an 1/2 mile OWS in a large lake, no wetsuit and yes I have some fear starting off.  Didn't say I hated it and I don't, I have fears to overcome thats all.  If I don't face my fears I will never overcome them.  This is my first tri season and still learning.  May be in another season of Tri's and I will like the OWS.

I don't hate swimming but find it very inconvenient and time consuming to do the training (30 minute drive one way to the pool).  I've considered switching to duathlon for that reason.  Most of the local tri's here have a duathlon option, but not many people do them. 
I'm surprised there aren't more duathlons in the colder weather.

I just hate swimming at my gym, it's a small pool so you can't share lanes(you might be able to do it with someone you know, but they're about half as wide as something you'd see at a pool serious swimmers train at) and there are only 4 of them.  But hey, it's included in my $33/month gym membership so I can only complain so much. 

Noted the same thing in my area as well, it seems like an event when the water temperature is too cold.  I can count the duathlons on one hand, triathlons happen every weekend almost during the summer time if you look hard enough. 

I don't really hate the swim, it is the one I don't get to work at much and I subsequently don't do well at it.  No local pool for me and the closest open water swimming area is an hour away.  Went to one of my swimming workout places last night and they are closed down till the 14th for yearly maintenance... great!!  So instead of swimming I wasted my two hours during my daughter's practice at Costco, that isn't going to help my swimming for sure.   

In MA there are maybe 4 duathlons a year mostly in shoulder season but we have 2-3 tris most weekends starting with some in May going through September.

I don't hate swimming, I hate that I work at it don't improve but by tiny amount that frustrates me.

I used to keep holding out hope that I just haven't gotten it yet and some day it will click, now 6 years later and so many yards, lessons, coaches,  I'm back to accepting my swimming for what it is and giving up hope I will have a big break through because if it probably was going to happen it would have happened by now one would think.

Or...just get a wetsuit, and do all your practicing on a surfboard

I'm sure that I have stated that I 'hate' to swim.  There was a time when I did truelly hate it, but I have kept at it and it has gotten easier although still extremely frustrating to me.  The challenge of it is what give me a love/hate relationship with it.

I have completed one IM distance event and wear my tatoo proudly.  I am proud of the training I put in to prepare for the IM and I am proud of my overall performance on race day.  However, I am MOST proud of the fact that I was able to get into that water and swim 2.4 miles non-stop.  Learning to swim has been the single hardest athletic thing I've ever done and the sense of accomplishment that I get from it (even though I can't hold even a 2:00/100 pace) exceeds anything else.

In short, I think many of us use the word 'hate' loosely when it comes to swimming.  We just get so frustrated and don't express it properly.

just wanted to throw a few things out htere

1- this was not in response to the other thread, just more me thinking outloud

2- i guess i might be in the minority (looking that way) but it seems like almost every race in ohio has a duathlon with the tri, and often multiple distances.

3- if you have not done a DU and look at it as a smiddle ground between tri and running, try one, it will kick your .

i race a few dus a year, both before and after the tri season, and a few during to mix things up. they are very diff races, and will flatten you if you race them hard. tons of fun!

Because duathlons are a different sport. And, fwiw, IMO a lot harder.

I hate swimming. I love tris. I DO duathlons, but I don't necessarily LIKE them.

thanks! i think you are the first person that has posted that actually said they hated swimming but does tries.

i agree, i am beat up after a tri, i am wrecked for the rest of the day after a DU

I answered in the other post too, so here's my take on your question.

I love tri's.  Before I took up the sport, I didn't swim, bike OR run.  So I'm learning all 3 at once.  And while I enjoy them all, I'm not yet good at the swim.  It's always a struggle.  I don't hate it, but I'm least comfortable at it.

But just because I struggle and don't feel strong in the swim, doesn't mean I don't love doing all 3 as one event.  I can't imagine doing a du.

thanks again!

what i am noticing is a lot of people that are slower/not comfortable swimming, which is fine and no diff than being fast/slow on the othwe two sports.

I am not a bad swimmer. I didn't struggle to learn, and it came fairly easily. I think, were i to do it more--or even in proportion to the other sports, I would actually be good at it. (or not terrible, anyway)

 I just really hate it. It's boring. It's time consuming. It's not portable.

I swim a minimal amount--from March to August, usually 1-2x a week, about 1500 m. I don't get any better, but it keeps me in enough shape to not drown in races.

Well, I probably should do duathlons, cuz I'm generally FOP in my AG as a runner in tris, but at best FOMOP as a swimmer (and one of my best friends is an elite AG duathlete, so I'd have company at races if I went that route).

But there's just something so much more brag-alicious about doing three sports in a race instead of "just" two.  I can tell my duathlete buddy is jealous that I did my first IM this summer, even though he can destroy me on both the bike and the run...he's starting to talk about getting in the pool...and asking about IMs...