Signing up for HIM without knowing how to swim

look on the bright side.

when you finally do get out of the water... nobody will pass you on the bike.  (they'll all be in front of you)

you have no idea how demoralizing it is to come out of the water FOP and spend the next 5 hours being passed by people like you.

Gosh this sounds very familiar. I am working with a friend right now who is also a very experienced marathon runner and can hold her own on the bike but swimming is not coming natural for her. She is planning a local HIM next June and she has been at it swimming for about 4 weeks now with lessons 2 x a week.

So, you are not alone.

How long will it take? No one can answer that. But there are lots of threads on BT from people just like you who stuck with it and eventually something "clicked".

I would not keep purchasing all of these different plans though. I think your best input is going to be from time spent with an experienced swim teacher who can look at your stroke and provide feedback.

For me swimming came easy but I've been at this whole running deal for over 20 years with not much to show for it .

Good luck

Given where you are with your swimming at the moment, I would not sign up for an HIM.  Wait until you have some faith that you are making progress and can realistically expect to complete the swim.

A girl at the local run shop signed up for the Muskoka 70.3 - couldn't swim.  A few months of practise, some 1 on 1 with a coach, and they pulled her out after 400M during the race and she went home with a DNF.  Sign up after you know to swim - my 2 cents.

I think your expectations for these past 2 weeks (ONLY TWO WEEKS!) are artificially high. It takes a lot of adults months to be proficient in the water. Be patient and keep going to private lessons. 

And not to scare you, but when you master the pool you will also want to practice in open water. That's a whole 'nother beast for some folks.

FYI Racine is open for registration. http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman-70.3/racine/register.aspx#axzz2fBzmK2IV It did sell out last year, but not for awhile. I'm thinking of doing it this year so I've been watching for it to open.

You are clearly dedicated and determined to learn how to swim.

You have investigated many options and pursued them. You have not given any method enough time to work and now are mixing in various ideas from different sources. TI has one lesson a week that you do 3-4 times. The focus may be on one slight thing that you need to get before you can move one. Body position in the water and balance is key and for many can't be rushed.

My thought given what you shared you would be best off with a in person coach who will see you frequently as your start maybe weekly then as things click you can drop your frequency.

I have hired quite a few private swim coaches. I could 'swim' when I started but wanted to learn better so started from scratch the TI way one winter and took private lessons over 6 months. It finally clicked. I am comfortable in the water and have improved but continue to be a slow swimmer.

Not sure where you live but you may want to ask here on BT in your State's forum for a recommendation. Not all swim coaches are good fit for beginner adult swimmer or for you.

I have great confidence you will master the swim so you will be safe and confident swimmer for your HIM. Until you are safe swimmer please don't race for your and other's safety.

Well the OP said the masters folks "suggested" private lessons since all he could do was doggy paddle. IMO master's class is not the place for someone who does not have the basics down. 

I see a lot of suggesions on this board jumping straight to masters classes, which I think is poor advice until you can master a basic level of swimming. Masters is not private lessons, and treating it that way only frustrates the coach and other participants. At least in my neck of the woods.

Here are a few ideas from me. Its not like you haven't had enough from others.

Last year I took some lessons myself. But instead of from a coach at the gym who stands on the side and says do this do that. I went to a kids swim school that offered some adult lessons. The teachers were in the water with you the whole time and since they were used to working with kids they didn't seem to get as frustrated when it I asked them to demonstrate the skill for the 3rd or 4th time.

I only had 4 lessons, 1 a week for a month, but every week day I was at the pool practicing what I was taught. It was great.

Once you get more confident with swimming find a friend with a gopro or similar underwater camera and have them film you while swimming at the pool. You will be able to easily see what parts you need to work on. Its terribly embarasing to see yourself from underwater I know.

Good luck and don't give up.

Sign up?  Sure.  As Fred said, you seem MOTIVATED and likely will.

Do a HIM as the first?  Reeeaaalllly bad idea, IMO.

Do what Tony did:  work like a dog to learn to swim;  if you can go the distance in the pool non-stop and a bit more, THEN do a couple sprints;  THEN, if you were OK on the sprints and can go the distance in a non-race setting in an OWS, do an Oly.  If you can do the Oly and feel good, then a HIM should be cake.

But, there are some steps to take before doing an Oly or HIM.  Without them, I'd have to say no way - too much to go wrong and too little to gain (until you get the skillz - which will come, it's just a matter of being smart about matching skills with races).

All that said, let us know how the HIM goes.  

WELCOME TO TRIATHLON - IT ROCKS!!!  Hope to see you out there (maybe first at a sprint, though).

Matt