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2015-09-21 3:15 PM

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Subject: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."
After very, very awesome first half of the swim I got an anxiety attack. I could not understand what was happening to me, especially since I love swimming my very favorite breaststroke. Every time my head went down the water, my brain set the alarm "it's danger here, get out immediately" - and I just couldn't do it. I was swimming the second half in "don't get your hair wet" stroke, which was making my arms very tired. Every time I was looking toward the exit I felt I was not moving forward at all. My mind got to the point where I was thinking "you probably need to quit triathlons, as apparently this is not for you." I was thankful my kids were not there, because I felt like such a failure and I could not relax my mind at all. I was about to cry, but figured I had to manage to just finish this miserableness.

The other thing with mind being a part of this sport, I carried these negative thoughts with me for a while. Until maybe middle of the bike I told myself: "put yourself together and stop acting like a little baby. You have a bike to finish, and you have a run to finish. This is not at time for looney-tunes. You're not a ballerina." So I just focused on what's now, and not the past. Which helped, because I set my run record (and seriously, I have never, ever run under 9 minutes before...)

I know I am fairly new to this sport (this was my 3rd tri), and even though it was very unpleasant experience, I am actually happy it happened. It gave me the idea of some other things to consider. I will definitely do more open water trainings and swim clinics, but I will also keep in mind that mental capacity is as important, as physical training. Anyone has some tips with fighting the brain?

On the side note, plenty participants were complaining about the swim and shared very similar experiences.

Mary

PS Link to the full report: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp...

Edited by marysia83 2015-09-21 3:24 PM


2015-09-21 3:18 PM
in reply to: marysia83

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Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."

Originally posted by marysia83 After very, very awesome first half of the swim I got an anxiety attack. I could not understand what was happening to me, especially since I love swimming my very favorite breaststroke. Every time my head went down the water, my brain set the alarm "it's danger here, get out immediately" - and I just couldn't do it. I was swimming the second half in "don't get your hair wet" stroke, which was making my arms very tired. Every time I was looking toward the exit I felt I was not moving forward at all. My mind got to the point where I was thinking "you probably need to quit triathlons, as apparently this is not for you." I was thankful my kids were not there, because I felt like such a failure and I could not relax my mind at all. I was about to cry, but figured I had to manage to just finish this miserableness. The other thing with mind being a part of this sport, I carried these negative thoughts with me for a while. Until maybe middle of the bike I told myself: put yourself together and stop acting like a little baby. You have a bike to finish, and you have a run to finish. This is not at time for looney-tunes. You're not a ballerina." So I just focused on what's now, and not the past. Which helped, because I set my run record (and seriously, I have never, ever run under 9 minutes before...) I know I am fairly new to this sport (this was my 3rd tri), and even though it was very unpleasant experience, I am actually happy it happened. It gave me the idea of some other things to consider. I will definitely do more open water trainings and swim clinics, but i will also keep in mind that mental capacity as important, as physical training. Anyone has some tips with fighting the brain? On the side note, plenty participants were complaining about the swim and shared very similar experiences. Mary

Yeah.......keep swinging.

2015-09-21 5:37 PM
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Master
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Los Angeles, CA
Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."
Yup, it sure is especially when you are pretty new to open water swimming and the sport. My best tip would be to mentally plan your race over and over in your mind before race and and again before you to go sleep. Also have a Plan A, B, and C if needed. If all those fail just keep positive and like you did, be in the present. Oh and don't forget to put a smile on your face as much as you can or laugh at yourself if you make a mistake. It's a really good stress reliever.

Edited by kloofyroland 2015-09-21 5:38 PM
2015-09-21 6:08 PM
in reply to: kloofyroland

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Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."
I am still early on in a tri-life and the wave starts still bother me. Though I wouldn't suggest this, what I did this summer in OWS training was swim in the most adverse wavy conditions where I was not allowed to simply coast through on my own breath timing; the swells and waves made me uncomfortable and forced me to relax....work with the situation, NOT gulp for air, NOT HOLD my breath, and forced all sort of panic outta me. These swims changed me and have made calm water swims so relaxing they're practically boring. More so, they have made me confident and less panicky in big swim starts. That said (and please be careful if you do that, I admit it was dangerous to do so!) - hard, consistent training with high intensity and bricks help prepare you for the physical burn that's to come and all the mental self-doubts that follow. There is great confidence being able to say while racing, "I train harder than this, I've been here before, ....body.... you know this, shutup and let's go!"
2015-09-21 6:11 PM
in reply to: marysia83

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Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."

My 2nd year into this sport, some buffoon hooked his arm around my neck just as I was starting a breath and under I went and I had a lot of water in my lungs to expel, definitely the worst swim I had in my life, made for a long 600 yards.  He was swimming at a large angle off to what the line to the first buoy was so he was bound to come across someone, it just happened to be me that day.  Any way it took me at least a year, no two, to get the fear of the swim out of my head. I would always start to the far outside and let everyone go off before I would go.  Then one race day I was getting ready for my wave to go and I had this calmness come over me and I said to myself "just have fun and go" and ever since I haven't worried about it.  

Fast forward to 2007, I'm doing this unique tri that had 1.5x Olympic distances and the weather was harsh with a front about to pass through. 15-25 mph winds, 2 foot wave out at the buoys.  It was a wetsuit race so I wasn't worried about going under and not being found (LOL!), but I never swam in anything like it before and was kind of freaking out.  Made it through the swim and was so elated, for some reason it just seemed to fit my swim style, learned to swim with a crossing winds blowing you off course, into headwinds and waves, etc.  Ever since then I'll swim in just about any water conditions.

My kids swim coach tells them all the time; Training is 90% physical, racing is 90% mental, trust your training and let your sub-conscience goal take over.

2015-09-21 8:12 PM
in reply to: marysia83

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Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."


2015-09-21 9:50 PM
in reply to: #5142237


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Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."
I love swimming. I thought it would be the part of triathlons that would be easy for me. I had a panic attack in my first tri after I got kicked and literally had three people swim over top of me. I've not panicked in water ever. After that I tried to swim more in crowds and got used to that sensation and haven't had a problem with that since. I had my second bad swim experience this summer. The waves in the swim of a tri were huge. Some quit as they didn't have the strength to lift their torso high enuf to get air. I started to get nauseous. I had read about thinking positively and having a mantra. I hadn't planned for waves and the first thing that came to mind was - hey, I used to like roller coasters and look I get one for free. Bizarre or not it really helped. Then I had fun trying to time my pulls and breaths in the craters between waves. Both took my mind off what would have been negative to think of Good luck getting more prep in and finding what helps you cope next time. I'm sure you'll figure out what helps you and conquer the 90 percent soon !
2015-09-22 7:36 AM
in reply to: marysia83

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Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."
I think it's safe to say the majority of triathletes who didn't grow up with a swimming background have had to learn to fight the mental aspect of open water swimming. I'm going to throw in my two cents as someone who came from virtually zero swimming experience... There is nothing that prepares you for an open water race like an open water race.

Before my first tri I swam in a nice, calm, shallow lake several times and thought I was ready... I was not. I panicked on the swim, thought I was going to die, and had to scull on my back the entire way in. My second tri I got a little farther before I panicked and had to scull the rest of the way on my back. I learned a bit more about WHY this was happening -- your subconscious brain taking over for survival -- and by my third I was able to swim the entire way talking myself out of panicking. I swam in lakes more and more, and did more and more races, and eventually that tight throat feeling that was present at the start of every race went away.

I still get nervous when there are waves, and I do get a bit panicky when I get off course and disoriented. (I am very near-sighted and my goggles can only correct so much, so unfortunately it's not uncommon!) But I am better about tough-loving myself through the tricky parts. It was a big step for me when my biggest concern on the swim went from not drowning to getting a good spot in the lineup. =)

You were able to give yourself that tough-love talk and get back on track -- that's good. That shows you have determination to finish and won't give up when it gets a little hard. You were also able to let go a bad swim and focus on the present race -- that's also good. We are going to hit setbacks every race, every discipline, every day, and we can't let those drag down an entire race!

Keep at it, keep working, keep getting comfortable in the water and it will come eventually.
2015-09-22 7:56 AM
in reply to: marysia83

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Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."
I played water polo for 4 years, after that the mass swim starts are a walk in the park!
2015-09-22 8:44 AM
in reply to: marysia83

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Denver, Colorado
Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."
Thanks guys!

The lake waves were not really the problem. A week before I practiced with waves of 5 feet or something. See, those waves have some sort of rhythm and once you get it, you just move along with it. At least that's how I felt. What happened last Saturday was tiny, little, messy, chaotic waves from people around me. It was a splash of water coming from every direction, so there was no rhythm, just one big chaos. And the closer we got, the more crowded we got, and the more panicking everyone acted.

But I totally agree with what you guys said - brain goes into survival mode (the sympathetic nervous system I learned about in my psycho class...). Just another aspect to add to the training.
Mary
2015-09-22 8:45 AM
in reply to: metafizx

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Denver, Colorado
Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."
Originally posted by metafizx

more training like this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3S0wu4Zbfk


hahahah this is EXACTLY what was happening by the swim exit


2015-09-22 8:46 AM
in reply to: Miles around Midtown

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Denver, Colorado
Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."
Originally posted by Miles around Midtown

There is nothing that prepares you for an open water race like an open water race.




YES!!! That's why I am actually (kind of) happy it happened to me - it gave me some sort of experience and I will know for the future races how to deal with it.
Thanks for your comments!
Mary
2015-09-22 10:04 AM
in reply to: marysia83

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Austin, Texas
Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."

You're right, it is a huge mental game. It's weird how we all do this for fun, but it comes with enough pain that non athletes usually have the response- "I just don't get it...you do this to yourself for enjoyment???" At least you have it in you to give yourself the tough love treatment. I'm pretty hard on myself when I start to feel the whining coming on, and that I need to "toughen up" and stop being such a baby. Sometimes when the pain and fatigue become overwhelming, I try to force a disconnect between my body and my brain. I imagine that it's just a machine that I can put on autopilot and I'm not connected any more. Like Krang from ninja turtles!

2015-09-22 1:23 PM
in reply to: marysia83


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Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."
I noticed you said you were swimming breaststroke. You also described a swim that sounded very crowded. Did you find yourself kicking a lot of people? Just curious because I was thinking maybe some of the swimmers around you that became aware of your stroke were trying to steer clear.
2015-09-22 2:24 PM
in reply to: Gatornate

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Denver, Colorado
Subject: RE: "Triathlon is 90% mental..."
Originally posted by Gatornate

I noticed you said you were swimming breaststroke. You also described a swim that sounded very crowded. Did you find yourself kicking a lot of people? Just curious because I was thinking maybe some of the swimmers around you that became aware of your stroke were trying to steer clear.


Thanks for your suggestion. When it was really, REALLY crowded (we were all over each other) I was only moving my arms in something close to breaststroke (it was really crowded) and my legs were in front crawl kicks. Since I am aware how breaststroke may not be pleasant for other swimmers, every time I get a sense of people around me, I adjust my kicks or do crawl kicks. So far I think I maybe kicked two people in my tri-career...

Mary
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