General Discussion Introduce Yourself!!! » Newbie - Scared of the swim Rss Feed  
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2007-01-31 9:56 AM

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Subject: Newbie - Scared of the swim
Hi I am 39 yo male. Married, 1 son. I am new to triathlons. Sister-in-law did one for charity. St. Anthony's in St. Petersburg so now I am doing it this year. I am athletic but about 20 pounds out of shape. The problem I have is the swim. It just scares me that I am going to drown. I know I won't but I have too much at stake (donations for the charity) that I feel like I will fail. I have three months to go. Tell me it's not so bad!


2007-01-31 11:22 AM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim
It's not so bad! And you can do it. If you have any specific swim questions, you're welcome to post them on Triathlon Talk. Give specifics and you'll get lots of answers!
2007-01-31 12:42 PM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim

It's not bad and with practice gets better and better.  I couldn't complete a lap without huffing and puffing a few months ago.  Now I can go 30 minutes straight (~1400 yards) and this mornings 800 yard planned swim seemed too short. 

Lots of good advice on here.  Most common for swim is to get a coach (even for a few lessons) and/or get the Total Immersion book/dvds.

Welcome to BT.

2007-01-31 2:08 PM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim

First, welcome to the site! Second, how's your swimming background? Any prior experience? How comfortable are you in the water? Do you have access to a pool, lessons, master's program and/or the Total Immersion stuff? (Lots of questions in one sentence, sorry!) Your current swim fitness and experience is going to help decide your best course of action with your swim.......

The swim is the most daunting part of triathlons for alot of people so you're not alone! 1500 meters seems like a really long swim for a race but it won't seem so bad once you're worked up to doing 2000-3000m in the pool. (it can be done, just takes some time ) I would also look in to renting a wetsuit for the race; you're doing St. Anthony's, right? I think most years they have been allowed and with a wetsuit it gives you warmth and the security that you're less likely to worry about drowning because it helps you float! If you don't have a tri store that rents them anywhere near you, check out www.wetsuitrental.com.

Good luck and welcome!

Mindy

2007-01-31 2:15 PM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim
Thanks for all the advice. I am training with the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society Team in Training so we have swim training once a week. I was a so-so recreational swimmer. 8 years ago I almost drowned in Italy so I think that has a little bearing on my fear of the swim. I have access to a pool so I plan on doing that at least 3 times a week.

First, my breathing is off. I am not sure if I should take a short breath in or a deep one. I need to concentrate on one individual area of my swim because when I try to do it all at once I get stuck.
2007-01-31 3:30 PM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim

I can understand how that incident may have put some fear in you. One thing to know is that with the wetsuit on you can't sink. I mean, you can stop completely, don't kick your legs, don't move your arms, and you will float. That is very comforting and once you experience the float and have faith that you can't sink you should feel much better about the whole thing.

With that said, make sure you get yourself the swimsuit ahead of time, rent one if you need to, and practice in some open water. Swimming in open water is NOTHING like swimming in the pool. If you have some fears of the water it's better to get them out of the way and dealt with now rather than waiting for your actual race day.



2007-02-01 8:06 AM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim
I did my first tri last year and my training partner instisted we do an Olympic length. I had never swam laps before in my life and the first time we swam I could swim a whole lap free style. I couldn't imagine swimming 1500 m in a lake and I was sure that the first event would keep me from doing the entire thing. From experience though if you take it one step at a time eventually you'll be able to swim as far as you want. Especially if you have a few other people to swim with once in a while. It really isn't so bad and it'll get easier every time.
2007-02-01 9:01 AM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim
All this advice is great but last night I had the worst training ever. It was as though I never swam in my life. I tensed up, I was taking in water, I wasn't rolling to my sides, etc. Our training coach suggested I get a swim coach for more one on one. Just going one lap seemed too daunting of a task. I have three months to go, is this possible?
2007-02-01 9:17 AM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim

Welcome to BT!

In 3 months, a lot is possible! There are lots of adult swim classes at the YMCAs, you might want to look into one. My Y offers an adult swim technique class - Y's are an option for you, see what nearby ones offer you.

Not to discourage you, but if you are currently practicing in a swimming pool, I believe St Anthony's is in the ocean, which is a lot more dynamic than your swimming pool. You might want to read up on some of the old St A's race reports in the Race Report section (use the search function to find it quickly) to see what that race has had in store for the past few years.

It is good to set lofty goals for yourself, but sometimes you just have to step back and evaluate a little closer. Good luck with your swim training!

2007-02-01 9:19 AM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim

Here's the search page's link: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/search/query.asp

Just type in St Anthony's and look under "Race Reports!". You'll be able to weed the reports out fairly quickly!

2007-02-01 10:36 AM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim

TeddieMao - 2007-02-01 10:01 AM I have three months to go, is this possible?

Yes.  Will it be hard? Sure. It really is a matter of getting putting your mind to it. Nothing is impossible. It just depends on how bad you want it.

 



2007-02-04 11:29 PM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim
Teddie,

I *completely* understand your concern, and I share it with you (see my post at http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp...

But as a fellow newb, who is also 40 with kids - and a complete green bean at swimming I can assure you that you *can* do it. My first triathlon was last year - and as sad as it is to admit it - I began my swim training on the day of the event. It wasn't pretty, but I *did* survive it (although it hurt a lot).

And you, my friend are way ahead of me. I have tons of confidence in you!

I'm probably too new to recommend it since I suck at swimming, but the "total immersion" book makes a lot of sense to me - and it comes highly recommended by most of the triatheletes that I've met. It gives really tangible things for me to work on - and I'm *hoping* that it will make a difference sooner rather than later.

But regardless of what method that you try to get in shape keep in mind that ANYTHING that you do is 100% more than doing nothing. And every day that you do something it will make yesterday's pains look small by comparison. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is take the first step out the door to workout. But you *can* do it.

Best of luck!
2007-02-06 12:26 AM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim

Its!Not!So!Bad!...Really! Just make sure you get time in the water, that's all. I'm a big believer in visualization too. It helped me through my open water swim (ows). I still don't like it, but on race day the adrenaline is flowing, there is so much going on that you'll hardly think about it!

Welcome to BT!Smile

2007-02-06 11:36 AM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim
Thanks so much for all the advice and encouragement. I swam last night. Wasn't pretty but I am getting there. Bought TOTAL IMMERSION. Hoping that gives me some insight. My team coach insists I get a swim coach. Any one know of any good ones in Illinois, Chicago area besides the Y.
2007-02-06 12:10 PM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim
It just takes a little time. When I started I could not swim one lap without stopping. My first triathlon was 800 meters in open water and I did struggle to finish it but, two years later I completed Ironman Florida. I never would have thought that I would be able to swim 2.4 miles, so stay with it and it will come with time. Best Of Luck keep us posted
Mitch
2007-02-08 1:21 PM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim
15 years ago I nearly drowned off Ft. Lauderdale beach. 8 years ago I nearly choked to death. Last September a dear friend drowned during a tropical storm trying to save his dog from a drainage ditch. (The dog made it; he didn't.)

So to say that I have some "issues" about the swim is an understatement. But I have focused on staying calm and relaxing during swimming -- not wasting energy being tense or tight. It has helped tremendously! I started out being able to swim 6 laps. A few weeks ago I swam 3/4 mile. I spend some laps thinking about race day. What it will be like. How nervous I will get. I let myself start to feel that. And then practice calming down and just putting one stroke in front of the other. :-)

Saturday I accidentally inhaled a bunch of water; after a few minutes clearing it out; I went back to getting my swim done. You can come a LONG way in a few months and we are all capable of more than we have even dreamed of!

Commit to spending time in the pool practicing. (Now it's time for me to work on doing the same for my running.)

Have a good time at your event!


2007-02-08 2:21 PM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim

Welcome-

Scared of the swim?  You and 90% of everyone else when they first start!  It's ok though- the terror makes you swim that much faster!

My advice?  Join a swim group!  It helps so much! 

2007-02-08 2:37 PM
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Subject: RE: Newbie - Scared of the swim

There's A LOT of us here that had similar concerns.  I didn't learn to swim until I took a college swim class.  I never really swam much again until my running group decided to do a triathlon, so 15 years later, I decided I needed to get back into the pool.  I could swim 1 length without rest my first time back and I had 4 months to get ready for a 705 yd open water swim.  I would also recommend TI (www.totalimmersion.net), LOTS of pool time and LOTS of open water time.  Being as I wasn't a confident swimmer, what I would do was get out in the lake and swim lengths of the guarded area (about 110 yds).  It gets you used to not being able to see more than a few feet ahead of you in the water (practice sighting).  Also if it's a crowed beach, it's practice swimming around and through other swimmers (more practice sighting).  Work yourself out further and further away from shore as your comfort increases (that way you're only 25 yds or so away from being able to stand up if you need to).

Don't know what St. Anthony's like, but during my 1st tri, they had A LOT of guards out in the water with flotation aids, in kayaks, etc.  I had a lifeguard ask if I was O.K., they had a flotation device available for me to use, and I rested on it for about 30-40 seconds just to get a rest.  Here's the USAT rules in regards to that: 

4.2 Bottom Contact and Resting. A participant may stand on the bottom or rest by holding an inanimate object such as a buoy, boat, rope or floating object. Excluding the bottom, a participant shall not use any inanimate object to gain forward progress. A violation of this section shall result in a variable time penalty, unless the Head Referee in his/her sole discretion determines that (i) the violation was substantial and resulted in an unfair time advantage, or (ii) the violation constituted endangerment under Section 3.4(1).

http://www.usatriathlon.org/upload/pdfs/usat_rules_download.pdf

So as long as you're not making forward progress, it's O.K.  I did it twice during my 1st tri swim.  Was it a cop-out?  Maybe.  I PROBABLY could have gotten the same rest by breaststroking for a hundred yards.  Was it better than throwing up my arm as a signal of quitting the race?  DEFINITELY!  Point is, do what you need to to finish the race.  Then SWIM LOTS in the off season.  For the 1st tri of the next season, I used no flotation help and opted to breaststroke for 50 yds to catch my breath.  My 2nd race of the season, I did the whole 705 yd distance using the crawl, not fast, but consistent.  I WAS ELATED!  I think I was probably the only one coming out of the water smiling!

Point is to this whole novel--you get more comfortable, and hopefully faster with time.  For some of us these are traumatic experiences, and that's probably why I've written so much.  It was such a vivid memory.

It will come with experience.  Use your 3 months wisely.  Good luck...



Edited by sparco 2007-02-08 2:46 PM
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