Training towards Columbia Triathalon, May 2008

Welcome to the Club!

The best advice I can offer is to stay consistent.  Pick a plan to get going.  You may find you need to make adjustments or even change plans, but that's okay as long as you continue moving forward.

With swimming, take time to learn a good technique.  You'll see lots of references here to Total Immersion as one method.  Also read up on the articles here by Kevin Koskella for technique.  The key is to swim efficiently so you conserve energy that you'll need for the bike and run.

Above all - Have Fun!

I'm also planning on doing Columbia, as well as Annapolis in September.

Geesh what kind of BF would subject his GF to this nonsense??  .  Best advice is to stay out of CoJ and red font is sarcastic.

Seriously, for me it was Listening to my Body.  Rest Days are just as important as Training Days.  Most importantly rule: HAVE FUN!

you are lucky to have support from your significant other - ask anyone in a couple situation on this site - it really helps.

good luck in your journey - you'll do great!

I agree with following comments on no nudity.  No changing tents either.  Once you can go fast on the bike you basically dry yourself off.   Try searching in the triathlon forum about newbies.  It basically breaks down EVERYTHING!  Good luck and welcome to BT 

dude. i've been there. don't worry - it will come in time. swimming is the hardest to get used to. we are land animals and are used to breathing as we need to, not only when we can. so breathing while swimming is very hard. just concentrate on exhaling all your air out underwater so that you can simply inhale when you do breathe. resting is okay in the beginning - think of it like walk breaks in running, you have to start somewhere. don't give up!

Swimming does come with time and practice.  Learn the techniques that help you swim with relatively low effort by looking at the articles and all the advice here. 

I've been there as well - just 8 mos ago I could barely do 50 meters.  But luckily I stopped trying to go longer and longer, and picked up the Total Immersion book.  I basically completely relearned my stroke, and it became natural.  So in Feb I could barely swim.  The other week I did a 500 yd warmup, then did a straight 2000 yd for fun.  If I can do that, you all can as well! 

Regarding breastroke for an entire 1500m - Personally I think that would be tough.  Most swimmers will be out of the water within 30 mins, but you would be out for at least 45 mins, and maybe closer to 60.  I realize you're not trying to win the race, but that's going to be way back.

What is fairly common is to see folks do freestyle, then do breastroke for a breather.  After you get your breath then go back to freestyle.  You have a long time until your race, so I'm sure you would be able to learn freestyle by then.  If not, I would recommend trying breastroke in a Sprint distance first to see what you think before trying it for 1500 m.

There are a bunch of us on BT doing that race, myself included.  My advice insofar as that particular race goes, is to get in lots of hill practice!!  The course is very very hilly.

Good luck!! 

Not sure of a place to practice OWS.  But you might wanna see with the local Masters club.  Not sure if CA has a master swim team or not but definitly an option to think about.  

Is anyone in the MD area interested in a possible LSD bike or run on the weekends around the Columbia area.  I hope to be coming home for thanksgiving soon, and was just wondering.