An Open Letter to Those Interested in Triathlon, but Fear the Swim

       In 10 years of being a triathlete I’ve become somewhat of an evangelist of the sport. I love it. It has been a positive thing in my life, starting as a way to help me lose a few pounds and becoming a way to continually challenge myself,  expanding my comfort zone along the way. I’m 40 now so if you do the math you’ll realize that I first attempted the sport in my 30s. In the 10 years I’ve participated I’ve progressed from “happy to finish”, to “semi-regular age-group podium” , and added a couple top 20 overall finishes.

       The choice to register for a triathlon and the success I’ve had over time would not have been possible without facing and overcoming my concern about swimming. (Full transparency, I swam a lot as a kid and swam competitively for 3 years in grade school.)That said, when I registered for my first triathlon it had been at least 17 years since my last competitive race, and I had never swam competitively in open water!

     Over the years I have met many people that were interested in triathlons, but had real concerns about the swim discipline. I’d like to share a few things learned along the way that will hopefully encourage anyone considering triathlon with concerns about the swim.

1. You’ll read that swimming is 90% technique and 10 % fitness. I’ll say that swimming (especially in open water) is 90% staying calm and 10% technique and fitness.

2. The swim is the shortest discipline! At the international (Olympic) distance, it’s 2.9% of the total distance! 

3. Don’t be afraid to get lessons! I have a friend who learned to swim in his 40s and has gone on to be a multiple IronMan finisher and age group podium winner.

4. YouTube is your friend! Even 10 years into the sport I watch swim technique videos on YouTube regularly and apply what I’ve learned to my pool workouts. 

5. Backstroke is legit! You may not always need to leverage it, but floating on your back and/or mixing in some backstroke is perfectly legal and a great way to recover and stay calm in open water. 

6. Just keep swimming! (Like Dory says) The first quarter to third of any open water swim will undoubtedly feel intense and scary. During this phase of the race I’ve always found it helpful to focus on technique, breathing, and staying calm. The nervousness and anxiety you’re feeling are perfectly normal on race day. If you’ve done the work in the pool, you’ll be fine. 

7. Breaststroke guides the way. As you progress in your triathlon journey you will learn to sight landmarks as part of your freestyle swim. If it’s your first race, breastroke is a great way to recover and look ahead to see your path!

If  you are considering applying to be a W4Y ambassador, but the swim portion is a concern for you, my hope is that this has been helpful. If you still want to apply, but have more questions about swimming, please reach out to me!