I'm all for telling someone when they're in over their head, but I really think that she can do this race without any problem at all. Nine weeks is a long time when you are just starting out swimming. If she stays consistent with her swim workouts from now until the race, then I really believe she can complete the swim with ease.

i hear you, sister! i set a monster goal for myself this year, too. you wouldn't believe the number of jerks & nasty people who try to comment on my blog about how i'm a train-wreck or car crash waiting to happen. i just reject them all and go forward with my goal in my own way. don't ever ever let anybody tell you that you can't do something or toss some negative energy at you like a heap of dog poop. you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to, girl! so get swimmin!

Don't worry about getting in the pool just for a couple hundred meters for swimming. It's far better to do 500m of quality swimming, than 2000m of bad swimming - especially when you are starting to swim and setting up those technique habits. Most beginners don't have the fitness to maintain a stroke for 2000m anyway. No sense drilling in bad technique once its gone.

Just wanted to add my 2 cents worth. Like others have indicated, the swim training reaches a point where all of the sudden you're able to just keep swimming. So stay at it until that happens. You have until June to decide whether you feel comfortable enough to do this, so work at it. Swim twice a day if you have to. For me the most important aspect of the swim is the ability to relax. Part of that is preparation. Putting in as much time in the pool and open water as possible. Another ingredient is to make sure you stay out of the fray at the swim start. Start in the back of the pack and try to stay off to the wide side of the course. Lastly, when you're out there, break the course into small chunks. Pass one buoy and look for the next one, pretty soon you look up and you're at the turn around. Eagleman will be my first HIM. Which Oly are you doing? Good Luck!!!!

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"Just HTFU and out sprint whoever tries to take 96th from you. This is a RACE, not a cupcake walk! " -Fungshuay@ST

That is exactly what my H has been saying. In fact, initially I got to the point where I could swim about 1,100m pretty much w/o stopping. He came along to work with me one day and was really discouraged with my form. It started a whole debate among our tri friends about which is more important, working on swimming the distance or focusing on good form. H was determined that form was more important than endurance and ultimately he convinced me. Now he says what you are saying, better to do 500m with good form than 1,000m with bad form. That's why I started working with this swim coach.

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Nor do I use punctuation in the way a child sprinkles glitter over a ribbon of glue on construction paper - Trash Talk

I was at a party a few weeks ago and told someone about my swimming challenges. Then it came up in conversation that I had signed up for Eagleman, the person I was talking to actually laughed right out loud in my face! Talk about discouraging someone! Luckily if my mind is made up, I don't really get too discouraged by others comments. If I was easily discouraged I would have given up endurance sport in general a long time ago! But my husband is a very encouraging person and is really excited that I'm doing that race. In fact, he's not even racing that day so he can support me.

I agree with you, if you set a goal, its up to you to focus on it. I didn't feel like anything anyone said here was discouraging though, I got the impression they were just really wondering what would prompt someone to attempt a HIM as a first triathlon...

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Nor do I use punctuation in the way a child sprinkles glitter over a ribbon of glue on construction paper - Trash Talk

Okay this is a bit scarey!!
EAGLEMAN IRONMAN 70.3
June 8, 2008
Cambridge, Maryland, USA
1.2 Mile Swim, 56 Mile Bike, 13.1 Mile Run

Registration is now closed!Periodic event updates will be emailed to all with valid email addresses.

There are days left until race day.

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Nor do I use punctuation in the way a child sprinkles glitter over a ribbon of glue on construction paper - Trash Talk

Kate, I just read your blog. I am impressed! You have a great attitude about all of it and if I can even maintain half of your enthusiasm I'm there - 74 days b damned!

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Nor do I use punctuation in the way a child sprinkles glitter over a ribbon of glue on construction paper - Trash Talk

Oh my...I am in the same position as you...signed up for IM with plenty of time to 'get my swim there' (coach advice)...well, my uphill battle has not been won...yet. I attended a Total Immersion workshop for the one thing I missed when learning swimming...balance. My swim technique has gotten better but my endurance is not good. As soon as I feel one thing start to fall apart panic sets in...and I have to flip onto my back. I have gotten past the point of not putting my head back in the water but it still rears its ugly head at times. I found that the more I relax (I know that sounds like useless information to someone in our boat because we all have different ways of relaxing)...you have to find something. For me the only way I can get into the 'zone' is with my tempo trainer...as boring as that sounds to some I'm sure. I set it to a REALLY slow pace, and don't allow myself to enter my hand until it beeps...then I keep moving it up in speed after every few laps, by that time I am somewhat relaxed. I am now at a point that I can set it to a time and it is the right pace for me to 'keep moving'. I find that if I have the right timing I really don't need to stop at the wall for a rest. If all goes well, I can do the swim in about 1:30...not speedy but calm...which is more important to me.