Saw the new user poll about swim fitness and that got me thinking about this... I'm grossly underfit, in all three disciplines, and on my bad days have a hard time seeing a way out. Is anybody else feeling this way?

I feel like knowing I'm not the only one for a start would be helpful.

E

Don't fret, just remember all the work you have in the bank (e.g. this).

Personally, I haven't been in the water since last March and my running has been fits and starts as I've cycled through a series of run related injuries. I feel good on the bike though and banking on all the riding I've done since the pandemic to carry me through.

Wow, thank you for linking that, I can’t even remember the person who wrote that.

E

Saw the new user poll about swim fitness and that got me thinking about this... I'm grossly underfit, in all three disciplines, and on my bad days have a hard time seeing a way out. Is anybody else feeling this way?

I feel like knowing I'm not the only one for a start would be helpful.

E

I think one advantage to getting really fit again is having been there before. I know exactly the tools I need to get fit including gear, nutrition, and the limits of my body. The only thing I have to do is execute.

I'm a big believer in cycling also. I think cycling is the heart of triathlon training. Currently I'm in the state where my legs are more ready for endurance than my sitting bones. I just can't sit on the bike for hours and hours. I'll have to gradually build up over time again.

Just remember that everyone once started from a place of being grossly underfit - which, by the way, is not where you're starting from, since you don't have to learn how to swim all over again.

Good luck with your journey. Cheers - 🍻

On this side of the Pond, I'm with you too.
Similar to many who've already posted.
25-30lbs over race weight, slow (even more than usual). When talking with a mate whilst out on the bike on Friday, I recalled my last proper Tri was 2 years ago (a half distance, in't t'Yorkshire). And the last race was a 22 mile off road run, the last weekend of freedom before the world ended in March 2020.

I'm lucky that I have been able to swim intermittently since then, and got a good OW season from June through to Sept and some good distance swimming in.
After several months with all pools shut and the rivers only a few degrees above freezing, the nearby spring fed outdoor pool (water about 15-21C depending on time of year) reopened at the start of April so am 'back on it' with swimming. I think it took about 5 or 6 sessions to feel I could swim properly again and start ironing out a couple of technique flaws that had come back in. But all sorted in less than 2 months. I got 4 miles in on one sesh last week, so again as per others saying, it does come back if you could do it before.

But conversely the running is basically at zero due to injury.
I have a half distance race in August in the Scotish Highlands, with the swim starting at midnight in a loch, then obvs a night 56 mile bike, then a half marathon that goes up and down 2 bleedin big Scottish hills on footpaths.

I'm hoping that like others have said I'll get by on experience, and accept it for what it is and what I do do, not worry about whether I could have been better.

I hope we all have an enjoyable journey back to where we want to be, wherever in the world we are.
And don't forget - enjoy the ride.

I've felt like this for the last few years, finally getting a routine going that should see something positive happen.
It's just a bit hard to accept that 5.30/km is a good pace rather than "go home, you're clearly overdone" as it once was. And that 300w isn't tempo anymore. I do remind myself that a lot of people would be happy to go the pace I am in each of the disciplines, but it still feels like the cliff I feel off is very high.

Night time triathlon sounds interesting.....