I competed in my first triathlon this past weekend (Memphis in May Oly) had a blast! I was fairly unprepared for everything but the run – I had never swam more than 100 meters in my life and only had about a dozen bike rides on a 2nd hand tri-bike (Litespeed blade circa 2000) that I bought in April. I have good cardio conditioning, however so I knew if I made it through the swim I would be ok. I managed a 2:39 which placed me 70th out of 133 in my age group (34-39). As expected, the swim killed my time.
After about 3 minutes in the water (with a borrowed wetsuit) I quickly determined that I was in no position to freestyle the swim. My goggles were filling with water and fogging up, my stroke was abysmal and my heart rate was spiking. As a result I proceeded to do a lazy back stroke for the entire stage. This allowed me to breathe freely the whole time so I got out of the water completely relaxed and not in the least tired or winded. My swim split was a terrible 31:43 but if I was doing it again I think I could easily shave 4-5 minutes off that time by focusing more on speed, form and staying on course. I spent a lot of time stopping, looking around and then going super wide so that I wouldn’t be in any ones way. I was 101st after the swim.
So my question is how fundamentally incorrect is it to do the swim using the back stroke? Is there anyone that is fairly successful (like sub 23 minute swims) that does the back stroke or a hybrid of alternating back stroke with freestyle for sighting? I am reluctant to do another race before I can freestyle it (partly out of embarrassment) but that would probably mean no more races this year! Did you all not even try to race until you could freestyle the entire swim distance? Thoughts?
Your experience is somewhat universal for the first open water swim with a wetsuit in a race. Small comfort perhaps but I think you would be surprised if you were to do it again this weekend.
Sounds like you need to buy a new pair of goggles too. Leaking goggles is not a byproduct of anything race/stroke related - they just don’t fit or are broken.
If you don’t have the ability to freestyle all the way around I’d suggest:
Relax (getting swept up in the start of the race doesn’t benefit you at this point)
Swim slower (perhaps you are pushing it too hard on the freestyle)
Alternate some breast stroke in there (stay wide so you aren’t kicking people or slowing them up)
Start swimming on a regular basis… it comes quickly at the beginning
The best way to get used to the experience is to keep doing it - so don’t bail on your races this summer. Just appreciate you are a novice swimmer and work within your limitations.
I’d say everyone that DOESN’T have a swimming background has had to flip over to calm down (or survive) at some point. Don’t stress over it too much. I agree with the other - you can learn it quickly with some effort and you will be more confident and your time will drop dramatically. I don’t know of anyone that relies on backstroke as their primary swim stroke, and can tell you it’s not the most efficient thing…and might get a few giggles/snickers from the more experienced folks…but you gotta do whatever gets you through, right? Sounds like the other two parts went well and I’m glad you had a great time. Sounds like it was a good race for most and glad to hear you’ll be coming back to it!!
I’m a swimmer by nature so while I sometimes have to take a quick breaststroke if I’ve lost the buoys or to just refocus, I’ve never had to completely flip over. I tend to swim over those folks quite often though, so it happens. Again, just spend some time in the pool and work on form (or go to a Master’s group for a bit and get some outside help). It’ll come together fairly quickly and you’ll be back at it in no time!
There was 1 person using a snorkel in the race…I figured that must have been illegal for sure. I always have issues with goggle fitting because I have a large nose with a high bridge (or I prefer to call it an aero facial splitter). I haven’t ever found a pair that fits well enough to keep from filling with water in a few minutes.
its worth spending the time to find some that will work for ya. leaky goggles are NO fun
There was 1 person using a snorkel in the race…I figured that must have been illegal for sure. I always have issues with goggle fitting because I have a large nose with a high bridge (or I prefer to call it an aero facial splitter). I haven’t ever found a pair that fits well enough to keep from filling with water in a few minutes.
Find a local swim or sporting goods store that has a good number of swim goggles for sale, and that will let you take them out of the box. Then start trying them on in the store- goggles fit correctly when you can firmly press the eyecups to your eye sockets and feel them seal for a couple of seconds without doing anything with the head strap.
There really is a pair of goggles out there for every facial structure. Unfortunately, the manufacturers like to ‘improve’ models every so often to the point where they don’t work out right for you anymore so when you do find a pair you like, buy two extra pairs.
As for the backstroke, first THANK YOU for going with backstroke and not the dangerous breaststroke . Far too easy to kick someone hard in the head with breaststroke kick. All freestyle will come- just keep working on it in the pool, and slowing down a little in the water if you need to (though don’t slow it down too much because that can also interfere with breathing)
I ran MIM as well and man what a great event this year - wind and all. The waves were pretty choppy on that first leg and that might have played a part in your discomfort. But I wouldn’t worry about doing the backstroke. I was embarrased last year in my first MIM (first overall tri) until I saw others doing it as well. This year I freestyled the whole thing. The Masters coach at the Bartlett Rec Center watched me and changed my breathing pattern from every third stroke to every stroke and BOOM!!! I was swimming 2500 yards the next day. Just get in the water and try some differnt breathing patterns to see what fits you best. If you know a good swimmer have them look at you and see if they can point out anything to improve or change.
Off subject…
Great job on your first triathlon. I was doing good until I lost my chain on the last mile. Then I had a horrible cramp in my side for about 4.5 miles on the run. Overall I think I could have knocked off about 7-10 minutes had I not had issues. But that is part of the game.
You might want to look into doing Dragonfly in July or the Fit City event in August. They are both sprint distances.
Yes, I actually trained enough to complete the swim using freestyle the whole distance. It sounds like you already know how to freestyle, but you didn’t do enough training to become proficient. More than likely if you had done the training you would have also discovered the problem with your goggles and corrected it before racing.
Your approach is like going to race without riding a bike and discovering it doesn’t shift, or a brake doesn’t work. Or entering a marathon when you’re longest ever run was 2 miles and your shoes have a broken lace.
Perhaps there is some joy in doing a race unprepared that you would like to share!
6 yrs age group swim
4 yrs high school swim
1 yr college swim
1st tri swim – in small lake, about 400 yds, never 100 yds from shore: scariest physical thing ive ever done. i thought i was going to die on every stroke. worst physical sensation ive ever had.
its gotten better since then.
you might want to swim right up against a gutter in a pool to get more waves, and practice breathing/sighting. the latter will help you understand how to breathe if you swallow water, and be able to get your head out of the water while still moving forward/doing freestyle.
2:39 for an Olympic is very respectable even more so for your first. Just over 30 mins for the swim while not setting the world on fire is hardly anything to worry about, there are plenty people who post low 30 swim splits then bike and run like demons.
Also given that you swm backstroke for the 1500 you have done very well and are a pretty good backstroke exponent, I think you could take 5 mins of that time by swimming freestyle
I was a backstroker as a kid so my back is nearly as fast as my free but I couldn’t do it in a tri. First, it’s hard to swim back well with a lazy kick and I prefer not to kick much in a triathlon. Second, I find it really hard to swim back in a wetsuit, I’m not entirely sure why that is but it might be related to why backsrokers don’t seem to wear full body suits in the Olympics.
If it works for you go ahead it’s a race so do the swim in the way that will get YOU through it fastest.
Congratulations on your performance. Despite the swim you put in a good overall performance and should be proud.
You should be pretty much ashamed of your swim training though. You really didn’t have enough swim training under your belt to complete that swim leg safely. Fortunately you apparently have good water presence and were safe and cozy on your back, so that’s a good thing.
Nobody who swims respectfully does anything but freestyle. It’s the stroke that’s most efficient for someone who’s proficient. However, don’t be hesitant to roll over and swim on your back. FREESTYLE means you can get there any way you want. Spend more time in the water preparing, but don’t feel like you must be a swim master before you race again. Rolling on your back to catch your breath is fine and you’ll do it less and less as you practice your swim more.
My first tri was in '87 and I wasn’t a swimmer at all, just felt comfortable in my ability. I was a cardio monster being a highly competitive runner turned bike racer. In the swim, I only remember being completely comfortable the whole way but extremely slow. It was the rare situation of not having enough skill to put power to the water and having a great cardio engine so I was unable to get tired nor to go fast.
Coming back to tris after 18 years away from cardio sports…I had to spend a lot of time on my back even in Sprint triathlons until I joined the swim team.
Having great difficulty the first time you do something is not terribly rare (just find my thread from earlier this week when I describe the beating I took at my first criterium bike race) so its no biggie that you had to back stroke. At my first tri back in 1997 my parents said my face was milk white and I looked half dead when I emerged from the water. This was before awesome sites like this existed so I struggled during the swim for an entire season before I happened to read an article about the ONE thing I was doing majorly wrong. For me simply changing my breathing pattern and learning to breath out UNDERWATER (instead of trying to exhale and inhale while my head was out of the water) instantly took me from barely able to swim 100yds without being totally winded to cruising through as many laps as I wanted. I went on to take lessons as I got more into this sport and my times AND effort level dropped, but like one poster said it was that one thing clicking that really sent me on my way.
Thanks for the advice everyone! I appreciate it. It looks like i better suck it up and join a Gym with a pool so I can get some swim training in. My home pool is too small.
I was #629. I had a 1:16 (18.4 mph) on the bike which considering the wind and my lack of any sort of power I was satisfied with. The wind may have actually helped me stay composed for the run because it kept me in low gears (11-14) for the majority of the ride. I was spinning like heck at times. I don’t know how people with discs were able to stay on their bike. I posted a 45:20 on the run but I did hold back a bit because I have a knee issue I have been working to get resolved with an ortho. I am unable to do any speed or hill work because of it.
I had a bagel 3 hours before the race, a powerbar 30 minutes before the swim and 3/4 of a GU at the start of the bike (I had more but it was hard to open it and eat it while on the bike). I also forgot to take a whiz before or during the swim and it was pretty distracting throughout the bike stage. On the run, thankfully I forgot all about it.
Completely normal to freak out for the first open water swim in a race. I freaked my first time with the same symptoms as you and now I can swim 5k’s against a strong current (gotta love the Hudson River).
Go to a pool 3 - 4 times a week with someone that can swim well or a coach. You will need 2 weeks. Work on proper breathing (only half your face out of the water, one eye above the water line, one below) and a long pull stroke that starts like you are reaching for something really high on a shelf, pulling all the way down like a tricep pushdown until you just about slap your nether region. When you learn this stroke, you will naturally roll your hips to the side, which opens you up to breath. Also with this stroke, you will glide more and use less energy.
You can learn this pretty well in 2 weeks. It will take you the rest of your life to perfect it.
Don’t stop racing. Just be considerate of the other swimmers around you for now. When you feel competative, get in the middle of the pack, and hold on. The spin cycle on your washer machine is gentler.
Great job on your first triathlon. I was doing good until I lost my chain on the last mile. Then I had a horrible cramp in my side for about 4.5 miles on the run. Overall I think I could have knocked off about 7-10 minutes had I not had issues. But that is part of the game.
Literally lost your chain?
I know for sure that someone did. When I was walking out of transition (after the race, not during ), I saw someone pushing a bike that was missing a chain and said to my gf “DAYUMM… they lost their chain.” lol, sorry to hear about your luck!
), I saw someone pushing a bike that was missing a chain and said to my gf “DAYUMM… they lost their chain.” lol, sorry to hear about your luck!