Next month I’ll be doing my first sprint triathlon (750 swim/20k Bike/5k Run).
The swim will take place in a local pool, the bike course will be held on a perfectly flat surface and the run as well. For the past six months, I’ve been preparing my self for this event.
I’m good cyclist and runner (I’ve even managed to get a second place in sprint duathlon a month ago). However, I have a rather low confidence when it comes to swimming
I know that most triathletes are pretty good swimmers. Anyhow, I don’t have a swimming background and I’m afraid that I won’t preform well on the swimming part. Hence, I don’t know how to get this negative thought out of my head.
Even though I’m a solid (not that good but not that bad either) swimmer, I just have a bad feeling that I won’t be able to swim 750m adequately.
I usually swim for an hour and half or two (around 3k per training).
I signed up for this sprint triathlon 2 months ago, and I really don’t want to quit right know.
Can you guys please give me some advice regarding the swimming part (750m)?
Is it hard to swim 750m in a pool?
Do you rather swim with your upper body, saving your legs for the bike or do you use both?
Honestly, I’m in a panic mode right now and I’ll appreciate all your honest (good and bad) advice and experience!
If you are doing 3K at swim practice, you will be fine. Don’t stress on it. Heck, so what if you have to tread water for a second to re-orient yourself? 10 seconds? Even 30 seconds?
Don’t go out too hard – just swim through it. A pool is a good place to have a first tri. My first had the lane lines and several grabbed them for a second or two to get their head back in the game. Shoot, I hit 25 yards and wondered where the wall was! (It was long course – 50 yard- setup, which I had never swam in).
If you’re swimming 3k per session you’ll be fine. You won’t be kicking like it’s a sprint unless you’re name is Katie Ledecky. I would do some pacing sets to get acclimated to the race distance. Warm up, then go 4-5 x 200m with 15 seconds rest between each 200. Try to keep your pacing even between 200’s. If you go too hard on the first one or two 200’s you’ll pay for it on the last few.
You will be totally fine. I did a pool triathlon last year, and it was a blast. You will most likely self-seed in the swim start based on your anticipated pace. If you are in the ballpark, you will swim near other swimmers the same speed as you. If you are swimming that long and in a pool, then this will be a walk in the park.
I agree with the others - you’ll do fine. To gain some confidence in making the race distance try a 1000 yard straight set at the pool next time. I find these long sets really help me hash out my pace and bring down my overall time. Go out easy, stick with open turns, and don’t fret if you have to take a second at a wall at first. Try the long set a few times and it will get easy.
Feel free to recommend your own advice, but if someone is concerned about swimming 750 straight I don’t think flip turns are needed for the first distance attempt. It’s easier to stay out of oxygen debt with open turns.
Feel free to recommend your own advice, but if someone is concerned about swimming 750 straight I don’t think flip turns are needed for the first distance attempt. It’s easier to stay out of oxygen debt with open turns.
It sounds like the OP is doing 3,000 meter workouts and a 750 meter race is a joke.
If they are currently doing flip turns, why should they do open turns?
I know that most triathletes are pretty good swimmers.
You must be a real newbie to triathlon if you think this is true!
Anyhow, I don’t have a swimming background and I’m afraid that I won’t preform well on the swimming part. Hence, I don’t know how to get this negative thought out of my head.
Even though I’m a solid (not that good but not that bad either) swimmer, I just have a bad feeling that I won’t be able to swim 750m adequately. I usually swim for an hour and half or two (around 3k per training).
I also thought you were taking the piss as the most I’ll train for a sprint is 1000-1200m swim (each sesh)… so if you’re swimming for over an hour (at ~3km) well, surely you must be a good swimmer to be able to do that. Then I read your old posts and you mentioned sinking legs and breaking a lot. Can you elaborate on why you’re swimming so long, so far but feel so unconfident in the pool?
Relax and enjoy your first tri. In my first triathlon, I swam the breaststroke the whole way, because I did not think I could do a crawl for the whole distance. Just get the swim done anyway you can, nice and easy. I road a mountain bike with knobby tires for my first bike leg, I just got it done. I did not own a road bike or a tri bike back then. Your first race is an experience, an experiment. You should not be putting pressure on yourself the first time through. That’s my advice. By the way, that first tri for me was 10 years ago. I was hooked from then on, and it’s become a big part of my life.
I know that most triathletes are pretty good swimmers.
You must be a real newbie to triathlon if you think this is true!
Anyhow, I don’t have a swimming background and I’m afraid that I won’t preform well on the swimming part. Hence, I don’t know how to get this negative thought out of my head.
Even though I’m a solid (not that good but not that bad either) swimmer, I just have a bad feeling that I won’t be able to swim 750m adequately. I usually swim for an hour and half or two (around 3k per training).
I also thought you were taking the piss as the most I’ll train for a sprint is 1000-1200m swim (each sesh)… so if you’re swimming for over an hour (at ~3km) well, surely you must be a good swimmer to be able to do that. Then I read your old posts and you mentioned sinking legs and breaking a lot. Can you elaborate on why you’re swimming so long, so far but feel so unconfident in the pool?
Hi Snail,
Thanks a lot for your response.
It is true. I had a major problem with my legs in the water. I just couldn’t get my body in a pure horizontal position (to flow naturally) and with ease. Additionally, the sinking legs problem was mainly associated (as other members stated) with the head and chest position. However, with a lot of training, I’ve managed to overcome that issue partially.
Furthermore, I’m doing 2.5-3k swim in each session, including drills.
Sometimes I have a major problem with keeping up the tempo while breathing normally. Even though I breathe properly, at some point I’ll get out breathe and I have to stop for moment. I’m afraid that when I swim, my legs (I don’t kick a lot) will gradually sink which will decrease my speed and I will have to kick hard in order to get my body in a flat horizontal position, which will waste my oxygen.
I have a zero experience with triathlon and I don’t know what will happen in the pool, since there will be a lot of people swimming in the same lane.
Furthermore, I’m doing 2.5-3k swim in each session, including drills.
Sometimes I have a major problem with keeping up the tempo while breathing normally. Even though I breathe properly, at some point I’ll get out breathe and I have to stop for moment. I’m afraid that when I swim, my legs (I don’t kick a lot) will gradually sink which will decrease my speed and I will have to kick hard in order to get my body in a flat horizontal position, which will waste my oxygen.
I have a zero experience with triathlon and I don’t know what will happen in the pool, since there will be a lot of people swimming in the same lane.
Ah ok that clarifies things a lot for me - thanks for the response. What type of drills are you doing? Re: breathing, I noticed you mentioned breathing on one side in your old posts… do you still do this? When do you breathe (every 2, 4, 6 stroke? Or odd numbers if you breathe bilateral?) Do you hold your breath when you’re swimming?
Some people can swim very well with minimal kick but I know that I need to kick to actually propel myself… I’m not a coach by any means but perhaps try a handful of sessions where you’re kicking a bit more and see if you still have the sinking leg issue? Also, I have found for myself that if I lift my head up instead of to the side when I’m breathing - my lower body sinks. So when I tilt my head to breathe, I always make sure that my other ear is submerged (a tip I got from a swim coach) and not out of the water.
I’ve never done a pool tri before so unfort I can’t give much advice re: the environment in the pool - but I’m sure others would be more than happy to give you some pointers.
The swim, for many triathletes, is the most intimidating part of the race - so I can only suggest to take it easy when you start and to remember that you’ve done the training so you can certainly complete the distance. The swim can be more psychological than physical for some people and the most important thing I reckon, aside from doing the proper training which seems like you’ve done - is to feel confident in your abilities.
Are you sure the swim is 750m in the pool? I know of several pool swim tris, the longest swim for any of them is 400m using a 50m pool and turn buoys for sort of an open water like swim… snaking back and forth.
But no, swimming in a pool isn’t hard or impossible. I staff with a race company and I see people regularly get through pool and open water swims with little to no training or swimming ability. I don’t recommend that but people get through it, pool swims especially.
I know that most triathletes are pretty good swimmers.
buwahahahaha
most triathletes are hydrophobic twits that only train in the pool enough to not drown while obsessing over the aerodynamic benefits of a 3 degree movement in their pinky finger position on the bike. (there are of course , lots of exceptions to this statement, it mainly refers to most of the triathletes I know personally)
anyway, looks like you’re getting some good advice from others, that line just made me laugh this morning. Thanks.
