It’s never too late. I’m 45 and I started leaning to swim just a few years ago. I’ve just found reviews about best triathlon wetsuit to order one for myself. This year I want to do my first few sprints. Good luck with your learning!
To this point, all my “triathlons” have been relay triathlons. My knees prevented running, so I offered my cycling services to fast swimmers and runners (without bikes) who wanted to give triathlon a try. I’m 58 years old and my oldest teammate, to date, was 27. Most were 17 or 18.
Today, my knee surgeon said that I could try running a 5k again. (It has been 5 years.) Try . . . and it’s not certain that my knees will take it. But I’m hoping to get back to a 5k and maybe enter sprint triathlons as an age grouper.
But here’s my question: I’m 58. I have never swam competitively. I haven’t swam on a course or in a straight line more than a few times in my life – all more than 35 years ago. I free dived 25+ years ago. And I can tread water for hours. (Too lean to float very well.)
Is 58 too late to expect to learn to swim competently? I had shoulder reconstruction surgery 2 years ago – the shoulder is working great, but is that a problem for swimming? Is this a fool’s errand? Or is it do-able? And what’s the best way to test the waters / learn to swim for sprint triathlons?
I was searching for something else and found this thread.
I just wanted to say it’s never too late and you’re never too old. I was almost 42 years old when I learned to swim from complete scratch (blowing bubbles and trying to get across the pool). I had a fear of putting my head under water for most of my life so swimming never happened for me (I still feel minor panic if I get too hypoxic). After a 3 month long running injury in 2012, I decided to finally get over it and learn to swim with the help of my husband who swam in college. 6 years later I’ve done 2 full IMs and a handful of halves. I’m still one of the slower swimmers at masters but can get through the workouts since I’m strong and have good endurance. I can run a 90 minute half marathon but struggle to swim a 90 second 100 yards. My swimming is very slow in comparison to my land sports because I didn’t develop that body-feel you get when you’re a child/teen swimmer. But there is hope for us older folks learning to swim. I’ll probably never be the top woman out of the water but I am making progress each year. If I can do it, anyone can learn to swim. I went from a train wreck in the pool to MOP (upper third) triathlon swimmer. And I still have a ways to go. Just keep working at it.
I’m 57. I got back in the water at 55. Before that, I haden’t been in a pool since 1989. I sucked back then, as I never had any lessons. My how times have changed. I’ve use youtube lessons exclusively, mostly “effortless swimming”. My first attempt in the water two years ago, yielded a 2:19 pace, for a one time all out 100 yards. Now, 2 years later, my best olympic tri swim pace, so far, is 1:28/100y. Maybe not speedy compared to some of you all, but I’m really happy with it. So I would say YES, you can learn, and do quite well, starting later in life.
I was worried about this too… not super old, but 38 and have never been a swimmer or done any sort of triathlon.
Last summer I signed up for IMLP and kinda put off getting into the pool at all until this past January with 7 months to go. Literally googled the “zero to one mile” swim program and started it slightly worried about meeting the swim cutoff.
Got a bit more comfortable in the water, and just swam 2-3x a week leading into Placid, no specific workouts or drills… just kinda getting time in the water. I come from a run background, and this is the exact advice I would give anyone running their first marathon, just spend time getting miles in and dont worry about anything. Not saying that was the best idea, but whatever… it worked.
I ended up swimming a very comfortable 1:17 in Placid, and can’t believe I was ever worried about the cutoff. Stoked to get into the pool this off-season and make some legit gainz with technique and workouts though.
Is 58 too late to expect to learn to swim competently?
I’ve posted this before…
My wife (of 35 years now) has followed me into every endeavor that I’ve decided to try. When I fell running cross country 10 years I decided to give triathlon a try. Of course my wife wanted to do them as well. I had swam in high school, college, and in the Navy. I had never seen her get her hair wet. Turns out at 47 she had never learned to swim.
10 years later she is a 2 time Ironman finisher, about a dozen 70.3’s, and too many sprints and Olympics to count. Here best open water swim pace is 2:15 per 100, which on here would be laughed at, but she completes the swims in plenty of time, never panics in rough water, and has a very good time doing it.
So, its never too late, and don’t worry about your performance.
Good on her and I’d never laugh at that swim time. I’ve been at this game for 7 years and I’m still at 2:15/100. I keep plugging away but I’m comfortable at that pace.
I’ve taught a lot of adult beginners. My guess is you’re comfortable in the water and already fit. So if you have access to a pool and a half decent teacher you’ll be more than fine.
About 9 years ago I taught a lady in her 60s to swim well enough to swim the straits of the bosphorus. That’s about 2km of open water swimming. She had less experience than you.
I’m so glad I saw this thread!! In 2012 I began my journey into endurance sports wanting to do triathlon but I couldn’t swim! I did a couple tris and thought I was going to drown, I actually came out of the water dead last on both of them. So I just kinda gave up and started ultra running. Well here I am now 9 years later at 45 years old and it’s still eating at me that I gave up!! So I’m on a new mission to learn to swim. I just joined the YMCA to get started. My problem now is the same as 9 years ago, I can find zero coaches around that are willing to give private lessons to an adult and there are no masters programs here. I tried for nearly two years before looking for someone to help with no luck. So it’s me and a TI book this time, we will see how it goes.
Good for you. Totally doable. TI may of changed since I used the book so take what I say with a pinch of salt. At the time I thought it was a great way to reset and think about the basics. I thought it gave me a pretty good foundation. In fact I’d recommend it if you’re going to teach yourself. But the trap seems to be that you then progress by trying to swim too carefully. What Swim Smooth would call an over glider.
As you progress and then reach a plateau I’d find resources that help you understand what you need to work on at that particular time. I think we always try and improve technique but not entirely and not at the expense of fitness, strength, rhythm and timing, etc.
I’m so glad I saw this thread!! In 2012 I began my journey into endurance sports wanting to do triathlon but I couldn’t swim! I did a couple tris and thought I was going to drown, I actually came out of the water dead last on both of them. So I just kinda gave up and started ultra running. Well here I am now 9 years later at 45 years old and it’s still eating at me that I gave up!! So I’m on a new mission to learn to swim. I just joined the YMCA to get started. My problem now is the same as 9 years ago, I can find zero coaches around that are willing to give private lessons to an adult and there are no masters programs here. I tried for nearly two years before looking for someone to help with no luck. So it’s me and a TI book this time, we will see how it goes.
Something that helped me a bit was getting video of myself swimming. I have a cheap Go-Pro knock off and a suction cup thing at the end of the pool and honestly just that 10 yards of footage of me coming straight at the camera exposed a lot of flaws to work out. It’s probably not as good as a coach, I’ve never had one so I don’t really know, but you could post the videos online and get feedback on position and stroke and have a list of immediate things to work on.
I’m so glad I saw this thread!! In 2012 I began my journey into endurance sports wanting to do triathlon but I couldn’t swim! I did a couple tris and thought I was going to drown, I actually came out of the water dead last on both of them. So I just kinda gave up and started ultra running. Well here I am now 9 years later at 45 years old and it’s still eating at me that I gave up!! So I’m on a new mission to learn to swim. I just joined the YMCA to get started. My problem now is the same as 9 years ago, I can find zero coaches around that are willing to give private lessons to an adult and there are no masters programs here. I tried for nearly two years before looking for someone to help with no luck. So it’s me and a TI book this time, we will see how it goes.
Your local Y swim instructors refuse to give you lessons b/c you are an adult??? Are you abso sure about that??? I’ve swum at around 40 diff Ys and fitness centers and most of them offered private swim lessons for all ages. Only exception might be Gold’s Gym, but ALL the Ys offered lessons to anyone willing to pay a nominal fee.
They didn’t actually say they refused to and they do say they offer private lessons. But when I talk to the directors they always say something like “let me see if I can find someone that would be willing to do private lessons”. They usually never get back with me and when I try to follow up they just kept giving me the same run around. They offer a lot of kids and teen classes and swim teams but I think the adult or private lessons is more the Y trying to hook a private instructor up with you, not necessarily a Y employee.
“I can find zero coaches around that are willing to give private lessons to an adult and there are no masters programs here.”
Are there older swimmers from those teams (and I mean, like, HS juniors or seniors)?
I bet they’d coach you. Maybe I’m being overly optimistic, but if there’s a swim team, there are probably a couple of national honor society, type-A kids out there who would be willing to work for a fair price.
Good idea, I’ll keep an eye open and ask around.
I’ll be 60 this year.
I’m always one of the slower ones in my age group.
If I finish in the third quartile, I’m ecstatic.
Something I figured out at my first race is that everyone likes a slower competitor.
… and something else I learned after my first sprint triathlon is that non-triathletes are impressed that I’m a triathlete. My wife makes sure it is one of the first things that new acquaintances learn about me. My standard reaction to their comments is, “Aw, shucks! It isn’t like I win.”