So a few weeks back I posted about being a newbie wanting to do an upcoming tri and getting a bike…Got one and have a few hundred km’s in the saddle and love it (it’s a road bike and I’m looking for advice on clip-on aerobars). I’ve been running for a few years and love that also. Last night I found new meaning to brick workout…I hit the pool and sank like a brick!!!..Wow, I couldn’t put together more than two 25m laps without being out of breath. I can’t imagine doing 750m open water while being kicked in the face in one months time. I was planning three to four sessions a week till then (June 29th is the race) but now have my doubts I can earn any sort of fish status in that time frame.
Setting aside my 30’s, I was always a fairly active person in sports, track, football etc. Having said that, as a spectator and wannabe participant, I can appreciate how hard it is and the commitment it takes to get to a competitive level. So to all of you who make this look so easy, good for you! It ain’t easy, and it shouldn’t be.
Glad I found this site and enjoy the reading. I’ll keep on trucking and make a go of it.
Not everything is lost but you probably won’t be able to fix this by yourself. Find a masters team and before a practice have a chat with the coach, explain to him the situation you’re in. He won’t make you fast that quickly but he most likely will teach you how to stay afloat while slowly moving forward.
Good attitude.
I used some profile design clip ons for my first tri and they did the job.
Always nice to have a road bike to link up with some group rides in your area. Will help with your bike handling skills.
As far as the swimming. Get a plan and try to stick to it. Sounds like you needs some focus there. Maybe try a swim smooth basic training book. That way you get some ideas for drills. Even better if you can find a masters swim class.
Good luck.
So a few weeks back I posted about being a newbie wanting to do an upcoming tri and getting a bike…Got one and have a few hundred km’s in the saddle and love it (it’s a road bike and I’m looking for advice on clip-on aerobars). I’ve been running for a few years and love that also. Last night I found new meaning to brick workout…I hit the pool and sank like a brick!!!..Wow, I couldn’t put together more than two 25m laps without being out of breath. I can’t imagine doing 750m open water while being kicked in the face in one months time. I was planning three to four sessions a week till then (June 29th is the race) but now have my doubts I can earn any sort of fish status in that time frame.
Setting aside my 30’s, I was always a fairly active person in sports, track, football etc. Having said that, as a spectator and wannabe participant, I can appreciate how hard it is and the commitment it takes to get to a competitive level. So to all of you who make this look so easy, good for you! It ain’t easy, and it shouldn’t be.
Glad I found this site and enjoy the reading. I’ll keep on trucking and make a go of it.
Sounds about right, and you know what? It never gets any easier.
Anything I’ve done and found easy was always because I wasn’t pushing hard enough to make it hard. I’m enjoying the pain.
I took a crash course in transition training last weekend and as it turns out that coach is also offering a few open water clinics coming right up. I’ll partake in those and also hope to grab a coach or group as mentioned to assist me in my efforts to not drown.
And thanks for the tip on the bars rmg…I remember seeing a few types of that make at the LBS last weekend. From all me reading I understand the fit is very subjective and should be handled by a pro, but any basics on config changes when adding these?
As a newbie I’d forget about the clipon aerobars for now. The bike will handle differently and you don’t need another new thing to figure out this close to your race.
So a few weeks back I posted about being a newbie wanting to do an upcoming tri and getting a bike…Got one and have a few hundred km’s in the saddle and love it (it’s a road bike and I’m looking for advice on clip-on aerobars). I’ve been running for a few years and love that also. Last night I found new meaning to brick workout…I hit the pool and sank like a brick!!!..Wow, I couldn’t put together more than two 25m laps without being out of breath. I can’t imagine doing 750m open water while being kicked in the face in one months time. I was planning three to four sessions a week till then (June 29th is the race) but now have my doubts I can earn any sort of fish status in that time frame.
Setting aside my 30’s, I was always a fairly active person in sports, track, football etc. Having said that, as a spectator and wannabe participant, I can appreciate how hard it is and the commitment it takes to get to a competitive level. So to all of you who make this look so easy, good for you! It ain’t easy, and it shouldn’t be.
Glad I found this site and enjoy the reading. I’ll keep on trucking and make a go of it.
Should be a dumb question, but it wasn’t for me. Are you exhaling into the water? That is step one. ****
As someone who wanted to do an Ironman but, starting out, could not swim more than 50yd without having to stop and catch my breath, the best plan is to put in consistent time in the pool. Even if you are just doing 10 minutes a day, make sure you are in there 3 times a week. When you are not swimming, watching videos on perfecting your stroke, talk to people, learn what you should be doing. As long as you are consistently working at it, you will gradually be able to do more and more laps each session.
next time you swim over the deep end, look down the 10 or more feet and think what the heck is holding you up, how much would it hurt if you fell straight down to the concrete.
The water won’t hold you up if you won’t let it, but if you do it will hold up even the most dense and muscular swimmers.
As a newbie I’d forget about the clipon aerobars for now. The bike will handle differently and you don’t need another new thing to figure out this close to your race.
I guess the only reason I’ve been thinking about adding the bars is that my bro has an almost identical road setup as mine with addition of the bars. I’ve spent some time on it and find them comfortable although the padding is a bit week. I do seem a bit more over the bars on it as his saddle’s a bit forward of mine.
Should be a dumb question, but it wasn’t for me. Are you exhaling into the water? That is step one.
After watching a bunch of videos I did know to exhale into the water. I’m looking down vs forward, turning my head when the arm is back and look back a bit to try and catch the breath in the slipstream or pocket. I concur that breathing is of the most importance and I quickly found out my body is incapable of extracting the oxygen from the water upon entering my lungs. Sink or swim, right!
I think that was the issue also…Had a hell of a time finding any sort of “pace” when I was stopping at each end. I know it will come with time and coaching.
If you’ve used them before with no issue then go ahead. Just trying to keep things simple. I’ve seen too many newbs over complicate things and get overwhelmed. They will definitely be faster if you get setup properly and are comfortable with the handling.
When I first started swimming laps about a year ago I had the same problem. I was about 2 months out from my first tri and I went to the pool and said to myself there is no way I’ll be able to do this. I kept at it though, talked to a few people in the pool, watched videos and slowly but surely I got the hang of it. The best advice that I got was to 1. keep your head down, which you already mentioned 2. reach out as far as you can 3. when you pull your arm back try to follow down the middle of your chest with your stroke. Those three things made me a pretty decent swimmer. Good luck!
First of all great attitude, hope you it takes you far into the Tri thing, question for you besides all the swim technique and clip on bars information, what is the water temperature likely to be for your race, is it wetsuit legal and do you intend to speedo the swim or will you wetsuit it? If the answer is yes I need the extra buoyancy…would suggest you get fitted into a wetsuit asap and get some swims in ow with a group as the first few swims in one for most starting can be a bit of a freak out session with wetsuit constriction, weak swim, salt water, creepy crawlies in the water, choppy conditions, current, etc. There is a lot of advice for first time OW/Tri swimmers, read up and be prepared.
Its great that you are spending time in the pool but it will have absolutely no bearing to swimming OW. I can’t overemphasise this fact.
Are you swimming in a coached group, or are you swimming by yourself? It sounds like you need some time in the pool with a knowledgeable coach. Don’t just get in and do some mindless drills that you read on the internet. You need time in the pool to practice and you need someone to watch you and correct the things you aren’t doing correctly.
Well, the past couple of years the water temp came up just beyond for wetsuit. I’ve never been in a wetsuit but was told they do rent them at the race if legal. I sure like the idea of extra buoyancy, but don’t want to depend on it at this stage. At the same time, I guess I need to be “used” to one if I decide to put it on. The “puddle” the swim’s in is very shallow and still so it gets warm. My buddy raced it last year and said it was like swimming in a mud puddle. I’m looking forward to partaking in some OW clinics held at this location soon to get a “taste” of what it’s like. After that I’m sure I’ll either wave the white flag and plan for next year, or go hard and have at er in a month.
I’ve just been out a couple times by myself. I’ve found a couple of local groups that are currently “in session” and started back in Feb with no drop in’s. I’m sure the coaches I’ve reached out to are a bit gun shy of getting into any sort of training with a newbie so close to a race. I’m not the type of person to wave the white flag, so we’ll see what happens, but I don’t want to be unrealistic either. Who put this damn idea in my head anyway!!!..lol.
I hit the pool and sank like a brick!!!..Wow, I couldn’t put together more than two 25m laps without being out of breath. I can’t imagine doing 750m open water while being kicked in the face in one months time.
If you have a wetsuit legal race it will be better. A wetsuit gives you way more buoyancy. Salt water and a wetsuit…even better.
