You absoultely can get ready for an oly swim in 3-4 months, esp. if you can get to the pool 2-3 times per week.
Last year I got into the pool in late January and did 25 yards in about 40 seconds, feet about 3 feet below the water, gasping at the end. I then followed the steps in the TI book/video over the course of a few months. I only got to the pool about once a week, for about an hour at a time. After about a dozen hours in the pool, I had what passed for a freestyle stroke and could hold under 3:00 per 100. Nothing to write home about, but I’d met my first goal.
After another dozen hours in the pool, I was able to hold 2:45/100 over 1,000+ yards. I did my first oly after 24 hours of pool time…32:35 for the swim. That’s about 2:00/100 (I legally “cheated” with my first wetsuit swim, per the other thread recently started). I had one private lesson in July, got some tips on improving form.
After another 10 hours in the pool, I could do 700 yards in 15 minutes (2:10/100) in the pool. Hope to be MOP this year, and am trying to boost my pool time.
So…if you put in say 2 hours a week, it is possible to get into the 2:00/100 range in 3-4 months…even better if you wear a wetsuit during the race.
<< You absolutely can get ready for an oly swim in 3-4 months, esp. if you can get to the pool 2-3 times per week. >>
I’d say that you absolutely can finish an Oly swim tomorrow if the only thing you do is buy a wetsuit today. Seriously. It is the single best investment you can make for Tri if you are a bad (or non) swimmer. I am speaking from direct personal experience. It’ll suck, and it will be a flail-fest, but you will finish.
A wetsuit will keep you bouyant and relatively horizontal, so you don’t hafta worry about drowning, just providing some sort of forward propulsion. I used to do absolutely pitiful combinations of “freestyle” (until I ran out of breath - not very long), sidestroke, and backstroke to get thru the swim leg.
I will 14th (or whatever we are up to now) the idea of either buying the TI book (get the one for Tri swimming), DVD, and/or taking a course if one is offered near you (or at least some lessons w/ a qualified instructor)
Murphy’s Law agrees with the others that you need to learn the correct technique, and then practice THAT (don’t worry so much about distance or time, that’ll come), and you will get better. Murphy’s Law says you are like the tiny acorn that becomes the mighty oak - you have nowhere to go but up from here.
Murphy’s Law still thinks that swimming sucks, even tho Murphy’s Law is finally gettting a little better at it. (ML “swims” 2x / week now)
Murphy’s Law agrees with Monk that it is fun to speak about Murphy’s Law in the third person
Thanks for all of the great feedback, but…I live in Tampa and dont plan to travel for races this year since there are a ton of top shelf races within a one hour drive, so…a wetsuit is just not a viable option until around October as most of the water temps in Fla are upper 80’s to low 90’s throughout the summer and fall. But I am kind of an obsessive retard when I am not good at something and will try to swim 3-5 times a week and report back after about six weeks. I was really hoping to do three sprints, an oly, and then end with the Florida Challenge half in October ( which will most likely be wetsuit legal ). Thanks again.
BTW- I am following Don Fink’s competitive program for the bike and run, doing about 80% of the prescribed distances, as it is an Ironman program. I have no problems with the bike and run, just the part that invovles sinking to the bottom just prior to mounting the bike.
I am here to squash all the optimistic babble heard above. Just look at my signature.
I thought the same as you, “how hard can it be?” Heh. Really hard. I’m about 6 months into it now (had several weeks of zero pool time though), and I still struggle to go beyond 50 yards without completely falling apart.
Of all the advice above, I think Monk’s may be among the best. Breathing right is absolutely key. I mean, it’s not like I’m tired at the end of a 50. No. It’s that I am feeling out of breath, starting to get that panic feeling. I’ll bet that mastering breathing is >75% of the challenge to finishing a long swim. I’m still not there, despite trying and trying and trying…
Once you’re at the “reasonably competent” level, make sure you get some instruction or prepare for a tri swim. You’ll be starting with a mass of people and unless you’re relaxed and confident, all that thrashing about can induce panic, which will screw up your breathing. Make sure you do a warm up swim before the start of the race; start at the back; take your time; breathe; and remember if you get into trouble, turn over and float on your back and think about how you’re going to kick ass on the bike and run.
def going it with a group is going to help your success rate. getting feedback on your stroke, and having others to push you are all beneficial.
what I want to tell you is that I took a 10 year break from swimming. when I returned I was horrified and embarrassed at my concrete-like body in the water. but, it came together with consistent swimming in a decent amount of time. had I been with others I imagine it would have been sooner. But, generally it took me about 2 months to be able to comfortabley swim a 500 in a decent amount of time. During this time I was totally out of shape from a knee injury that had me down forever. So, I was literally starting from zero–this is not you.
since you have cardio conditioning, I would suspect that within 6 weeks you will be amazed at your improvements. by the time your races are here you will be pleased with yourself. and, if you keep it up, this time next year you will see signifigant gains. This of course, if all assuming that you know how to swim, have done it before and don’t have major technique issues.
the main to know is that swimming takes years and years to perfect. it’s like rowing–always something to work on in the stroke. so, do not expect instant gratification in swimming because it is not that kind of a sport. it’s a life sport in which you’ll have years of rewarding gains in technique, speed, and accomplishment.
OK Aztec, I concede. You wre right, I was wrong. You are a worse swimmer than even I am. (and that’s saying something!!!)
Agreed that getting comfy breathing while swimming is a key challenge to overcome. It takes practice, which is something I am finally doing some of for swimming.
Anybody who has the fitness and endurance to finish X distance on the bike and Y distance on the run afterwards, certainly has more than enough to do Z distance in the water, since (thankfully) the swim is usually only about 10% give or take of the total race distance. Although for us water-challenged it may be a bit higher percentage of the race time.
To the original poster - sorry ya can’t use a wetsuit. It really is a wonderful aid - I think mentally even more than physically for us folk, contrary to what the fish might think (as if most of them, with the rare exception, would ever be able to ‘walk a mile in our shoes’ to know what this is even like - if they could, that other thread would never have existed)
Good luck! With correct practice, and knowledgeable guidance, you WILL get better. You have nothing but massive upside potential at this point.
Returned to the pool today and really focused on staying calm and relaxed and worked on my breathing as mentioned by one of the posts. I also slowed down a bit and the result?..18:26, a six minute improvement
Well last week the furthest I could do without stopping was maybe 50 meters, or possibly 100 if I sneaked a rest.
Today - I just swam 2Km !!!
Only difference - my legs. Last week I was thinking I needed to thrash the water like there was no tomorrow in order to get anywhere. Sure its faster - but you’re out of breath and long distances are impossible.
OK - it took me almost an hour I think, but that was with almost zero kicking - I need to find a happy balance.
Hang in there - if I can do it- I’m sure you can !
Couldn’t agree more, little torture devices they are.
Seriously, I have no idea if this will help but I thought I’d throw it in. Are you a visual learner? If yes, spend a little time watching good swimmers. Notice that they don’t move fast. They swim fast, but no part of their body (except maybe feet) is actually moving very fast. That’s what bad swimmers usually try to do, move arms faster when it’s actually much more productive to move much more slowly and let the water teach you how it works. You will never win if you work against the water. NEVER. This is also the reason runners have a hard time with figuring out swimming IMHO. Lots of time you have to move slower to swim faster which isn’t the case with running. There are limits to that of course but get in the pool, relax, and listen to the water. It will teach you quite a bit if you just pay attention. Once it clicks, you’ll find the pool to be a very free and liberating environment. Really the only place where we get to cheat gravity for a while.
Well last week the furthest I could do without stopping was maybe 50 meters, or possibly 100 if I sneaked a rest.
Today - I just swam 2Km !!!
Only difference - my legs. Last week I was thinking I needed to thrash the water like there was no tomorrow in order to get anywhere. Sure its faster - but you’re out of breath and long distances are impossible.
OK - it took me almost an hour I think, but that was with almost zero kicking - I need to find a happy balance.
Hang in there - if I can do it- I’m sure you can !
You gonna tell me that last week you could do only 100, this week 2000 NONSTOP?
I want to offer a bit of encouragement on the time aspect. I started swimming in February after a 20 year or so layoff. I started swimming indoor at the gym to get “respectable” before joining the local masters group. I have been swimming 3 days a week and am up to 2,500 yard workouts and can swim about 1K yards without a break. Getting with the masters is the key as they offer tips, good training and a supportive environment. It is a little humbling to finish every drill in last place but that’s life for now. I have some rough edges in the technique to work on to be efficient, which is my goal. I have always hated swimming but at this stage of my life (age 46) I see the sunning days coming to an end and am becoming more of a student of swimming. It’s like anything else-just get in there and start working at it.
I couldn’t understand why I was such a bad swimmer - I can run Marathons and I’ve cycled the Alps - so the fitness was there - I thought it was just my really poor technique.
First few weeks in the pool I was just getting used to the water as I’d never been keen on it - so not paniccking if water got into my mouth and stuff.
The it was the basics of the crawl - bending the arms to entr and exit the water and continue the stroke all the way through.
Still I was struggling, and I was out of breath after a few lengths.
Then it hit me - when I;ve watched IM Kona vids - you see the swimmers from below and they hardly moved their legs at all.
Without that strain on your heart and lungs from moving those big leg muscles - you can go on forever.
And I could have done more last night, but though - lets not push things here - its a ridiculous amount of prgress in one day - and I was so excited I needed to get out and text my buddies !
Give it a go ?
Won’t work for me, though, as I can kick a 1x1000 w/o a kickboard easily. And I’ve tried the PB test, too. Greatly reduced kicking doesn’t make THAT much of a difference to me.
You are new to swimming so you are a toddler. You are going to fall on your face and be incompetent for a while. You are also a learning machine. Most of our learning come through observation not book learning. Go to the pool and watch what the fast swimmers are doing. Ask a few questions. Then go into the water and pretend you know what you are doing. Make believe you are one of the fast swimmers. It takes the pressure off being “a slow swimmer.” Henry Ford once said, “whether you think you can or think you can’t you a probably right.” It is not that you can’t - you just have not learned it yet.
One or two private lessons might put you in the right direction. Fins are like training wheels they will give you some immediate speed so that you can feel the water going by. Find your hands as they enter the water and marvel at how you do in fact move through the water.
It takes seven years to completely master a skill. You will crawl before you can walk and walk before you can run.
Just look at my signature.