For a 54-year old (that's me), which is more critical to limit the potential swim speed between flawed technique and unathletic strength?
Well, I'll actually try to improve both. However, many people around me mainly focus on swimming more laps and gym workout, while don't bother about improving their technique at all, despite their techniques being far from efficient.
Big OOOOPS!
As our president says "FAKE NEWS."
I just checked my numbers. There's a wikipedia page about this
en.wikipedia.org/.../List_of_triathlon_fatalities
I did a very quick hand count - after sorting by event - and got 117 swimming deaths out of 164 total deaths. So 1) a lot more deaths than I reported. 2) A lot lower percentage from swimming. (Perhaps my earlier figures were about the Ironman race in Oahu,Hawaii, where they have, like, real waves.)
Still, swimming is the shortest event, and accounts for 71% of the deaths. It's dangerous. Still "lose big time."
In fairness, while a high rate (nearly 3/4 of deaths!), it's also a lot harder for EMS to get to a distressed or drowning swimmer than a runner or cyclist who's collapsed, even in a well organized race with plenty of support. A triathlete goes down on land, you find them, start CPR/treatment, etc. Different story in the water.
But I'd bet that technique and familiarity with the water does help keep folks out of distress - or able to plan in case of emergency - in the first place.
Big OOOOPS!
As our president says "FAKE NEWS."
I just checked my numbers. There's a wikipedia page about this
en.wikipedia.org/.../List_of_triathlon_fatalities
I did a very quick hand count - after sorting by event - and got 117 swimming deaths out of 164 total deaths. So 1) a lot more deaths than I reported. 2) A lot lower percentage from swimming. (Perhaps my earlier figures were about the Ironman race in Oahu,Hawaii, where they have, like, real waves.)
Still, swimming is the shortest event, and accounts for 71% of the deaths. It's dangerous. Still "lose big time."
In fairness, while a high rate (nearly 3/4 of deaths!), it's also a lot harder for EMS to get to a distressed or drowning swimmer than a runner or cyclist who's collapsed, even in a well organized race with plenty of support. A triathlete goes down on land, you find them, start CPR/treatment, etc. Different story in the water.
But I'd bet that technique and familiarity with the water does help keep folks out of distress - or able to plan in case of emergency - in the first place.
