How much do triathlete need to learn about swimming?
Former Member
I do not mean this as a heartless criticism of triathletes. I actually enjoy the sport. But many of them start doing triathlons with almost no knowledge or experience in swimming. Here are a couple of choice comments to the thread I linked below. Thank goodness I knew how to ride a bike and run before I started doing tris - but not well. Give them credit for taking it on, but I do think they should learn to swim before entering one.
"The swim is short ( 150 yards ), and I can make it..not without stopping a couple of times at the end of the pool."
"A lot of pool sprints are so newbie friendly that they let you get through the water any way you can. I have seen people water walk the 300 meters in a pool swim in my area."
"My wife did an indoor tri a few months ago and I think 1/4 of the people walked the swim."
I recommended that the person do breaststroke.
www.beginnertriathlete.com/.../thread-view.asp
Parents
Former Member
We see people walking the bike leg all the time in tris and duathlons. I mean, well, it is up hills, but still. :)
I think the biggest hurdle for triathletes and swimming (and why most triathletes list swimming as their weakest sport) is pool access. Running is free. Biking is almost free, but swimming costs every month for most age groupers. It takes a lot of dedication to the sport to pay for pool time. :/ Then there is the vicious cycle of not being any good because of lack of practice and not having a pleasant time in the pool because of not having a good technique because of lack of pool time... so they just don't feel excited about the pool workouts...
I agree. These are all real obstacles. I am more sensitive to the issue of being able to get the pool when there is lap swimming (or getting to a pool at all for some). At heart I am a swimmer because I never stopped being a kid who loves to be in the water. That has been my greatest strength in becoming a good swimmer. As for the money issue, it can be a real problem for some, but for others they would rather spend it on a new bike.
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Former Member
We see people walking the bike leg all the time in tris and duathlons. I mean, well, it is up hills, but still. :)
I think the biggest hurdle for triathletes and swimming (and why most triathletes list swimming as their weakest sport) is pool access. Running is free. Biking is almost free, but swimming costs every month for most age groupers. It takes a lot of dedication to the sport to pay for pool time. :/ Then there is the vicious cycle of not being any good because of lack of practice and not having a pleasant time in the pool because of not having a good technique because of lack of pool time... so they just don't feel excited about the pool workouts...
I agree. These are all real obstacles. I am more sensitive to the issue of being able to get the pool when there is lap swimming (or getting to a pool at all for some). At heart I am a swimmer because I never stopped being a kid who loves to be in the water. That has been my greatest strength in becoming a good swimmer. As for the money issue, it can be a real problem for some, but for others they would rather spend it on a new bike.
