How much do triathlete need to learn about swimming?

Former Member
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
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Athough I swore off this thread, it's getting interesting. Just trying to clarify, I don't think winning (being competitive) is a requirement to be a serious triathlete, or take swimming seriously. That's sort of a jaded viewpoint. One could, without thinking about it, say the exact same thing about OW swimmers that go do an alcatraz crossing, or a pier to pier, then check it off the list. My impression is that there are many more serious people in both tris and OW swimming, by an order of magnitude, than a 2% that wants to cross off a bucket list (there are those as well, as there are in every sport). If having to be competitive were true, it wouldn't explain my story very well. But maybe I can just go home after work and eat chips rather than driving to masters workout.....:banana: I am one of those that is one of the first out of the water, then spend the rest of the race trying to hold off those weaker swimmers that can bike and run faster than me. I'm getting better at it, this year I was 11th out of the water (AG), then 54 and 72 after bike and run at Oceanside 70.3. Last year I was 16th out of the water, and then 100-something after the bike and 150-something after the run. I am "competitive" on the swim, but it's not an open water swim. It's a swim/bike/run. I swim 300K plus yards a year, and it's just enough to keep me out front for a little while (and nets me a top 30% or so at swim only events). I know folks that swim faster on less. But it's a helluva lot more than most people I see on BT and other boards, so that part of the point is fairly valid. Personally, I am just of the training opinion that being in good swim shape doesn't just get you a good swim time, it sets up a good day. If you get to the bike and/or run totally gassed, a fast swim is irrelevant. But I have worked my a$$ off the last year to get better at biking and running while trying to maintain a semblance of swim fitness. There are only 3 (sometimes 5) podium slots. I'd have to go at least an hour faster overall to smell the podium at a 70.3 (and every year seems to get faster). That does not mean I don't take the swim (very) seriously, and enter every race trying to go as fast as I can, which in every case is not as fast as others. I really want to win, I am just not fast enough to actually do so
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Just my .02, I think that anything that helps someone adopt a healthier lifestyle, even if that starts out as "just finishing" is a really good thing, and not something to be scoffed at. I personally think that finishing is a perfectly appropriate goal on a site like BT, which is called after all beginner triathlete, and where many people coming to tris (it's the new "thing") are middle aged, or have been out of competition since high school, etc. I also personally think that just wanting to finish is perfectly fine no matter where you happen to lie on the training spectrum. My first tri, and my first HIM, and my first IM, my goal was simply to finish. And my first tri was a super sprint (albeit with a .5 mile swim). For the longer races I had time goals as well, but goal #1 was get across the line. I started at 38, hadn't swam competitively since high school, had never run a 5K in my life, etc etc etc Since then I've lost about 75 pounds due to the healthier lifestyle. But I still haven't won a tri, so I suppose I should just stop altogether. I am glad I didn't give up tris because I wasn't in it to win it from the first one. And because I don't make very good tacos. ETA - I will give on this one though, someone just posted in a thread I am on that they don't do flip turns or push off the wall as they "don't want free speed." Can't defend that one.....
  • I train with a few very accomplished triathletes. I only call them triathletes because it fits this topic. But, they are all really swimmers, bikers, and runners. They train like swimmers. The answer to the question of "how much do triathletes need to know about swimming" is really dependent on how competitive they want to be. If they are part of the 98% of triathletes who simply want to finish a race so they can put a sticker on their car and call themselves triathletes, the answer is "not much." If they are part of the 2% that really want to take their competition to the next level, the answer is "quite a lot."
  • You might be surprised to find that there a good number of MOP & BOP that take it very seriously. Even the old farts like me train & race so hard we are completely blown at the end of the race. I joke about going for a nice bike ride and a bit of a jog after the swim, but I can assure you that racing the swim is easy part. I always had to spend the rest of the race trying hold my place. It takes a lot of mental toughness to continue to push the pain limit as people pass you. Thankfully, the field in my AG is relatively small. I've done quite a few tris over the years and I sorta agree with you. However, the bluster is usually not on par with the actual training. I also think MOP and BOP are two terms that need to be banished. I don't know why they are used so often, other than to simply annoy me.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    I'll assume that this is not a serious question. You know what they say about people who assume? (except it isnt making an as* out of me)
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    If they are part of the 2% that really want to take their competition to the next level, the answer is "quite a lot." You might be surprised to find that there a good number of MOP & BOP that take it very seriously. Even the old farts like me train & race so hard we are completely blown at the end of the race. I joke about going for a nice bike ride and a bit of a jog after the swim, but I can assure you that racing the swim is easy part. I always had to spend the rest of the race trying hold my place. It takes a lot of mental toughness to continue to push the pain limit as people pass you. Thankfully, the field in my AG is relatively small.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    You know what they say about people who assume? (except it isnt making an as* out of me) Since you are relatively new to this forum, and apparently swimming as reflected in your other posts, I'll give you a pass on this one. You might find Slowtwitch more your liking. And before you go off, let me say that some of my best friends are mountain bikers
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    I've done quite a few tris over the years and I sorta agree with you. However, the bluster is usually not on par with the actual training. lol. So true of many, but in the older (50+) AGs I think we have a more realistic view of what we've put in, and what we can expect back. I also think MOP and BOP are two terms that need to be banished. I don't know why they are used so often, other than to simply annoy me. I absolutely agree, but I think they need to add RUF (Right Up Front) so I can boast about my swim results.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Brilliant, kind Sir! How fortunate I am to have been granted a pass by you! I shall spread news of your generosity! Noobs from the farthest reaches of the internet shall come to bask in the glory of your posting genius! You might find Slowtwitch more your liking. I doubt it. The internet is an awful mess of idiocy. Trying to find any semblance of reason is like playing the lottery. Finding sarcasm, on the other hand...
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Finding sarcasm, on the other hand... :duel::ohyeah:
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