I try to be understanding of people who come from a non-swimming background and want to challenge themselves and do their "first triathlon", but this is idiocy. (This is not a joke)
"Ive been running and biking on and off for years so decided to sign up for sprint with some coworkers. I didnt have much time to train for the swim since this race was coming up but I thought, hey its only 400m, how hard could that be. The only time Im in the water I usually have a beer! We went to the lake a couple times before work and I found out just how hard swimming is. It will definately be an effort for me to make the 400m. I plan on doing alot of sidestroke and *** stroke. Im not very good at either one of them but they should get me out of the water. Next week im signing up for swim classes to teach me the crawl. Just figured Id write on here to help with my nerves"
And after the race he posts:
"Folks I did make it though I won't disagree with the people that said maybe I shouldn't do it. I was in the water forever but did fine on the bike and run. Saw 3 people wave for the boat to pick them up in the first 100m. I definitely thought about it halfway but just keep at it, resting for a bit on the buoys. Was a great time but I won't do another one until I can actually swim. Thanks."
And people wonder why there are deaths during the swim leg of a triathlon but rarely during the bike or run.
The swim leg of most triathlons tends to be considerably shorter than the other two disciplines. What people not familiar with swimming don't fully realize is that 400 meters of swimming is a longer haul than, say, 400 meters of running. And the typical sprint and Olympic distance tri's have swims of 750 or 1500m--again, seems easy enough just from considering the distance covered: except... oops! in water, it's a whole different story.
So I think often people get a false sense of security that--"oh, it's only 400 (or whatever) meters," and compared to the bike or the run, "no big deal."
For my first open water swim, I looked the previous year's results and compared them with my mile time. I wasn't looking to be competitive, just finish, but I did want to make sure that the officials would still be there when I came in. ;) So my goal in training was to do better in the pool than the last place time (I know, I know pretty unambitious, but I was just starting out). Once I reached that goal, I knew it could still be a challenge in open water, but what helped was that I'd learned to swim in similar conditions--bay, salt water--so I at least had the body memory of what it was like to swim in water that didn't hold still for me.
And what also helped was that because of that "body memory," I wasn't given to the kind of panic people often experience in their first o.w. swim. So I was able simply to keep swimming, stay relaxed, not worry about place or speed.
Also, because it was a stand-alone swim, not a triathlon, I wasn't thinking about the next two events, just concentrating on the swim. Seems to me, though I'm not a triathlete, that it would be a good idea for people to try stand-alone open water events first, not rush into a tri, which makes it too tempting to discount the swim. Or if not that, at least take more time to get used to swimming the distance of the event, in a pool at the very least, but if a person has NEVER been in o.w. prior to the swim, definitely have some practice time in o.w. if at all possible.
Swimming doesn't have the margin for error that bikes or running offer.
But how to ensure more safety for first-time triathletes? NYCSwim requires proof of ability in the form of race results or pool certifications for their o.w. swims and aquathlon (in the aquathlon, there' no such certification for running, but there, again, it's always possible to walk or to step off the course without serious problems). Maybe something along those lines should be instituted for triathlons?
Of course, I'm thinking too that in NYC, the risk to swimmers probably is increased b/c swimmers are dealing with more crowded water ways. So they're wise to err on the side of safety. In no other o.w. swim did I need to present any results or certification, including an ocean swim and a five mile event. I had no problem in any of the swims I did (well, aside from the aforementioned lack of speed). Maybe the organizers of most stand-alone OW events can more readily assume participants are able to handle the conditions than would be true of triathlons, where, as with the guy Bob quotes, the assumption about the swim is that it's just something you get past and there's nothing to it.
Folks are always shocked when they find out I don't do triathlons... the conversation always goes something like this:
"Wait, you used to run competitively AND you can swim? Are you planning any triathlons?"
"No, I'd like to swim more competitively in open water events though"
"But... you can swim; You're not doing triathlons?"
"No, I don't really have a good bike , and the bike portion has to be pretty solid since it's the longest in distance and time commitment..."
"But, man, you already know how to swim!"
The point of these conversations from the perspective of triathletes and runners is that they can't understand why someone who swims wouldn't want to do triathlons... the triathlon is the reason that any of them even attempt swimming at all. Many of them are runners and hate the swim... a runner can dump some cash into a decent cycling kit and do the last two legs of the tri without shame... many runners don't even attempt triathlons because the swim seems so daunting for them. The implication is that if you already know how to swim, you should do triathlon because, well, why else would you want to swim?
Nobody asks the serious cyclist or runner why they don't do triathlons.
Folks are always shocked when they find out I don't do triathlons... the conversation always goes something like this:
"Wait, you used to run competitively AND you can swim? Are you planning any triathlons?"
"No, I'd like to swim more competitively in open water events though"
"But... you can swim; You're not doing triathlons?"
"No, I don't really have a good bike , and the bike portion has to be pretty solid since it's the longest in distance and time commitment..."
"But, man, you already know how to swim!"
The point of these conversations from the perspective of triathletes and runners is that they can't understand why someone who swims wouldn't want to do triathlons... the triathlon is the reason that any of them even attempt swimming at all. Many of them are runners and hate the swim... a runner can dump some cash into a decent cycling kit and do the last two legs of the tri without shame... many runners don't even attempt triathlons because the swim seems so daunting for them. The implication is that if you already know how to swim, you should do triathlon because, well, why else would you want to swim?
Nobody asks the serious cyclist or runner why they don't do triathlons.
I'm into both running and swimming, and yes, people want to know when I'll do a triathlon. But the bike part--well, let's just say it's not for me. Lots of respect for friends who have developed strength in all three disciplines (I'm thinking of a couple people I know who have been competitive swimmers and strong runners, who also added the bike and how have done decently in tri's). But not my thing! Personally I'd love to see more swim to run events, skipping the bike. NYC Swim has a wonderful aquathlon but opportunities closer to where I live are limited.
Funny someone would just think "you know how to swim--do a triathlon."
Some five-year-olds know how to swim. Should they enter triathlons? How is "knowing how to swim" defined anyway? Knowing how to stay afloat and get across a pool? Being able to swim x number of strokes? And if someone thinks just "knowing how to swim" (but has a concept of this that is just a quick lap or two in a 25 yard pool) is enough to handle the conditions that different swim courses have, it kind of explains the problems that people have with triathlons. I'm reasonably comfortable in open water, if not speedy, which allows me at least to stay calm when I face things like currents and going off course (of course my sighting skills could use work so I don't go off course, but that's for another post). But someone who thinks that a few lessons in a pool will prepare them for a tri or other open water events is going to have some problems if things don't go as planned (planned?). I've had things not go as planned--stronger than expected currents, chop, seasickness (!)--and figured these things were just "features" of open water swimming and I'd get through them. Stuff happens out there. Being fast and fit helps, but in the water, also helps to be able to stay in the moment, enjoy the experience (okay, okay, didn't enjoy the seasickness that much, but it only really began to bother me after about a half mile or so), and keep on swimming.
But for those who are prepared and want to go for a tri, what the heck, have at it! Just don't take the swim for granted.
Folks are always shocked when they find out I don't do triathlons... the conversation always goes something like this:
"Wait, you used to run competitively AND you can swim? Are you planning any triathlons?"
"No, I'd like to swim more competitively in open water events though"
"But... you can swim; You're not doing triathlons?"
"No, I don't really have a good bike , and the bike portion has to be pretty solid since it's the longest in distance and time commitment..."
"But, man, you already know how to swim!"
The point of these conversations from the perspective of triathletes and runners is that they can't understand why someone who swims wouldn't want to do triathlons... the triathlon is the reason that any of them even attempt swimming at all. Many of them are runners and hate the swim... a runner can dump some cash into a decent cycling kit and do the last two legs of the tri without shame... many runners don't even attempt triathlons because the swim seems so daunting for them. The implication is that if you already know how to swim, you should do triathlon because, well, why else would you want to swim?
Nobody asks the serious cyclist or runner why they don't do triathlons. I used to do triathlons, but I find Masters Swimming far more rewarding.
I 100% agree with your idiocy statement on this one. I've seen cases pretty darn close to this as well, and for some reason in Olympic years, you see people attempt to take on swimming after watching it on tv. Swimming isn't just something you "decide to do" like someone chooses to go out and kick a soccer ball around the field.
Completely, 100% agree. I saw that post and avoided it because it was clear, as with most posts like that, that they were going to do it anyway even though they can't even swim 400M. Too frustrating to even try to give reasonable advice.
I come from a swimming background, but in reality it's a water polo background, which means I am not very fast. But for triathletes, I am
I just learned to ride a bike this year at the ripe old age of 42. Even though I run and swim, a triathlon was the farthest thing from my mind at 41 or heck, even at age 42! :D Yet it is somehow acceptable for athletes who have never taken a swim stroke in their lives to participate in a triathlon.
I've been conducting OW swim clinics for several years now and during the first few summers of my clinic, I encountered a few new triathletes. Our conversation often went something like this:
Me: "Thank you for signing up for my clinic."
Tri: "I'm so excited to be doing my first triathlon!"
Me: "When will this triathlon be held?"
Tri: "In 3 weeks!"
Me: "How is your swimming going?"
Tri: "Well, I actually haven't started swimming yet. I wanted to take your clinic first to see if I like swimming in open water."
Needless to say, I now require any participant in my clinic to be able to swim 800m continuously in a pool (although I do not ask for proof). That has significantly reduced the instances of near-rescues and participants who stick around for the dry land portion of the clinic but turn around and get out of the water after 100 yds.
Chris
I was away from my computer, iPad & iPhone and when I checked there were 60 new posts. (I see you did jump in and added a little more intelligence into the discussion). Frankly, my original goal in my postings was to get people in the triathlon community (and who follow that website) to discuss the issue. That seems to have worked, although the number of people who are unable to see and evaluate the risk surprised even me.
