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.
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'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.
