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.
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.
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.
