As I have been training for a triathlon and discussing it with people, there is one thing that most list as what would keep them from doing a triathlon: Swimming.
People seem comfortable to throw on a pair of sneakers or (preferably) running shoes, head out the door, and walk/jog/run. And just about everyone grew up riding bikes around the neighborhood or going on long bike rides with scouts, church groups, etc. In addition, riding a bike is pretty simple if you aren't going for some personal record but to simply finish a distance because you don't have to push hard. Plus, at times, you can just coast and give your legs a break.
With swimming, sure, the majority grew up swimming in pools, lakes, and oceans. But it was always for fun and never for distance. Obviously this is a bit different than biking, because you can't just stop moving altogether and keep floating/moving forward. I guess this is what scares people when they find out that a Sprint Triathlon (shortest of the standard Triathlon races) is about 1/4 mile swim (roughly 400 meters). Because when most beginners get in the water at their local lap pool, they are gasping for air and almost completely worn out after 25 or 50 meters. How in the world do you swim 400 meters continuously?
Well, I was one of those beginners. Signed up for a 3 month pass at our local recreation center, got in the pool for the first time (25 yard lap pool, a yard is practically a meter), tried to just swim, and was completely gasped/spent between 25 and 50 yards. So, I took some time to study up on what I was doing wrong and how one comes to even swim for 400 yards non stop.
In that time searching, I came across two resources that have been crucial to my success, so far. By going to the lap pool twice a week for about 25 to 30 minutes each visit and focusing on these resources, I have gone from that first attempt to being able to swim 400 yards (and beyond) non stop after just under one month!
The very first comes from a post on a forum I joined when I started triathlon training. Here is the link to that post. It's pretty long with A LOT of information, but it's very good information for those looking to start swimming. It might seem overwhelming, but if you take one or two of these points and focus on them during a swim session or two, you will see major improvements.
Bigfuzzydoug's Ten Points to Swimming
The second resource comes from the Total Immersion swimming program. I didn't attend classes with a coach or anything like that, I simply looked up online the videos that are available showing the Total Immersion technique. Bigfuzzydoug's ten points come partially from the Total Immersion technique, so it's good to see what it looks like to swim effectively.
Anyway, I hope these resources will help others overcome that "fear" of swimming 1/4 mile or more for triathlons. I have come to LOVE my swimming training sessions! I think the two most important points to distance swimming for beginners would be:
1) Be comfortable in the water. Enjoy being in it, and remember to have FUN (even when focusing on competition/race training)!
2) Learn to breathe. Seems obvious, but it is something every beginner should focus on. I ended up spending about 15 minutes during my first swim session and 10 minutes of my second swim session focusing solely on learning to breathe out while my face was in the water and inhaling quickly when rotating.
