From 25m swim to Olympic triathlon-how long?!

Animella

It's that time of year when people make mad plans for the year ahead! I'm a 40+ woman who has done a few duathlons and adventure races in the last two years having started with Couch to 5k.

There is a triathlon nearby in July which I am tempted to aim for but I am a very poor swimmer. I can only manage a length without gasping for air and my breathing is all over the place. Hate having my head in the water.

Could any of you tell me if going from swimming 25m to 1500m in seven months is a realistic aim if I take some lessons? I am otherwise fit enough but just have never got into swimming. Thanks!

miller82

Animella wrote: »

Could any of you tell me if going from swimming 25m to 1500m in seven months is a realistic aim if I take some lessons? I am otherwise fit enough but just have never got into swimming. Thanks!

personally, i would say yes 100%, with coached lessons. you just need to put the hours in.

any reason why you want to do an olympic over a sprint ? considering the swim is such an issue for you, i would have thought it made more sense to go sprint first

Oryx

Its doable if you work at it and get advice on technique. You probably won't be fast but you'll get round. Do get some open water practice in beforehand too.

tunney

Animella wrote: »

It's that time of year when people make mad plans for the year ahead! I'm a 40+ woman who has done a few duathlons and adventure races in the last two years having started with Couch to 5k.

There is a triathlon nearby in July which I am tempted to aim for but I am a very poor swimmer. I can only manage a length without gasping for air and my breathing is all over the place. Hate having my head in the water.

Could any of you tell me if going from swimming 25m to 1500m in seven months is a realistic aim if I take some lessons? I am otherwise fit enough but just have never got into swimming. Thanks!

I went from widths of a 25m (10m) to kilkee 1500m without lessons in five months.

You WILL have to put your head in the water and you will have to swim 4 or so times a week for 20-30 minutes a time and keep at it.

pgibbo

tunney wrote: »

I went from widths of a 25m (10m) to kilkee 1500m without lessons in five months.

You WILL have to put your head in the water and you will have to swim 4 or so times a week for 20-30 minutes a time and keep at it.

I used to think the bold bit too. However, I know someone that has done up to HIM distance swimming head up - Tarzan style. I'd imagine you would be fooked getting out of the water after it though. They have since gotten lessons and started swimming with their head in the water.

Animella

Great, thanks for the replies. Good to hear you did something similar, tunney.

I am thinking about an Olympic distance purely because of a local event. There was a sprint option in previous years but not in 2014. Also it's in a lake which seems less threatening than a river or sea, and IF all goes to plan I would be able to train at the actual location come the Summer.
Thanks again.

Green&Red

When I first started swimming I couldnt do more than two lengths without stopping out of breath, I was told by a friend one day to imagine that each stroke is the last stroke of the length, imagine the reach you do where you glide to the edge of the pool. Do that on each stroke. It immediately showed results for me. I was able to do 20 lengths non stop within two days

It comes from total immerssion, I'd recommend getting the book and teaching yourself from that, it makes for much more efficient swimming although (I found) it fell down on building up speed, i've moved onto increasing my stroke speed now

promethius

This is doable but is going to take a lot of hard work. Put this in and you can do it.

Lake is harder to swim in that sea, less buoyancy than salty seawater but the suit will keep you high anyways.
Esssential to get good coaching and they will tell you that you really need to get your head down, if you don't you will be slow and will prob get around but could cause issues with cut offs times etc.

Also, you really have to get used to open water and able to relax and swim in, you can build you fitness and technique in the pool but need to transfer that quickly to the lake. Only way is regular open water swimming from May onwards

Good luck you can do it and it will be wonderful journey that you will enjoy and look back on with great pride.
P

Paddigol

I'm in a similar situation Animella. I'm a half decent runner and adventure racer, but such a weak swimmer that, despite the lure of the event, I've yet to take the plunge into Triathlons. So you have my very best wishes on your journey!

Animella

Thanks all, I'm going to aim for it so! I've booked a 1:1 lesson and invested in new googles and will take it from there. I can actually swim a bit with my face in the water but I hate it, always end up with water up my nose and can't co ordinate my breathing properly so by the end of a length I nearly need resuscitation :-(

Sure give it a go too, Paddigol?!

Oryx

Get a nose clip, if water up your nose is a problem. (You can learn not to inhale it but I find a nose clip handy anyway)

griffin100

Animella wrote: »

Thanks all, I'm going to aim for it so! I've booked a 1:1 lesson and invested in new googles and will take it from there. I can actually swim a bit with my face in the water but I hate it, always end up with water up my nose and can't co ordinate my breathing properly so by the end of a length I nearly need resuscitation :-(

Sure give it a go too, Paddigol?!

Try humming when your face is in the water, that'll fix the water up the nose thingy

Take a look at the novice / beginners section on www.swimsmooth.com - IMHO a much better approach for beginners than Total Immersion.

Animella

Had a look at that swimsmooth website- great tips, thanks. Will give the nose clip a shot too.

tHE vAGGABOND

Same boat here, starting some lessons for the first time this week

I can "not drown" but that's a bit away from swimming a 1500m leg and all beyond that

loudeac

It is indeed very possible to go from 25m to 1500m in that space of time with a bit of help and determination.
For the record couldn't swim one length of the pool in Mar stuck with it and managed a Try a Tri in June followed by a sprint then a Olympic after that and finally a half Ironman to finish my first season . Oh ! I was also the wrong side of forty,you go for it guys follow your dream best of luck

Animella

Best of luck tHE vAGGABOND!

And thanks loudeac - that's some achievement in that space of time, wow! Don't think I'll be aiming for a half ironman anytime soon but great to know it can be done.

I had my 1:1 lesson yesterday. Best money I ever spent, pretty much sorted me out in 45 minutes.

She just got me breathing out through my nose so water can't go up it. It worked! Also a small thing with my arm position pulling through water. Both made a huge difference. And got my new goggles today which I have already tried out and love. I'm sure I looked a right eejit yesterday with my 8 year old's :-)

rooneyjm

Stay with a coach/lessons. They'll pick out the big issues with your swimming a lot faster than you will and therefore you'll progress at a faster rate. Group lessons or lessons with a tri club will work out a lot cheaper than 1:1 in the long term.

tHE vAGGABOND

Got myself a pull bhoy this week, to work on swimming fitness and finally conquer breathing [..where as folks said, lessons with club have been a huge help] - and importantly, a new gadget, even if that gadget is a fancy piece of foam

Animella

tHE vAGGABOND wrote: »

Got myself a pull bhoy this week, to work on swimming fitness and finally conquer breathing [..where as folks said, lessons with club have been a huge help] - and importantly, a new gadget, even if that gadget is a fancy piece of foam

Well done vAGGABOND! Nothing like a nice new gadget to get you out and at it :-)