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From Dublin Marathon to Dublin Ironman

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,702 ✭✭✭MojoMaker


    How exactly do you withdraw though? Since you can't get a refund what you've just described is you quitting on the race with 9 weeks to go. I'm sure you'd love some sympathy but you won't get any from me, your bike and runs times are more than good enough to be respectable in Dublin 70.3 and you have plenty of time to gain some rudimentary OW skills that will wipe this fear of open water away. If you choose not to do that, and instead look arbitrarily at some nebulous point further in the distance whereby you will be magically "ready" I'd suggest you should forget about triathlon right now, period, and focus instead on keeping the cycling and running going independently or perhaps as part of a duathlon training cycle.

    If you are interested there is an OW workshop in Seapoint in a few weeks time, led by a former world-ranked OW swimmer, with a strong focus on first time OW swimmers and the inevitable panic that all swimmers experience outside the safety of the pool. For €50 I reckon it could be a milestone investment for you.

    You only give up when it's not possible to do anything else, and at T-9 weeks I suggest it is FAR from the point where it's not possible to do anything else. Man up dude.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,830 ✭✭✭catweazle


    Yeah I tend to agree with Mojomaker, saying you are going to work on your open water swimming for next years Athy is just kicking the can down the road. You probably only really have around the 9 weeks before Dublin before the wet suit is retired till next year due to cold water/bad weather anyways and you are back at square 1 come Athy next year

    Ironman love guys like you who sign up and then quit before the race. They get to keep the money and not have to pay out on the little sundries that you are entitled to for participating. For sheer spite I would never quit and let them keep their outrageous entry costs

    You cant get the money back so why would you formally withdraw 9 weeks before the race - wait and see!

    Open water swimming is most definitely disconcerting but you get used to it, schedule some open water swimming to go along with your pool swimming over the next 9 weeks

    Find a place that is relatively calm with decent visibilty, stay close to shore and keep at it - but you have to go regularly


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,968 ✭✭✭griffin100


    I still get an occasional panic attack when swimming ow, event after years of doing it. The last bad one I had was during a lake swim of 750m, two weeks after I had swam 6km in an ow sea swim with no problems :confused:. When the panic comes on you have to relax into it, divert your mind to something else (think about your stroke, work, tv, the girl beside you ;))....you'll find that the panic will pass if you do this. The main thing is to 'ignore' the panic, do not dwell on it when it comes or it will get worse. Do not kick this issue down the road or you will never get over it, try and sort it now. Get into ow every day or as often as you can, even for a few minutes and that will help. Best of luck!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,583 ✭✭✭✭tunney


    Find an experienced triathlete - and by experienced I mean actually experienced, not just been on telly - and ask them to mentor you for OW swimming. You'd be surprised what 5/6 sessions will do for you.

    Now if you just cannot swim at all well thats slightly different.

    What time can you do 100m, 400m and 750m in (or guess at) in a pool?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,309 ✭✭✭scheister


    will post a proper report of the post athy but to clear up a few things. The reason i made the choice when i did was i still got a small refund which covers my next marathon if i had waited a week longer I would have lost that.

    Looking at tunney last question swimming in a pool 100m in around 3-3.30 the 1.5km in around 55 minutes.

    "I'm sure you'd love some sympathy" that i ain't i'm looking for advice so i ain't sitting here next year typing the same message.

    I also completed my 1st triathlon yesterday which was a 500m swim in blackrock in louth and from that race and as people here have said slow and steady rather then jumping into the deep end may be the way to go


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,583 ✭✭✭✭tunney


    scheister wrote: »
    will post a proper report of the post athy but to clear up a few things. The reason i made the choice when i did was i still got a small refund which covers my next marathon if i had waited a week longer I would have lost that.

    Looking at tunney last question swimming in a pool 100m in around 3-3.30 the 1.5km in around 55 minutes.

    "I'm sure you'd love some sympathy" that i ain't i'm looking for advice so i ain't sitting here next year typing the same message.

    I also completed my 1st triathlon yesterday which was a 500m swim in blackrock in louth and from that race and as people here have said slow and steady rather then jumping into the deep end may be the way to go


    okay at 55 for a 1500 its a bit much for you alright.

    Swim 3-4 times a week every week and you'll be fine for next year.


  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭reidman


    I am a decent runner and signed up for the half IM, - the swim has been where I have focused, I can crank out decent miles on the bike and run, and have done plenty of transition for run/bike. If you get your ahead around the swimming and want to give it a go when ready, the best confidence builder I have found is the leinster open sea swims, there is a couple each weekend. They are tough, especially the first one I did three weeks into my training but you learn to relax, take your time, deal with the open water conditions. Just training in the pool and heading into the sea on race day would be a potential disaster if the conditions are tough. The same with swimming by yourself at the beach, you're likely to go in if the conditions are fine. With the open sea races there is a course, lots of people, rescue boats, crews, kayaks, and you experience the open sea in all conditions. It seems every time I go on the bike or for a long swim, the wind is up, but this will only help on the day of the half IM. I also signed up with a local swim club and do early am sessions once a week on top of my training. It is all about getting your breathing right in the open water, relaxing, taking your time, taking a break if you need (I do), and gaining confidence with each swim you do. I swim in my tri-suit surrounded by hundreds of tough lads in just trunks but the training is great, and you get great buoyancy in the suit, you are not going to sink! Good luck in the future with your training and keep at it, you'll find you are not alone in getting the yips in open water, happens to lots of people. But you can do it, anyone can. All in the head.


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