The Swim
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Which Stroke? Most people swim front crawl (or freestyle if you're American) in triathlons, simply because it is fast and if carried out correctly can be very energy efficient, which means you will go faster for longer. However, many people, especially newbies to the sport that are not comfortable with fornt crawl prefer to use breast stroke. There is nothing at all wrong with this, indeed I have seen some breast stokers beat crawlers who had a poor technique. I have even seen someone do side stroke at a triathlon for the whole 400m pool swim. so it really is horses for courses,
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Open water swimming generally requires a little getting used to before placing yourself under the stress of competing in it! Open water normally will mean either a lake, tidal pool, a harbour or the open sea. If its in any of the first three at least you won't be subjected to waves, but if its windy you may get a bit of chop on the surface. Also look out for pond weed and wildlife! Sea swimming is the hardest of all, as you have the tides, waves, seaweed, and sometimes surf to contend with! Also, these are usually followed by a (sometimes very long) run up the beach to transition. Mass starts are common for open-water swims, so choose your start point carefully. As everyone gets going, there will be lots of thrashing and churning so be prepared. It's difficult to avoid crashing into others entirely, just make sure your goggles are on firmly (some swear by putting them on underneath your swim cap to avoid losing them altogether if they get dislodged by a stray leg or arm). After a few minutes you should find that you have more room and can swim much more freely.
Wetsuits are generally not optional for open water swimming (unless of course you're competing somewhere with hot and sunny climate), and there are specialist triathlon wetsuits designed specifically for distance swimming in water - they will not only give you buoyancy but also have flexible rubber around the shoulders to allow the arms freedom of movement. You can hire them from triathlon shops to try them out before you buy. |
Pool swim triathlons are great for first-timers as its in an environment with which you will (hopefully!) be familiar and the distance is relatively short (usually 400m or 16 lengths, regardless of the distances of the other two disciplines). Lane counters will tell you when you have two more lengths to go either by tapping you on the shoulder, or by placing a float in the water so you can see it before you turn.
and you should not feel embarassed if you can't crawl. I have yet, though, to see doggie paddle peformed in a triathlon, but you never know....
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