Top 3 Mistakes Triathletes Make When Training For The Swim
Photo Credit: Helen Cogan Photography
Over the years I have been lucky enough to coach and train with many triathletes, I have seen many new triathletes make similar mistakes when training for the swim. In this article I am going to discuss the top 3 mistakes I have seen triathletes make over and over again throughout the years along with how to not fall victim to them. Here we go!
Overestimating Fitness Level & Starting To Train The Swim Too Late
Many new triathletes think that because the swim is the shortest distance that it doesn’t deserve serious training. They do not prioritize until it is too late. They tend to overestimate their fitness level and think that they have the swim in the bag because they have good bike or run endurance. Unfortunately the fitness level from other sports does not tend to carry over to swimming.
The swim may be the shortest distance but if you don’t train it properly it can ruin you entire race. As a result of this overestimation of fitness level, many new triathletes start training the swim too close to race day. You can’t cram in volume for the swim. You need to have solid technique and it takes time to build up confidence, endurance and speed in the swim. It takes several weeks to months to become a strong enough swimmer just to get through a quarter mile swim.
Don’t be that person that waits to train for the swim portion with less than 8 weeks prior to race day! This can put you in a very dangerous and even life threatening situation. Even if you make it through the swim, it will most likely be a very miserable experience. It will also be so exhausting that the rest of your triathlon will go very poorly and ultimately will set you up for a very long and unpleasant race. This may make you never want to race again.
How to not be this person:
Start swim training at least 3-4 months before your race: This will give you plenty of time to learn or fine tune efficient technique. It also gives you plenty of time to build up your swim endurance and speed. This will set you up for success and allows you the proper time to become a confident and fast open water swimmer. If your race day is less than 3 months away and you haven’t started swim training yet, don’t wait any longer. Start swimming right away and you may need to tweak your swim, bike and run workouts to prioritize the swim to ensure you are ready for your triathlon swim.
Set realistic goals: Work with your coach to set realistic goals for your swim portion. Build up your fitness level gradually to avoid burnout and injury.
Practice pacing: Learn to swim at a steady pace during your training. This will help you avoid exhaustion during the race.
Neglecting Technique
Many new triathletes focus on building their endurance and neglect technique. It is important to remember that efficient swimming technique is just as important as fitness level when it comes to swimming in a triathlon. Failing to work on your technique can result in a slower swim time, increased energy expenditure, and even injury.
Here are a few ways to prevent falling into this trap:
Work with a reputable coach: A reputable coach or swim technician can evaluate your stroke and can give you drills tailored to your problem areas. This will allow you to improve you technique, swim faster and reduce the risk of injury. If you are new to swimming, this should be done more often at the beginning and you can reduce the number of sessions over time as you improve.
Work on drills: Incorporate drills into your swim training to improve your technique. These can include drills that work on body position, rotation, and breathing.
Seek feedback: Ask your coach or a more experienced swimmer for feedback on your technique. They can provide insights and corrections that can improve your swimming. Video Analysis is another good option as it will allow you to see the mistakes you are making and a coach can recommend how to correct them.
Not Practicing in Open Water
Many triathletes train exclusively in the pool and do not practice in open water or only do one or two open water swims before race day. This is not nearly enough time to get comfortable swimming in the open water and learning techniques such as sighting, drafting and turning. This lack of open water experience can lead to anxiety and poor performance on race day. The open water has many more challenges such as salty water, cold water, choppy waves, currents, no bottom to stand on or wall to hang out and poor visibility.
Along with environmental challenges, new triathletes who haven’t trained in open water may not be fully comfortable in a wetsuit. A wetsuit has its on challenges with potentially restricting breathing, chaffing and tightness around the shoulders. It is highly recommended that triathletes swim several times in all types of conditions so they are not experiencing anything new come race day.
To overcome this, you can try the following:
Start slowly: Begin swimming in very calm conditions swimming parallel to shore. This will allow you to stand up or be in depth you can stand in very quickly. This will help you gain the confidence you need to be a proficient open water swimmer.
Do Open Water Swims with Friends: You should never open water swim alone so no matter how proficient you are this is a must do. As a newer swimmer, you are more likely to get your open water swims in if you have a buddy you are training with and you will have in water support in the even that you need it. This should allow you to feel more comfortable in the open water you will start to be even more confident over time.
Practice in open water: Include open water swims in your training plan to get used to the conditions you will face on race day.
Get familiar with the course: If possible, try to swim in the open water location where your race will take place. This can help you feel more confident and familiar with the environment.
The good news is that all of these mistakes are preventable. All it takes is a little planning and putting your ego to the side. If you do that, you will set yourself up for success come race day. Incorporating these tips into your training plan can help you improve your swim performance ensuring you have the best experience possible come race day!