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First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^
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 2004-06-01 10:31 PM |
Expert  649    Palm Coast, FL |  Subject: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^I did only a few open water swims but coming from kind of a surfing background I feel very comfortable in open water so fear of the water is not a problem. What I wasnt prepared for and I feel there is no way to prepare for this is my heart was absolutely racing the second they said go. Before I could even get to the first buoy I was hit in the head no less then three times, drinking salt water the entire time, when I finally got there it was such a bottleneck in which I couldnt find a lane when I thought I saw an opening someone else would swim into it with me and we would collide. It was total chaos swimming up onto peoples backs and vice versa it was like watching bait fish. Even when the crowd dispersed it felt as if I was a magnet and people would just swim into me even if we were the only two around. By the time I passed the second buoy I thought that was it I started to make the turn only to realize the crowd was on their way to the THIRD buoy (Im an idiot I didnt count the buoys). I just could not recover my breathing after the bottleneck at the first buoy I spent a good part of the time between the second and third buoys on my back. I couldnt get my heart to slow down and my breath in control. In training I can swim about 2300 meters non/stop in the pool and this was only a .25mile swim so I should have been able to finish with no problem but the adreneline rush was more than I was prepared for and it killed me. Something I think I will change for the next race is to actually swim past the buoy to avoid the bottleneck even if it ads 10-20 meters to my swim Ill be much faster not in the madhouse. Also I think maybe the rush will be a little less intense the more tris I do. PS The bike and the run went great had absolutely no problems swim .25mile (14mins should have been more like 10 or less) 10 mile bike (Mountain bike/Fat tire 33 mins) 3 mile run (22 mins) although after drinking all the saltwater I felt really sick and had a hard time drinking water during the rest of the race. PS PS: Here are the pictures http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/photos/photo-thumbnail... Edited by soupaman 2004-06-01 10:52 PM |
| 2004-06-01 11:23 PM in reply to: #28562 |
Pro 4228 Broomfield, Colorado | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ Well, regardless of your struggle in the water, you kicked butt! Great job. Love the pictures! |
| 2004-06-02 6:24 AM in reply to: #28562 |
Resident Matriarch N 43° 32.927 W 071° 24.431 | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ sorry to hear you had such a rough go of it Sean. I call your experience 'swimming in a blender'. Here's how I avoid it.....if I can. The first race for me has a swim course that goes out and turns right at the bouy. So I'll line up far to the left and in the back of my wave start. It may mean a few extra strokes to make the turn at the first bouy, but I find I get thrashed a lot less this way. That is until the next wave comes along from behind me........ sounds like the rest of the race was great, congrats to you! |
| 2004-06-02 9:04 AM in reply to: #28562 |
| Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ Good job on your race. Even with ALL your adversity in the swim, 4 minutes doesn't seem so bad considering all the clobbering involved. And the bike & run was quite terrific. Loved the pics, and congrats on finding your fitter self. |
| 2004-06-02 9:22 AM in reply to: #28562 |
Extreme Veteran 465 Epworth. Iowa | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ Great report - and with all the thrashing and all - your swim looked good to me! Way to go! Edited by malvey 2004-06-02 9:23 AM |
| 2004-06-02 5:33 PM in reply to: #28562 |
Expert 649 Palm Coast, FL | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ Thanks for the nice words I just wanted to let other people know no matter how much prep there is always the unexpected. So how do you calm yourslef down in all the excitement of the swim? |
| 2004-06-03 1:19 AM in reply to: #28562 |
Master 1534 San Diego, CA | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ I think there is no substitute for experience. As for myself, I am still working on it also..... |
| 2004-06-03 10:39 AM in reply to: #28562 |
| Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ For me - a few deep breaths, having gotten into the water for a bit, silent (and not so silent) mantras of "I can do this", not trying to be fast, and doing (a somewhat slow) breast stroke whenever I begin to feel overwhelmed. |
| 2004-06-03 12:16 PM in reply to: #28562 |
Veteran 247 Mesa, AZ | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ I had the exact same experience with my first open water race and unfortunately it only got a little better on my 2nd race. Still slower than I thought, I’d do but my HR was better. I am trying to find the humor in it somewhere about how my pool times do not in anyway convert to my open water, swim in a blender, times. I guess experience will help, eventually. |
| 2004-06-03 12:20 PM in reply to: #28562 |
| New user 22 East County, San Diego | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ Man I had the same experience at my first Tri two weeks ago. I also surfed for many years and expected the swim to go well. My swim was 1000 yards in the ocean(no problem!) I can do 1000 yards in the pool in approx 15 min. Well the ocean and the pool are two very different animals. When I showed up for my event there was about a 3-5 foot swell with a nasty south wind with strong currents. Of course had to swim against the current. When I first started swimming I was sooo anxious it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. Had the same trouble with the crowds and the bouys. Took me 30 minutes to do the swim and I was grateful to make it out of the water. Next time I will start and stay on the outside a little more distance but much less traffic. Also will put much more training in the ocean, the pool just doesn't prepare you. Great story and congradulations on your finish. ;-) |
| 2004-06-03 2:00 PM in reply to: #28562 |
Elite 2915 New City, New York | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ Experience will get you there. It took me 2 tries (and tris) b4 I was comfortable. My 1st experience was simliar. I was hyperventilating so I stopped to regroup and the water was only up to my waist (in a lake). Never did recover. But as stated, each time got better. My delima now is that i haven't run a race in 2 years due to back surgery and I'm a bit nervous about the start. Like you I've got find a way to calm down. No waves so it's free fo all at the start! Well congrats to you on the race and losing the weight. Your next swim will be better! rgds, Mark |
| 2004-06-03 3:12 PM in reply to: #28562 |
Extreme Veteran 377 Midcoast, Maine | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ Sean way to go man! You still overcame and did quite well, you needed this first race break the ice, learn from this one and the rest will get better. I hope I do as well with my first. Edited by roxx 2004-06-03 3:15 PM |
| 2004-06-03 9:27 PM in reply to: #28562 |
Expert 649 Palm Coast, FL | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ Thanks again for all the words of encouragement. I know some people feel depressed after their first tri in fact I saw an article on Active.com about it today. However im completely hooked on this thing and my friends and family I'm sure are sick of hearing about it which I guess would be why Im talking about it with my family on BT! A glutton for punishment I've just signed up for my next Tri on June 12 in the same ocean but farther north in Ponte Vedra. I will be doing a minimum of 3 ocean swims between now and then in full gear (a loin cloth, some goggles, and a cap) full speed ahead hoping to adjust a little to the rush. Unfortunately where I live finding partners for open water swims is not the easiest thing to do. So I'll have to harrass the 12 year old 120 pound life guard to make sure she doesnt let me drown. Im sure shes a better swimmer than I in fact truth be told a 10 year old girl I mean it 10!! passed me on the swim in my first tri. But thats all right I stomped her srawny behind in the bike  Don't look at me its competition a dog eat dog world she asked for it =) I kill me. |
| 2004-06-04 8:26 AM in reply to: #28997 |
Master 1534 San Diego, CA | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ OK, that was funny. Who do these 10 year olds think they are?? |
| 2004-06-04 10:37 AM in reply to: #28562 |
Veteran 247 Mesa, AZ | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ Dan, that's the real reason Siera isn't swimming with you. You’re afraid of the competition. |
| 2004-06-04 10:53 AM in reply to: #28562 |
| Veteran 691 | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ I am sooo glad you shared. I'm doing my first tri on Sunday .5 swim, 15 bike and 2.8 run. I am very, very anxious-particularly about the swim. It's in a lake, I'm scared of cold water and haven't done any open water swimming. So I really appreciated the comments back to you. Mazel tov on finishing! And doing so well! |
| 2004-06-04 6:47 PM in reply to: #28562 |
Expert 649 Palm Coast, FL | Subject: RE: First Tri Swim Kicked My $#@!^ I will say being a first timer I just kind of sat around and watched what everyone else did. The second my transition was set up I was ready to get in the water however I went down to the water and kind of waited and watched for everyone else to start getting in to warm up before I even thought about getting in. Kind of wish I would have gotten in just a little sooner and actually swam rather than dunking my head and swimming a few strokes. When I did get done warming up and used to the water temp I felt incredibly confident I felt like I could conquer the world and then the swim began There was a trough and then a sandbar before the buoy so here I am swimming and I realize the guy next to me just stood up and started running. I got up and started running with everyone else I swear I was just waiting for someone to yell "Charge!" its what I imagine running of the bulls is like when you're the bull was probably the most intense ATHLETIC experience I've ever had. |
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