swim training without a place to swim

Swimming is very technique driven.  If you were already an accomplished swimmer, I would say that there are probably some exercises you could do to help maintain fitness but if you're just getting started you're gonna need a pool.

Are you sure there are no options for an indoor pool where you live?  If not, I suppose your only option would be to focus on bike and run training for now, and when the pool opens up focus on swimming until the event.

I have my first tri coming up in a few weeks and was in a similar boat.  I have a friend with a pool but that is 30 minutes away and a small pool.  However, since Beggars can't be Choosers I would drive over a few times a week and swim 100 laps and call it a day.

I had missed a few weeks because of travel and went back over last week.  My friend neglected to tell me she shut off the heater for the season.  Even with a wetsuit on it was the coldest water I have ever been in by a wide margin.  I check the temp and find a lovely 48 degrees!

Work on getting into shape with running and cycling and let the swim wait until the spring.

I haven't tried one, but I hear that the Vasa swim trainers are OK if you absolutely can't get to a pool.  Funny, they have one on the deck at the pool where I swim but I have never seen anyone use it.  Maybe i'll try it out sometime...

I think you can get the older kind used for a couple hundred bucks if you watch Craigslist for a larger city near you.

I have seen hotel pools that do this, the main issue is that the pools are normally quite small but given your circumstances it would be better than nothing. It would certainly be worth checking into.

You can get some benefit from using pull cords such as described here:

http://www.active.com/swimming/Articles/Stretch_Cords__The_Key_to_Offseason_Swim_Training

Probably if you search around google and youtube you can find some more exercises with pull cords.

Jared, I'm in the same situation. I live down in Lordsburg and the closest year-round pool is in Las Cruces. 

Are you anywhere near one of the universities that have lap times and could drive there on your days off? Otherwise all I've been able to think of is strength training to hit the muscle groups that are important for swimming.

I'd love to know what options you come up with 'cause I've been trying to figure out the same thing.

all I can think of are the Park Lake in Santa Rosa and the lake north of Ft. Sumner, but I don't imagine you want to swim outdoors right now. 'Vegas does have a heated, indoor pool at Highlands Univ, but that's 2 hours from you. Still, if you want to spend your weekend in the "big city" and get some swimming in, it may be your only option for the winter.

I was driving 50 miles to the closest lake until water temps dropped into the low 40s and I had to walk through snow.  Then I was driving 100 miles each way to get in swims.  Then I got one of these, but they are $$$ Swimex.  I finished my garage and put this into it.  You would have to be pretty sure you were gona be doing tri's for a few decads to get one of these.