I DID IT! 900 meter swim

Congrats....I havent gone that distance yet...but I'm anxious to get in the pool tonight to test out what I think was a HUGE breakthrough from the end of my workout a couple nights ago.  Feels insane when it all just clicks huh

Awesome! Great job! I'm sure you feel much better about your upcoming race.. congrats!

Great Job!
Geez Im still working on my swim...I can only go about 250meters before needing a break

Actually will be swiming freestyle/breast in my tri this weekend..

I used freestyle, breast, back, and sidestroke.  Mostly free and breast.  The back is a nice breather.

JC5066, oh please do tell. What was the "key"? I'm coming to believe that my struggles in the swim (and my need for air) have more to do with nerves and my lack of confidence than with technique, but I haven't discovered how to "act" confident. What did you discover for today's breakthrough? And C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S ! !

Congratulations!!  You'll be great at the race! 

I was in JCs shoes a few months ago.  I was scared to death of the swim because I couldn't do more than a few hundred meters without taking a break.  ONe day I just decided to swim 500 meters.  When I got to 500 I thought to myself--this isn't so bad--and I kept on going.  The further I went the more calm I became and the easier it was.  I swam 750m for the first time.  It was actually the first time I'd ever swam over 200m without taking a break.  It was a huge confidence boost.  You just gotta decide to do it and then do it.  You will amaze yourself.

Way to go.
I think going the distance is about comfort as well as practice.
I know for me, getting into a rhythm helps. I often find myself forcing myself to breathe more often at the beginning, even if I don't "need" to, just to get the rythm going.

I huge part of it was learning to have a few different strokes to fall back on.

Breast Stroke, uses more energy and is a little slower, but it's different muscles and you get more air to catch your breath.

Back Stroke, I do it more of a "float stroke" when I need 30 chill to collect myself and my breath.

Side Stroke, last option really.  It's when I needed something different for a couple of minutes.

Once I had the confidence of having a few "weapons" it was really a matter of saying "OK, it's time to do this".

Like others have said, it's a click that just happens.  Keep at it, it will come.

This thread inspired me to do 900 tonight as well...I had only planned to use my new breakthrough to do 600, but once I got there I just kept going.  I even managed to do a couple of sprints at the end and knocked off an entire 5 seconds off my 25m time.