Subject: RE: Newbie here Before I did any kind of Tri training I just hit the pool 4-5 times per week. I got up to 3,500 yards per swim session (nothing special, just 500 or 1000 yd sets with 1-2 min. rest in between. That and watching what you eat will set a good base (it really worked for me). Basic math, 3,500 calories = 1 pound. Need to burn more than eat so if you burn 500 calories more per day than you eat, you will lose 1 lb per week. One hour in the pool for me was over 1,000 calories when I first started (I was 246 lbs, now 195).
At first I swam 50 yards (one lap) and was out of breath already so don't get frustrated. Take a break, do it again, and again, and again. Build up to 100's, then 200's etc..
Another reason I started in the pool was to lose weight before running to lessen impact on knees/joints etc. Biking is good also if just swimming will bore the heck out of you.
I found that building up to a 3,500 yard swim workout made my first time running easier. I wasn't that winded after my first 2 miler (that's right, I could run 2 miles non-stop after building up that swimming base). Not saying everyone's body will react the same, just reporting actual results.
I also did 1-2 resistance workouts a week during this time, mainly to improve my core. Good core I think will help you keep it together as you're making your way through the run portion of the sprint (my opinion).
Welcome to BT, stick with it, you will feel so good once you complete that first race it's well worth the effort.
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