First tri in 2 weeks Having major problems with swim (Page 2)

I started out swimming 3 min/100 yds in March. I focused on breathing first...just learning to breathe and feeling comfortable in the water. Pretty soon I could swim forever, but slow. Well, now it is August and I have a tri coming up in less than two weeks and I'm still slow, but I did cut 30s on my 100 yds. I feel like I have my form down and can start focusing on speed drills. If you can drop to 2 mins/100 yds that would really be fantastic and I'd be really envious, happy for you of course, but green for sure.

Wow...some harsh critics. I agree with the person who basically said..."put your all into it and then assess yourself". I (like my name) am "nada" swimmer by nature. I went every time the pool was available for 2 months...My game plan was to do my best and put in the time and assess my progress later. As of this moment still not ready for my goal of Aug. 29th, but am much closer. I pushed my first tri to October to allow myself to be better prepared. It's pointless to injure yourself or someone else just to meet an unrealistic goal. I had visions of being pulled out by a kayak.  Seriously...good luck to you!

I agree with that guy too.  So, im swimming everyday!  I already figured out how to breath with my head down!  Its not pretty, but its much more efficient than the head out of the water or only breathing every 30 yrds technique i was using.   I dont think ill have any prob swimming the 500 yrds by next sat.  I may not be fast, but I will get it done without the use of a noodle.  I figure even if I swim 3 min/100 yrds ill only be a couple mins behind, which I fill i can pick back up in the bike.  I just want to finish.   And, someone has to come in last..........  though i hope to do better than that!  Id be happy with next to last or better 

from another "former" swimmer turned triathlete, i completely agree w/ guppie, that was really good advice.  looks like you have been making really sound progress in the pool judging by the entries left on this blog.

some other things you may want to think about prior to and on race day are the following....

1. get to the pool to swim as much as you can between then and now.  you don't have to do hours and hours of time swimming but the more often you are in the pool, the faster your feel for the water will develop.
2. the swim in open water is going to feel slightly longer than the pool swim, due to the lack of walls.
3. when you get to the race site, go down to the water and look at the course, locate the turn buoys and were to exit.  also see if there are any visual cues on land that you would be able to see from the water, this will help when you are finishing the swim leg.
4. when you get in the water for the start have a firm plan in mind of how you are going to execute the swim. something that really helps me is to break the course up into separate parts (1/2, 1/3s or 1/4s, etc.)  have a goal or plan for each part, that way you can focus on a little bit at a time and not the whole swim at once.  this will also help if you do other tris w/ longer swims.

remember to relax and have fun!
keep us posted on how it goes!

Well, my tri came and went, and I didn't drown!!   I averaged 2:29/100 yrds which was around what I figured Id do.   My rythm was affected greatly by the "washing machine"  and I didnt breath enough in the first 175 yrds.  But, i was flying by people everytime i saw a gap.  Unfortunetely by 400 yrds i was about done.  The last 100 yrds was ridiculus!!!  No form at all.  Couldnt catch my breath.  Awful!  I dont feel like i ever recovered from the swim.  But i did finish ahead of at least 60 other people.  Theres another sprint Im planning to do in 3 wks.  Hopefully itll go alittle better. 

Not related to swimming but.  I paced the last half of the run with a guy about my age.  We didnt rush and even took time to shake hands while we ran. lol.  With about 500 yrds left he says  "Time to finish strong."  And he takes off planning to leave me behind!  I hang behind him till theres about 250yrds left and then open up on him!  I pass him strong and theres nothing he can do about it.  That moment made the race for me!   I passed 2 others as well in that 250 yrd full sprint!  Maybe i should have run alittle faster during the race though........  

Congrats on your tri, and completing the swimming part.  A great drill you can do to work on you breathing:  For each stroke, stay on your side and kick several times.  This forces you onto your side(which you should be rotating your hips like this anyway), and your head out of the water to breath.  It also helps you to practice lengthening your stroke as you should be stretching out with the arm that is in front of you.

Good luck!

Congrats on finishing your first tri.  I just did mine last week too.  I was always a decent swimmer in the pool and it took me awhile to adjust to swimming and breathing in OWS and while wearing a wetsuit.  But I practiced quite a bit this summer before my race. 
Of course I race day I went out too hard in the beginning and had a hard time catching my breathe during the entire swim.  But I told myself to relax and keep moving.  So to help catch my breathe I did some breaststroke for awhile (I was out on the outside away from other swimmers) and I still came in averaging 2 min/100 yrds approx which I was happy with.  But now I know what to expect from race starts, flying arms and legs, etc.
Good luck on your training and in your next race.