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2017-12-01 8:26 AM


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Subject: half iron
im thinking about signing up for half iron man chattanooga and had some questions, an concerns.
i trained and completed a 100 mile bike ride and full marathon this year. my times were not good, im very slow on everything i do and cramp really bad on all events ive ever done from a olympic tri to those events and everything in between. but, i finished them and with continued training i am confident i can do the bike and run for a half.
the swim, oh the swim, now thats a diff matter. right now i could not make the time, or poss the distance, for a half. i swim poorly, thrash about, head out of the water, etc. i grew up that way and was great when i was young, i swam like a fish. but now at 47 i will have to retrain myself to swim. my tri swim time was 42 minutes for .75 distance. so i would have to improve greatly or get dq before i got to the events i can succeed in. the closest pool i have is a ymca pool about 40 miles from me so it will take ALOT of committment to achieve this. along with time and money for gas, pool fees, etc. i could prob only train 2 times a week avg.
now to the questions. chattanooga is a down river swim. im assuming that will be much faster than a regular swim. has anyone done chatt. is it faster. and any thoughts about doing this half with a very poor swim would be appreciated. i just dont wanna drop the money for a half an get dq on the first leg.


2017-12-01 9:00 AM
in reply to: bnsafe

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Subject: RE: half iron
I've done Chattanooga 70.3. I've also been unable to swim 200 yds without stopping.

Swimming 2X/wk is not ideal for gaining technique or endurance. I'd suggest at least 3X/wk.

With the exception of the 2017 race, there's a portion of the swim that's upstream (about 400 m, I believe). I wouldn't worry about making the time cutoff. The current is definitely an assist (downstream portion).

If you want an all downstream swim, I'd suggest you look at Augusta (I've done that one, too, if you have questions).

Good luck.
2017-12-01 9:55 AM
in reply to: bnsafe

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Subject: RE: half iron
Swim is 90% technique. I have coached many people who had the same characteristics that you describe. First and foremost you must be comfortable in the water. If you are not comfortable in the water it makes learning so much more difficult. I would advise you to seek out someone who is proficient at teaching adults, child lessons are so much different. Things that I would have you focus on is #1 breathing rhythmically if you fall behind on your breathing you will start the whole panic/I'm not comfortable in the water scenario and you will be back to square one immediately. #2 Keep your head in the water, breathe from the side, ideally both sides but for starters pick a side and get comfortable breathing without lifting your head up. Every time you lift your head it throws everything you are doing out of rhythm. #3 This is some thing that I focus on for triathletes especially. Do not kick or if you do it should be a slow kick where for every L/R arm stroke you have one L/R kick. Kicking is inefficient for propulsion and your quads burn up a huge amount of oxygen which can cause you to fall behind in your oxygen uptake again triggering the whole I'm not comfortable in the water scenario again. My goal for the swim portion of any triathlon is to exit the water with a low resting heart rate and feeling refreshed and ready for the bike leg. I have spent a good deal of time with my local team mates working on these three items and the positive changes have been incredible. Last year we had a new member of the team who was very much like what you described. He could not swim 200 yds without being completely exhausted. He was swimming several days a week and seeing no improvements. I was able to work with him one day. The next day he swam a mile non-stop for the first time. It is all about technique!
2017-12-01 11:31 AM
in reply to: sdalcher


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Subject: RE: half iron
thanks so much for the advice. the closest tri coaches i can find are 75 miles away. way to far to train 3 days a week, but maybe 1 time a week for a mos or so and practice somewhere closer, i will check into that.
i want to do chatt, because 1. its a day after my bday, and 2. my cousin was a 5th special forces warrior who was kia in 2016. chatt is roughly a hour from there an i would like to honor him, and 3. im a huge civil war buff so with lookout mnt and chickamagua right there would make for a nice family trip.
with that said, tell me more about agusta. i will do some research also.
also, i was reading, sounds like wetsuits might be legal, but the time starts with age group start but you dont start until all the non wetsuit folks are gone. is it worth it to lose the time. ive never swam in a wetsuit so would need to buy one. but the extra floation might be very comforting
2017-12-01 11:34 AM
in reply to: bnsafe


139
10025
Subject: RE: half iron
well nevermind. i just looked, they sold out since yest. im very disappointed.
2017-12-02 7:33 AM
in reply to: bnsafe


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Subject: RE: half iron
looking at augusta. looks like people are wearing wetsuits. is it a wetsuit legal race.


2017-12-02 12:22 PM
in reply to: bnsafe

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Subject: RE: half iron
If money is not an issue, you can probably still do Chattanooga 70.3 through Ironman foundation. Essentially double the registration price as a charitable donation. That is what I did last year.
2017-12-02 8:16 PM
in reply to: lagomorph


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10025
Subject: RE: half iron
i didnt know that, i will look into it. but dont think the wife will go for it. im ok with augusta, just need some more info
2017-12-03 5:12 PM
in reply to: bnsafe

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Subject: RE: half iron
IM NC 70.3 will be wetsuit legal. It's done in a protected sound and the current is RIPPING.

I'm signing up, soon.
2017-12-19 11:54 AM
in reply to: nc452010

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Subject: RE: half iron
I am an adult learner with regard to swimming. Awful - hate it, haven't even gotten into the pool this year.

I've taken a half dozen Total Immersion swim lessons. Don't get, or buy it all, but it is marketed for older folks who want to swim a mile or more without getting winded.

Focuses on using body rotation for propulsion instead of pushing back on the water, and uses a 2-beat kick to aid the rotation. I'm not quite getting it but learned enough to not be the last out of the lake or too out of breath when I got out. Also allows me to swim with a bad shoulder.

If you don't have a TI coach near you, you can see some videos on Youtube or you can buy their self-taught package on totalimmersion.net. Think they are on sale this week. I'm studying the 2.0 course, but think I just need to get to the pool and start the drills.

Good luck
2017-12-19 5:45 PM
in reply to: bnsafe

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Subject: RE: half iron

Augusta is usually wetsuit legal (although it wasn't last year).  It's a downriver swim so times are pretty fast compared to other HIMs.



2017-12-19 6:59 PM
in reply to: JoelO


139
10025
Subject: RE: half iron
i am signed up for augusta, bought my wetsuit, bought the t i videos. there is no coach or even a indoor pool anywhere close to me. so im gonna drive to my hometown 3 hours from here every couple weeks for the winter and swim there working on the ti drills, then go to the public swim area on the lake this summer. im not sure i can make the time for the swim, scared to death of missing the cut and getting a dnf on the first leg. IF i get thru that i will not have any issues other than cramping for the bike and run.
2017-12-20 11:31 AM
in reply to: bnsafe

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Franklin, TN
Subject: RE: half iron

Given that you can't get to the pool regularly, I would purchase some stretch cords for some dryland work as Shelia demonstrates here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr570KZvyBQ

 

2017-12-20 8:12 PM
in reply to: JoelO


139
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Subject: RE: half iron
looks good, i will check into that. thx
2017-12-21 11:28 PM
in reply to: bnsafe

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Subject: RE: half iron
Great, let us know how the training is going.
2017-12-21 11:28 PM
in reply to: bnsafe

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, Connecticut
Subject: RE: half iron
Great, let us know how the training is going.


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