I've Been TRI-ing

This September a few friends and I are going to do a triathlon.  This will be my first triathlon, and it's a simple "sprint" tri: 500 meter swim, 12 mile bike ride, and 3 mile run.  Up until last week I've been scared to death of the swimming part.   I was having a hard time swimming 25 meters, let alone 500! 

Halle, Brian, and I have been heading to the Y to swim laps almost everyday.  Brian and Halle have given me pointers on how to improve my stroke and breathing technique.  Still....they've been doing about 3 laps to my one. 

I finally started getting the hang of it, and now can swim 1000 meters without stopping!  Woohoo!  Brian and Halle have been a tremendous help in teaching me how to swim long distances.  Nik and John also recommended me watch you tube videos about the "total immersion" swimming technique.  It's a freestyle swimming method that tweaks a typical freestyle stroke.  This long distance method has helped me so much.  This method is not for short distance races like Halle does on swim team.  Rather, this is great for triathlons or just swimming laps in the pool. 

Just a few things that I've taken away from the TI technique. 

1.  Mentally divide your body between the right and left side.  Many swimmers divide their body into upper (arms pulling) and lower (legs kicking.)  Your arms and legs should work harmoniously together while you rotate your right and left side with each stroke. 

2.  Look down, not forward

3.  Have a relaxed hand, rather than cupped hand as you would with short distance racing.

4.  Don't focus on the pulling of your upper body.  Instead, make a pathway for your body by separating the water molecules with your arm.  This improves the efficiency of your swimming.    

I'm telling you, the total immersion technique works!  This is the method that Nik used to complete his 2.4 mile swim in the Ironman.  A year before that, he was just as bad of a swimmer as me.

Today I ran 3 miles, biked 9 miles, and swam 500 meters!  I'm no longer scared of the swimming part.  Of course there's the open body of water I have to mentally prepare myself to swim in, along with swimming with thousands of other swimmers that might kick me in the head....  Baby steps.....  :)