Swim During Tri
58
Member
1322 days
cg posted 3 years ago.
Most experts agree (from what I have read over the last 10 years) that you don't cardio "lose" fitness in two weeks. Muscles will not begin to atrophy until that two week point - they may feel softer etc, but they can produce the same force. If you are still doing some light training ... no worries.
From my experience, and I bet most people here will agree, it is much better to go into a race rested and tapered than tired. 2 week taper ... perfect yuo've trained well for your first race.
As for the waves ... well I live in Indiana so the biggest waves I see are in the Chicago Accenture race each year. My suggestion is to go out on a day before the race when there are some medium to big waves and swim. Just being in the water and waves will let you know what to expect and how to handle them on race day. I train in the rain a couple of times each spring and it really helped me this summer when I woke up to a rainstorm one race morning.
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555
Member
1184 days
CAcyclingFAN posted 3 years ago.
It is not too often that races are won or lost in the swim leg. Maybe try and concentrate more on a comfortable pace in the water rather than trying to go 'as fast as you could swim'. You may find yourself falling into a good solid rhythm after a few hundred meters.
CG is right, practice in the open water is a great help. Also, the big waves in the ocean are only at the start and finish of the swim where you can stand up and dive through them. Once you get past the breaking waves you will float right over the swells as you are swimming.
I bet you will be hooked on tri's after the 25th.
Good Luck!
When it's time to die, let us not discover that we have never lived. - Thoreau
3354
Member
1413 days
RV posted 3 years ago.
For your taper it is good that you are working out
What you do is reduce the volume of training - but still do some race intensity work.
That will allow you to rest and recover as well as maintain your existing fitness.
Well you can certainly lose the race on the swim - go out too hard and you will really hurt your day.
Best is to practice doing some open water swims. If the waves are big it typically means you may have to roll a little more to breath.
Also don't worry about taking a couple breast strokes occassionally to regroup.
Siteing is a little more difficult when the waves are big. Try to site when in a trough and all you see is the wave ahead of you. Try to site as you go over the wave - or again take a couple breast strokes to orient yourself.
RV
It takes a long time to get good. - Scott Molina
Slow is smooth; smooth is fast. - Rich Strauss
My first tri is 9/25. I am feeling pretty good about the race, except i am terrified the waves are going to be huge. The beach that holds the tri can either have small or really large waves. Also this week and next are my taper...i am still working out pretty good but much less. I am afraid i will loose the fitness i gained from May till now. Any thoughts or am I just being silly?