Pros without swimming backgrounds - Triathlon Week

AudreyJ · 03-03-2005, 06:21 AM

I've noticed something...all of the pros and really good triathletes stem from competitive swimming backgrounds, often beginning from a very young age and many continuing through a very impressive collegiete career.

I have been running and biking now for many years, but I was not blessed with being put into a swimming league at a young age. (Blaming my parents!) I've made drastic improvements recently, but is there any real hope for me??

Does anyone know any pro triathletes that didn't begin as swimmers?

Smartt/RST · 03-04-2005, 03:47 PM

Well, I can tell you that from a coaches perspective, there is nothing better than a top swimmer with just a little bit of running experience as a prospect to convert into a top triathlete. Swimming is such a technique oriented sport, that most of us need to learn it while we are young and still creating those subcortical neural pathways; sounds technical, but think of the saying, "can't teach an old dog new tricks", and you know what I mean. Running certainly has some technique involved, but is easier to teach. And cycling has a minimal technique component, so as long as you are talented and adapt well to heavy training loads, you can be a decent cyclist (but all great cyclists start young as well).
There is always hope, but you need to be the master of your destiny...committ an offseason to more swimming than you ever thought was possible. You're not likely to beat the pure swimmers, but you can be good enough to gobble them up on the run...and that's really how you win a tri anyway (drafting Oly racing aside).

RyanIUswimmer · 06-15-2005, 06:00 PM

I agree. Swimming involves repititon and adaptating to the sensation of the "feel for the water." I suggest getting a pair of hand paddles or fist gloves to increase that feel for the water. Also, distance per stroke is very important. Next time your are in the pool count your strokes per length. Then try and decrease your strokes while mantaining or decreasing time.