Top 5 Tips for New Triathletes in the Swim
At this time, I would like to say CONGRATULATIONS to all the ladies, volunteers and spectators who endured the heavy rains today at the Esprit de She Triathlon in Naperville. No one wants to wake up on race morning looking at a radar full of storms, but that is exactly what happened today. While some athletes decided to take a pass on today’s race, there were plenty of people who decided to stick it out!
I have been a swim buddy for many years now. For the last 4 years, I have recruited other members of Team Tri Right and our Tri Right Masters Swim Team to come help as “Swim Buddies” for this event. A “Swim Buddy” is a person that swims along side a newer and/or nervous triathlete to help encourage them and offer support throughout the swim course.
Swim Buddies in Naperville
Here are the TOP 5 Tips for New Triathletes in the swim:
5. Relax! You trained for this (hopefully). Any stress/anxiety you experience will only work against you in the water. Breathe deeply and swim the race you know you can.
4. Pace yourself. It is normal to be a bundle of nerves before your race. Going out in the swim too fast will only leave you winded and tired for the rest of your event. Start off at “warm up” pace and go from there when you are ready.
3. Have a reason. In the swim portion of any race, the going is gonna get tough. And that’s when you need to toughen up. You need to have some thing that will keep you going. It can be a person, a saying, an experience, whatever. Use that reason whenever you need to in order to keep pushing forward.
2. Be prepared. The weather can be a funny thing. Sun, rain, wind, you name it, it’s out there! You need to be ready for it all and have it not shake you. I’ve always thought that I should not worry about things I cannot control. After all, all the other racers have to deal with the same conditions you do. Your best bet is to be ready for anything that comes your way and not lose a step.
Naperville Swim
1. ENJOY YOUR RACE! Sure, there are some professional triathletes, but for 99% of us, this is supposed to be FUN! So smile, laugh, high-five your wave-mates and enjoy the fact that you can get out there and participate in the great sport of triathlon. When it’s over, you can figure out what race to sign up for next!
