Triathlon debate
I was originally registered for my first sprint triathlon on August 14th but decided to attend/work at the Healthy Living Summit instead. Finding a replacement triathlon is very important to me so I was thrilled to find an event in my hometown on September 11th. The only problem is that the swim is .5 miles vs. the .25 miles I was expecting. The swim is my greatest fear, as it is for many. .A half mile swim sounds really scary, especially since I have high anxiety about open bodies of water. I’ve yet to make it past the pool.
I like the idea of doing my first triathlon in my hometown simply because of its convenience. I wouldn’t have to pay for a hotel, it’s a very short drive there and back, etc. But that damn half mile swim….
After searching around on the world-wide web, I stumbled upon another triathlon a little over an hour from my hometown on that very same day. The swim is only 1/4 of a mile, the way it should be if you has me. So the question is…….
Do I suck it up and train for the half mile swim in my hometown OR forget about the convenience and drive the extra hour for a shorter distance?
Help!! Also, should I wear a wetsuit???
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Hi! If you’ve read my blog before you know the kind of topics I cover. My life is changing so I don’t want to label this blog as one thing or another. Goodies Galore will simply serve as a vehicle for inappropriate ramblings, pictures of my gnarly food concoctions, the ongoing battle and rewards of health and wellness, and whatever else comes my way. Hopefully things get exciting around here. Thanks for reading.
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I say stick with your hometown…I think if you work at it you can overcome your fear…you have proven to yourself for years that you can work through and pass many obstacles, I think you can do this one! Enjoy your old town…I would love to go with you and see our old town, it’s been a while since I have been there!
Good luck!
i would stick with the hometown. you can totally do it!
I say stick with the hometown tri! You can do it I know you have alot of endurance in you more than you give yourself credit for! I’m excited to hear all about it!!
I’m with everyone else! Stick with the hometown tri, you can totally do it!
I would stick with doing it in my hometown. You’ll save money and it will just be a whole lot nicer and convenient to have it right there. Sure the .5 mile swim isn’t ideal but you can definitely do it! Think of how amazing and accomplished you’ll feel after you dominate that swim. 🙂
I’d train a little more in open water and see how you feel. It might be an easy fear to conquer, but if not, the tri a little farther away is still a great option! It’s supposed to be challenging, not nerve-wracking!
ha….I disagree with everyone. I’d go for the shorter swim. If that’s your hardest part, why make your first tri any harder than it has to be?
I think you should do whatever makes you feel the most comfortable. If the swim is what is the scariest part for you then I would drive the extra way to have a shorter swim. As for a wetsuit…you don’t need one. I did a triathalon (it was only a mini) and I just wore tri-biker shorts and a sports bra to swim. The tri-biker shorts have a little padding in them so they don’t hurt your butt too bad when you swim. BUT the padding is really thin so it drives super quick…you won’t feel like you are wearing a diaper or anything like that.
Ok, as to the wetsuit, it depends on YOU. I mean, they say that time-wise, it only becomes a benefit when you get to Olympic distance or longer (.9mi+), because the time it takes to transition out of it outweighs the time saved in the water.
That said, if you are stressed about the swim (and the race is wetsuit-legal), it may calm your mind to the wetsuit as almost a safety blanket because it keeps you afloat.
I agree with everyone – do what feels right. If you feel that you’ll honestly do better with a shorter swim, go the shorter swim.
Wetsuits frighten me. But do it if it’s going to be cold!