Become a Better Swimmer for a Faster Bike?

The sooner you get to T1, the sooner you’ll get to T2. Obviously, right? Well, what if I said that you could get to T1 at the exact same time as the athlete next to you, but if you’re a better swimmer, you have a big jump on them to T2? If you consider yourself a strong cyclist, this is great.

Most triathletes I encounter look at the swim as something to just get through. The ones who don’t see it that way probably were, or are, competitive swimmers. Many other racers just view it defensively. No one wins a triathlon in the water, but anyone CAN lose one there, right? You’ve probably heard this before. It is not necessarily so.

If you and that guy or gal next to you finish the swim together, get into T1 at the same time and get your bike gear on at the same time, you’re tied, right? Well, if the race ended at the bike-mount line, yes you’d be tied. So, what if you get out of the water feeling good, strong, even grinning because you didn’t think that swim was as bad as you thought it was going to be? What if you’re tied on the clock, but your HR is 15% lower than hers, your lactic acid build-up is not as bad, your body is ready to send blood to your legs, and she feels like sitting down and vomiting? Aside from the fact you probably did a lot more swim preparation, who do think will start out stronger on the bike? You! See where I’m going?

So, what’s the point? Perhaps you shouldn’t look at the swim as something to just get (read: suffer) through. Maybe you should see it strategically, as a place to actually gain an advantage. How? Become a better swimmer, both in the pool, and in the open water where the real world of triathlon happens. See my options on open water practices for more.