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Beginner Triathlon

Lars J.
Lars J. Sendmail

Is it OK to train for a triathlon ignoring the pool and doing only open-water swims?

asked about 1 year ago | Report

Thanks for the replies so far... I can see that doing drills won't be as "measurable" as in a pool... most probably will have to use "time" instead of "laps"

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  • Joe H.
    Joe H. Sendmail

    sure as long as you train safely for the OWS

    answered about 1 year ago |Report

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  • Ryan
    Ryan Sendmail

    No problem with that at all. Most people hit the pool just for convenience (finding open water to swim in can be a challenge), the ability to track distance to measure progress in whatever way they see fit (lap times, overall distance, etc), and because it is often done in the wintertime. But swimming in open water is a different animal - water is murky, no line on the bottom to keep you swimming in a straight line, etc - so it's a good idea to get a sense of that before an actual event.

    answered about 1 year ago |edited about 1 year ago |Report

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  • PeneloperaePRO
    Peneloperae Sendmail

    Open water is the best training for the Tri. I've seen a lot of triathletes who train almost exclusively in the pool and then struggle in open water as it is such a different experience. I actually plan my summer vacations so that I can do open water training. For distance, you can sort of estimate it (i.e., if you are swimming in a lake with some visual markers). Be sure to have a swim buddy or a Kayak friend to go along with you! Sometimes we tie a "floatation" device on a rope to our ankles for safety (i.e., in choppy water or just to be safe)....but my buddies and I aren't exactly the "Michael Phelps" variety. Have fun...

    answered about 1 year ago |Report

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