Your First Triathlon - The Swim

If the swim leg of a triathlon makes you nervous, you're not alone. Most people thinking about trying triathlon have some issues with the swim.

Good news: the swim is the shortest leg of triathlon's swim-bike-run format. Don't let the swim stop you from trying your first triathlon.
If you can:
- swim (15-20 minutes)
- bike (60 minutes) and
- walk (45 minutes), you can finish your first triathlon.

Some things to know:
1. Any swim stroke is OK. You can use freestyle, breaststroke, back crawl, side stroke or doggy paddle. If you have a panic moment, switch to something that makes you more comfortable.

2. You will get bumped. You may get kicked, scratched, or even run over. Knowing this ahead of time, will make any contact with other swimmers less of a shock. If you are new, or a slow swimmer, start in the back and to the outside. Take a wider path and you'll run into fewer people.

3. Don't forget to breathe. I tend to start off too fast. Everything starts to burn. Then I slow down, focus on breathing and try to swim well vs. fast.

Find more beginner triathlon tips here:
Your First Triathlon
What I Love About Triathlon
Why Triathlon?
Where Does Fear Come From?
7 Steps to Successful Swimming

Enjoy!

Race Review: The Pigman, Iowa

Last weekend we drove to Iowa for the Pigman longcourse. This time, it was my husband Ken's turn to race, and the boys and I would cheer him on.

Hotel: We stayed at the Marriott in Cedar Rapids. It was beautiful and we got a great Pigman rate. Packet pickup was in the hotel on Saturday, very convenient.

Race site: Pleasant Creek Recreation Area. The park was about 15 minutes from the Marriott.

Race parking: The Pigman has several lots and a big grassy area for parking. They have volunteers helping direct parking on race morning. But, once you park, don't plan on leaving the park. The drive out of the park is narrow, windy and gets very crowded with bikers/runners also sharing the route. It's best to stay put and wait for your racer to return.

Race course: The lake was 77 degrees on race morning. They started with a time trial swim start, so one person left every three seconds. The road quality on the bike was good, though in Iowa the shoulders aren't paved. The is very little shade on the run. The route is hilly and beautiful, but gets very hot.

Watching the Pigman: Our kids played on the beach while Ken swam, and while he biked. The park had a small concession stand open serving food and drinks. There is little shade along the final miles of the race. Many groups brought their own canopies for shade. We had a big umbrella. Bring something for shade, swimsuits, sunscreen, blankets and money for food, drinks.

• Pigman info sheet http://www.pigmantri.com/pig2info.pdf
• Pigman map http://www.pigmantri.com/p2map.pdf
• Gmap of course http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2086216

We were able to catch Ken coming out of the lake, and in transitions. He had a great race and we enjoyed the day in the park. Overall, we are impressed with the Pigman.

J-Lo Trains for Her First Triathlon

In less than a month, Jennifer Lopez will compete in her first triathlon at the Nautica Malibu Triathlon Sept. 14. Lopez will swim 1/2 mile, bike 18 miles and run 4 miles.

She was interviewed about her training on ABC News' Good Morning America. Lopez said she was about eight months pregnant when she first thought of doing a triathlon. She saw an event and thought "I think I could do that." Now, a mother of six-month old twins, Lopez is training for her first triathlon. The Nautica Malibu Triathlon benefits Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

Lopez said swimming is the toughest for her, and suggests first-time triathletes start slow and give themselves time. When she is training she "feels great, has more energy and is proud of herself."

As a mother of three who loves the sport of triathlon, I agree with J-Lo. Training helps me feel great, have more energy and feel proud of myself.

Follow more of Lopez' training at Self.com. (Above picture by Ken Landolt at Ironman Florida the day before my race.)