220Triathlon Edição 334

FEBRUARY 2017

WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM

BEGINNERS’ GUIDE

“Yes, it can be eerie piling face first

into a murky lake, but it’s a bad look

for the race if competitors

are chomped up by a rabid

swamp creature”

pool – but rarely end races. To mitigate risks, test your

goggles in practice close to race day, and bring a spare

pair in case the elastic snaps. You can also put the strap

under a second swim cap, to reduce the chances of

having them pulled off.

GETTING CRAMP

Yes, it’s excruciating, but it doesn’t have to be

disastrous. If it’s a wetsuit swim, the buoyancy of your

neoprene will prevent you drowning. If you’re in the pool,

you can grab the side and pause for a moment. Rest

assured, as well as a debut triathlete you’re a valued

customer, so there will always be a helpful canoe or

lifeguard prepped to rescue you.

WETSUIT FILLS UPWITH

WATER AND SINKING

Firstly, wetsuits are supposed to fill up with water. That’s

how they keep you warm. This did happen to Chrissie

Wellington in one of her early triathlons, but she’ll happily

admit she made the cardinal sin of borrowing a suit she’d

not tried on. As long as you make sure it fits snugly, then

you won’t become waterlogged. It simply doesn’t happen.

BEING THE LAST OUT

For sprint- or Olympic-distance racing in the UK,

it’s likely to be in a pool or wave starts. Competitors will

set off at different times, so no-one will spot the slowest

swimmer. If you do emerge last into T1, you’ll be

guaranteed the biggest cheer from those in awe that

you’re doing what they aren’t – being brave enough to

give triathlon a go.

“My biggest fear was the swim,” says GB Olympian and

successful coach Michelle Dillon. “Coming from a running

background, I wasn’t the strongest swimmer, so I joined a

swim squad and put in the hard work.”

CAN’T CONTROL BREATHING

Struggling for breath can catch even the most

experienced triathletes off guard. If the race rules allow,

have an acclimatisation dip. This can be particularly

useful in the UK, when the initial chill of the open water

can zap your senses.

If you can’t fully submerge, at least try and get your

face wet. Starting towards the outside or back of the field,

means a few extra strokes, but makes for a more relaxed

and enjoyable swim. If you do struggle to regulate your

breathing, stop, tread water or hold on to one of the race

canoes if it’s close enough, and take a few seconds to calm

your mind and body before setting off again.

NOT KNOWINGWHAT

LURKS BENEATH

Yes, it can be eerie piling face first into a murky lake,

but it’s a bad look for the race if competitors are

chomped up by a rabid swamp creature. Whatever’s

down there, it’s a safe bet it’ll be more scared of you

than you are of it.

“I was terrified,” British pro Alice Hector, says of her

first race, aged 14. “Somehow I got in and did the whole

thing head up, at the back with the safety canoe in close

attendance. Five years later I went to Loughborough

University and every week in the summer went

open-water swimming at the very same venue in

Market Bosworth. I just kept going back and stayed

close to the water’s edge and gradually the fear subsided.

It was through regular exposure and a determination on

my part to be good at the sport.”