The Triathalon is a grueling distance event that attracts runners, cyclists and swimmers seeking a broader athletic competition. It combines continous swimming, cycling and running. Open water swimming is generally viewed as the most difficult of the three events, given the prevailing athletic backgrounds of triathletes. Even competitors with extensive swimming backgrounds may find the open-water leg very challenging.
Triathletes Athletic Background
The triathlon draws a high percentage of runners, so a high percentage of competitors face the same challenge making the transition. "Chances are, since most triathletes come from a running background and you probably aren't totally adverse to cycling, swimming is your Achilles heel," triathlete John Mora wrote on the Tri-Masters website. "Don't feel bad. Most triathletes begin with the same trepidation toward aquatics." Olympic-distance triathlons start with a 1.5 km open water swim and ultra-distance events start with a 3.8 km swim.
Challenges of Open-Water Swimming
Even established swimmers must adjust to the open water venue, where they may face strong currents, choppy waves and heavy crowding, especially at the beginning of the race. "Nothing can prepare a newbie for the start," triathlete Russ Evenhuis told the New York Times. "It can be like jumping into a washing machine. You will get swum over, kicked, hit and banged into."
Mastering the Swim
Pool training helps triathletes build a swimming base, but they must gain experience in the open water as well before competing. They should use a spotter and never train alone. U.S. Olympian Sarah Haskins, an accomplished swimmer before moving to the triathlon, offered this advice for the race itself: "It may be better to start off easy and let the stronger swimmers start just a few seconds before you so you can swim at your pace without the chaos at the start."
Triathlon Swimming Deaths
Of the 23 triathlon deaths USA Triathlon recorded from 2004 to the middle of 2008, 18 came during the swimming leg of the competition. Some of the deaths were attributed to drowning, but others appeared to be heart-related. Dr. Michael Ackerman, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, told the New York Times that a genetic heart condition may leave some athletes vulnerable during distance swimming. "If you faint while running a race and your heart snaps back into sync 10 or 30 seconds later, you wake up," Ackerman said. "If it happens in the water, even if your heart regains rhythm 30 seconds later, now you're underwater."
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