Swimming is the first of three consecutive sports in the typical triathlon, followed by cycling then running. Swim distances vary according to the overall triathlon distances -- a sprint-distance race usually has a swim of less than 1,000 meters. The swimming section of an Ironman triathlon is typically 2.4 miles. For any triathlon distance, swimming training before a race is important. Consult your doctor before starting any new exercise or training regimen.
Time Trials
Time trials are important in your swim training as they give you an estimated time you will need to complete the swimming race. Also, you can compare your time trial results over the course of your triathlon training and hopefully will see improvements in your speed. A typical swim workout for a time trial, over the course of a 60-minute session, would involve a warm-up using a mixture of swimming strokes and paces. Then swim 1,000 yards at a constant speed and using a steady effort, as if you were in a race situation. Note the time it took you to swim 1,000 yards, as well as your average pace over 50 and 100 yards. If you are doing a sprint triathlon, your expected swim time will be five times your average 100-yard pace.
Swim Golf
Swim golf is a fun and engaging way to work on your overall speed and the efficiency of your swimming strokes. After a 300-yard warm-up, swim 50 yards while counting the number of seconds and the number of strokes. Add the time and number of strokes together to get your swim golf score for that 50 yards. Repeat the 50-yard swim-golf test nine more times, trying to get the same or a slightly lower swim golf with each set. Cool down at the end of your workout with some easy swimming.
Open-Water Swimming
Many triathlons take place in a body of open water, whether this is a freshwater lake or the ocean. Swimming in open water is different to swimming in a pool, and part of your pre-triathlon swim training should work on the skills needed in open-water swimming. Sighting is an important skill for an open-water swim -- practice this in your swim workouts by choosing a point above the water's surface and swimming directly towards that. In open water, you can use a natural feature such as a tree or rock for sighting; in a pool you can use a poolside feature such as a chair while deliberately ignoring any straight lines on the bottom of the pool. If you are training in open water, make sure you wear a high-visibility swim cap and have a "spotter" watch you from the shore.
Swimming Equipment
Depending on the water temperature, triathlon organizers stipulate whether or not racers can wear wetsuits for the swim. In cold water temperatures, wetsuits may be required; in warmer temperatures, they are often banned. When temperatures are moderate, organizers leave decisions about wetsuits to individual triathletes. In addition to a wetsuit, you will need swimming goggles and a swim cap. Specific triathlon goggles for open-water swimming give you a wider field of vision than regular pool goggles. Most triathlon races provide racers with swim caps to wear -- often color-coded if swimmers are sent out in different waves.
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