From Tech Suit to Tri Suit: 5 Reasons Why Competitive Swimmers Make Great Triathletes
It isn’t unusual for competitive swimmers to take on the challenge of a triathlon. Here are five reasons why swimmers are often successful at making the transition.
1. We Like to Compete
Once a competitor, always a competitor. After I decided to retire from collegiate swimming, I still had the desire to stay physically fit. I quickly realized that daily trips to the gym were not enough. Despite setting and achieving new goals in the gym, I still craved competition. There is nothing like the excitement of standing behind the blocks before a big race. There is nothing like the rush of adrenaline when the starter says, “Take your mark.” Competitive swimmers chase time drops and new personal best times. We measure our progress against ourselves and against others. Triathlon offers the same competitive experience. Every training session and race offers a new challenge.
2. We Understand Time Management
With morning practices, afternoon practices, dryland and weight-room sessions, competitive swimmers understand time management. Training for a triathlon requires not one, but three training schedules. Whereas competitive swimmers spend most of their time in the pool, triathletes must balance their training time between swimming, cycling, and running. A tri-sport schedule demands excellent time management skills. Getting up at the crack of dawn to train is a way of life for the competitive swimmer, so waking up for a sunrise run or ride for the swimmer transitioning to triathlon is nothing new. A rigorous training schedule is just business as usual for the competitive swimmer training for a triathlon.
3. We Already Mastered the Hardest Discipline
Many triathletes struggle through the swim leg of a triathlon. Triathlons consist of swimming, cycling, and running, in that order. Competitive swimmers have a huge advantage at the start of every triathlon. As swimmers, we understand the importance of technique, pacing, and efficient breathing. Competitive swimmers know how to conserve energy at the beginning of a triathlon while many triathletes expend precious energy muscling their way through the water. It is not unusual for a triathlete to exit the swim in a state of exhaustion, only to face two more legs of the race. For this reason, experienced swimmers have a competitive advantage over the traditional triathlete.
4. We Are Mentally Tough
Competitive swimming requires as much mental strength as it does physical strength. Swimmers are persistent and resilient. We are comfortable with being uncomfortable. These traits transfer seamlessly to triathlon. Triathlon requires the athlete to remain focused and engaged when the body wants to quit. The temptation to quit is real when getting kicked in the face in the ocean, riding into a headwind on the bike, or running through exhaustion in the final moments of a race. We are prepared for these moments because we have lived through them in the 200 butterfly, 400 individual medley, and 1650 freestyle. Mental resilience is a key advantage a swimmer brings to the sport of triathlon.
5. We Know How to Trust the Process
Competitive swimmers understand that success does not happen overnight. We spend hours and hours in the pool training and refining our technique. Swimmers recognize the importance of consistency. Those who put in the extra work in the pool on days when others do not are often rewarded for their efforts. We understand how to follow a training plan and apply coaching feedback. These habits give competitive swimmers the patience and confidence to trust the process and thrive in the sport of triathlon.