How can I make swim training feel less grim for triathlon?

[prangers]

I am a good swimmer, but I hate the faff / cold / general palaver that goes with it. I am also wanting to do my 3rd triathlon, the first two being a long time ago, and hence NEED to train for it rather than just concentrate on the bits I prefer!

Any tips for making it more of an enjoyable aspect? I love the other parts and look forward to the training, but the swimming is a part I have to really force myself to do.

Surely there are ways of making it feel less grim...?!

Deciding which types of swimming you like best helps. I hate pool swimming, don’t mind sea swimming, and love lake swimming, so that influences the events I pick. (Lidos are ok, especially if they’re large). I’ve not done a river swim.

Have you joined a club? I’ve just joined one for the swim coaching (it was £25 annual membership and then just pay as you swim) - I really like the structure of the coaches swim sessions and can really feel myself improving.

Hmmm, good point. I have largely done previous training in a pool but our nearest one is grotty and pretty cold, which doesn't add to it's appeal. I am nowhere near sea unfortunately although there is a lot of rivers etc near by. I suppose it's a case of finding one that's appealing!

No, but I've been looking at lessons at local pools with a view to improving. I confess that I am FAR more comfortable with breaststroke but I think this means I really need to at least get some more guidance with crawl so I can always alternate even if I don't swap completely.

I enjoy my swimming far more since I bought myself an MP3 player for swimming. I used to get quite bored after a few lengths but now I just enjoy my music, and the sound quality of tje MP3 player I bought is surprisingly good.

Also look at adult improver lessons or private stroke clinics. I raced breast stroke and backstroke as a youngster simply because I couldn’t finish 100m freestyle without gasping for breath. Once a coach told me that I could breathe every two rather than three strokes, and not to fill my lungs completely every time, that was a game changer and now I can swim 2km freestyle without stopping at the grand age of 54 ☺️

Are there lakes or outdoor pools where you could safely train? For example in my city we have an outdoor water centre where you can tri train in a pool made out of a section of river; in some places there are reservoirs with designated, lifeguarded swimming pools spots. They are much more enjoyable than a boring indoor pool. Or maybe there is a lido nearby?

Second the improve your crawl advice. Google “swim smooth” and have a look at the technique. Breathing comes before pace. Dial in the breath and you can build up from there.

When I did a few triathlons, I would always end up using a bit of breast stroke in between crawl - for sighting, which I’m crap at, or just for a little break when tired. But crawl was a good 75% of it. (I’m not fast, or competitive, though!)

I am not remotely competitive either, my main aim is to finish!

Thank you everyone for the pointers. They are genuinely useful, and it's reassuring to hear that others struggled with crawl until they had proper lessons too. I need to do some proper research and book things I think as progress forward will hopefully get me more enthused.

I've just read a book I think you might find really helpful.

'Leap In' by Alexandra Heminsley.

Lots of inspiring advice about enjoying getting in the water, kit, lessons, picking your spot, understanding conditions, building confidence and a good read too.

There’s a lot of places now that offer swimming in rivers or lakes that are lifeguarded and a lot of people doing triathlon training use them.

there’s a few here but far more and lots more opening up each year.

https://nowca.org/