Have you done any open water swims at all--not at a distance, just wondering if you have gotten out there and paddled around a bit to make sure you are nice and comfy with open water?

If you have, then I say go for it. You will find it's a lot easier than you think, even without the lines and walls to count. Don't count, just swim and enjoy the swim. Don't WORRY about how fast or slow you are going, stop and tread water, look at the sunrise, just enjoy the swim for what it is--a place to glide through the water. If you have to count anything to relax yourself, count every ten strokes and then lift your head to sight where you are.  Tell yourself to count to 10, lift up, look around, back to 10 strokes, lift up look around, get in a groove. Hum a song in your head.

If you haven't done any ows yet, can you get out this week and swim a bit in the open water--just to show  yourself that it really isn't all that hard?  Because it isn't, but you want to know what it is like so your heart won't over take your head on this one at the start line. Float with the current and don't kick a lot.

Worst case...if you decide you are tired or worried, a kayaker will help you out, but I have confidence in you. If you can swim 1500 in a pool without taking a rest at a wall, you can for sure do it in a lake--just go slow and careful and save your race for the bike and run--and have fun on the swim.

It depends on the race officials, but generally, you must complete the swim in order to be permitted to do the bike or the run.  Sorry.

Let us know how you do.

Terry

I hate counting laps, too.  I always lose count!  I much prefer to just zone out and swim.

Trick 1: time 1 lap at easy pace, then extrapolate.  Figure out what it takes two swim 1 lap in your pool (let's say a 25m pool, so 50m laps).  It that takes, say, 1 minute, then you need to swim 30 laps to make 1500m, or 30 minutes.  My pool has the big minute/second clock on one end to time short swims, and a regular hour/minute clock on the other end.  If you're a little slower, just see if you can work up to 40 minutes of swimming laps.  You'll for-sure be able to finish the swim then.

Trick 2: Count down.  Instead of trying to count up, I count down laps on a long swim.  I'll start with "30" in my head, and repeat it about 4 or 5 times down the lane, then again at the turn araound, then "29"...  Mostly works (I still lose track about every other time), but gets me closer.

No, really, you were sooooo ready!  Congratulations!  When's the next one?

Terry

www.fiftythreetoseventypointthree.blogspot.com

Congratulations on a strong swim & oly tri! I'm glad it went well! And that you found great encouragement here in active.com's tri community.

Best to you in your running events!

Sara

Hey, for the bike segment there's a ton of great articles & how-to videos within active:

I love all types of intervals & combine with hills, even better for building strength & speed.

- Interval training will boost your cycling speed and stamina

http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/Interval_training_will_boost_your_cycling_speed_and_stamina.htm

- Use the force: Building cycling strength and power http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/Use_the_force__Building_cycling_strength_and_power.htm

- Train to conquer little hills like a big-time rider

http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/Train_to_conquer_little_hills_like_a_big-time_rider.htm

And all of Dave Scott's activedotcom youtube videos are well done!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RigbHG8ZmDY

Best to you,

Sara