Panicked on swim

"T K" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I did my first triathlon today (literally My First
Triathlon) and

I panicked

Quoted message said:

on the swim. I want to not ever do this again! Help! snip

I have just ordered and recieved Triathlon Swimming Made
Easy book and Freestyle Made Easy DVD from
www.totalimmersion.net (well the Australian branch of this
organisation). I have only had limited opportunity to try
their techniques and I am happy with the results so far.
Their methods may help you.

[email hidden]

Try to analyze why you panicked. Was it the close proximity
of other swimmers? Claustrophobia from the presents of the
swimmers along with the confinement of the wetsuit? Figure
it out and expose yourself to those conditions and you will
be fine in a short while.

Exposure will overcome the problem so go to it. Swim with a
group when ever possible.

Ken

"T K" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I did my first triathlon today (literally My First
Triathlon) and I

panicked

Quoted message said:

on the swim. I want to not ever do this again! Help!

Background:

I'm a relatively new athlete, just having graduated from
being a World

Class

Quoted message said:

Couch Potato in the last two years. Definitely cursed with
"adult onset athleticism". I am fine on the bike and the
run and have the stamina of a bull. (I am not super speedy
by any means, but I feel good on both of

those

Quoted message said:

legs and had done a great deal of brick work, so was
ready there.)

I can swim, but I'm not a confident swimmer. I know I
won't drown because

I

Quoted message said:

know how to swim, but I also feel inadequate.

I've been swimming 2-4 times a week, never less than my
tri length,

usually

Quoted message said:

more. Last Thursday I swam three times the length and felt
great, would

have

Quoted message said:

done more if I had had time.

I mainly crawl as the other strokes aren't strong ones for
me. I know I

need

Quoted message said:

to learn more strokes. Today I mainly did side stroke and
back stroke.

That

Quoted message said:

left me way off course, panicking, having to have a kayak
help me back

into

Quoted message said:

the course...at which point I'd go way off course again.

I don't want to quit, but I am darned freaked out about
getting in the

water

Quoted message said:

again. I have another sprint tri in a month and right now
I'm not sure if

I

Quoted message said:

want to go through with it...but I know if I don't I'll
feel like a

quitter.

Quoted message said:

FWIW, I was last out of the water by a long shot (although
a few were

right

Quoted message said:

before, almost everyone else was happily biking to glory
while I was

peeling

Quoted message said:

off my wetsuit). I made up time on both the bike and run
and came in

feeling

Quoted message said:

strong and proud of myself for finishing. But I'd sure
like to feel calm

in

Quoted message said:

the water. I don't care if I'm slow, I just don't want
another panic

attack

Quoted message said:

in the water. No wetsuit next time, that's for sure. (I
really didn't need it, but was worried I would so I wore
it.) I'd only trained with it twice and I'm sure that was
part of the problem.

Thanks in advance.

I too panicked on my first triathlon swim. I (not joking)
was certain that I was about to drown, and really really
wanted to call for help. However, I uttered a quick prayer
that went something like this - "God, if this is where you
have planned for me to die, I'm OK with that, but I want you
to know I am not quitting". Shortly thereafter I realized I
had calmed down and managed to swim/tread water, sidestroke,
etc.. the rest of the 1 mile swim. I was also last swimmer
by a longshot, but it made it easy to find my bike. I was
going off course but didn't realize at the time it was the
current dragging me off, not my swimming. I was too weak of
a swimmer to do anything about
it.

Geez, nearly 10 years later I've done the swim at Ironman
several times, each one in less time than it took me to swim
that first mile.

You'll get better. You'll be more comfortable. Eventually
you'll be so good at it that you can spar with the other
swimmers around you for space, while still maintaining good
stroke. Thats how I knew I had become a good swimmer, I
could concentrate on other things going around me instead of
just focusing on not dying.

You didn't give up. Thats the important thing. Just think,
you'll never be as new at triathlon as you were on your
first one, and you managed to make it through regardless.
The rest will be easier.

In article <[email hidden]>,

T K said:

I did my first triathlon today (literally My First
Triathlon) and I panicked on the swim. I want to not ever
do this again! Help!

Background:

I'm a relatively new athlete, just having graduated from
being a World Class Couch Potato in the last two years.
Definitely cursed with "adult onset athleticism". I am
fine on the bike and the run and have the stamina of a
bull. (I am not super speedy by any means, but I feel good
on both of those legs and had done a great deal of brick
work, so was ready there.)

I can swim, but I'm not a confident swimmer. I know I
won't drown because I know how to swim, but I also feel
inadequate.

I've been swimming 2-4 times a week, never less than my
tri length, usually more. Last Thursday I swam three times
the length and felt great, would have done more if I had
had time.

I mainly crawl as the other strokes aren't strong ones
for me. I know I need to learn more strokes. Today I
mainly did side stroke and back stroke. That left me way
off course, panicking, having to have a kayak help me
back into the course...at which point I'd go way off
course again.

I don't want to quit, but I am darned freaked out about
getting in the water again. I have another sprint tri in a
month and right now I'm not sure if I want to go through
with it...but I know if I don't I'll feel like a quitter.

FWIW, I was last out of the water by a long shot (although
a few were right before, almost everyone else was happily
biking to glory while I was peeling off my wetsuit). I
made up time on both the bike and run and came in feeling
strong and proud of myself for finishing. But I'd sure
like to feel calm in the water. I don't care if I'm slow,
I just don't want another panic attack in the water. No
wetsuit next time, that's for sure. (I really didn't need
it, but was worried I would so I wore it.) I'd only
trained with it twice and I'm sure that was part of the
problem.

Thanks in advance.

Hi, I can relate to your adult onset athleticism. I started
running just five years ago, and swimming a little over two
years ago - after a lifetime of not doing much more than a
few weights and pushups. Fit but not into sports.

as i mentioned, the swimming was a pretty new thing to me.
i took private lessons just so i could learn to front
crawl (and a coupla other strokes) for a triathlon. tri
was the goal.

in my very first tri, it was just 100m in a pool, not too
daunting. i was nervous but didn't panic. BUT when i did my
first "open water" (in a bay) swim, i went through a lot of
scenarios in my mind while swimming that 750m... out in the
middle (nowhere near the shore) of the bay.... occasionally
getting "trampled" by faster swimmers.... losing my
breathing rhythm, losing my form, getting tired, etc. yet i
had trained far beyond this distance and knew i could swim
well enough to make it. it was all in the mind - mainly the
deep, dark water (as opposed to clear, not so deep pool
water) and the fact that instead of many laps of a pool with
an edge to touch every 25m, i was to go 375m then turn
around and do it again, with no "safety blanket" wall to
touch now and then.

since that has been my only "open water" swim thus far, i
can only guess that more practice and races in open water
(lake, bay, ocean) will boost your confidence. i know that
tri swims can be insane and disorienting. i'll bet the
experienced folks would say (again) that practice will help.
just practice and do the races. i'm sure even the best of us
have a little panic attack now and again.

i hope to do at least one more tri this year... back in
the bay, and will hopefully conquer that MUCH better than
last time.

best of luck to you,

Cam

I had major panic on my first swim (after months of masters
swim pool training), thought my wet suit was too tight and
I couldn't breath; wound up doing side-stroke for a lot of
the distance.

The pre-race tension all surfaces when we I hit the water
(I'm fairly neurotic anyways). I avoid it by doing a long,
slow warm-up... then NO panic-related problems .

My friend had a similar experience and it was due to his
wetsuit. He said it was just tugging and constricting him
and he had to stop in the water and adjust it to keep from
feeling like it was going to pull him down.

Perhaps practicing more with the wetsuit would be helpful.

"T K" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<_ynIc.724$Qu5.566@ne-
wsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net>...

Quoted message said:

I did my first triathlon today (literally My First
Triathlon) and I panicked on the swim. I want to not ever
do this again! Help!

Background:

I'm a relatively new athlete, just having graduated from
being a World Class Couch Potato in the last two years.
Definitely cursed with "adult onset athleticism". I am
fine on the bike and the run and have the stamina of a
bull. (I am not super speedy by any means, but I feel good
on both of those legs and had done a great deal of brick
work, so was ready there.)

I can swim, but I'm not a confident swimmer. I know I
won't drown because I know how to swim, but I also feel
inadequate.

I've been swimming 2-4 times a week, never less than my
tri length, usually more. Last Thursday I swam three times
the length and felt great, would have done more if I had
had time.

I mainly crawl as the other strokes aren't strong ones
for me. I know I need to learn more strokes. Today I
mainly did side stroke and back stroke. That left me way
off course, panicking, having to have a kayak help me
back into the course...at which point I'd go way off
course again.

I don't want to quit, but I am darned freaked out about
getting in the water again. I have another sprint tri in a
month and right now I'm not sure if I want to go through
with it...but I know if I don't I'll feel like a quitter.

FWIW, I was last out of the water by a long shot (although
a few were right before, almost everyone else was happily
biking to glory while I was peeling off my wetsuit). I
made up time on both the bike and run and came in feeling
strong and proud of myself for finishing. But I'd sure
like to feel calm in the water. I don't care if I'm slow,
I just don't want another panic attack in the water. No
wetsuit next time, that's for sure. (I really didn't need
it, but was worried I would so I wore it.) I'd only
trained with it twice and I'm sure that was part of the
problem.

Thanks in advance.

My friend had a similar experience and it was due to his
wetsuit. He said it was just tugging and constricting him
and he had to stop in the water and adjust it to keep from
feeling like it was going to pull him down.

Perhaps practicing more with the wetsuit would be helpful.

"T K" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<_ynIc.724$Qu5.566@ne-
wsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net>...

Quoted message said:

I did my first triathlon today (literally My First
Triathlon) and I panicked on the swim. I want to not ever
do this again! Help!

Background:

I'm a relatively new athlete, just having graduated from
being a World Class Couch Potato in the last two years.
Definitely cursed with "adult onset athleticism". I am
fine on the bike and the run and have the stamina of a
bull. (I am not super speedy by any means, but I feel good
on both of those legs and had done a great deal of brick
work, so was ready there.)

I can swim, but I'm not a confident swimmer. I know I
won't drown because I know how to swim, but I also feel
inadequate.

I've been swimming 2-4 times a week, never less than my
tri length, usually more. Last Thursday I swam three times
the length and felt great, would have done more if I had
had time.

I mainly crawl as the other strokes aren't strong ones
for me. I know I need to learn more strokes. Today I
mainly did side stroke and back stroke. That left me way
off course, panicking, having to have a kayak help me
back into the course...at which point I'd go way off
course again.

I don't want to quit, but I am darned freaked out about
getting in the water again. I have another sprint tri in a
month and right now I'm not sure if I want to go through
with it...but I know if I don't I'll feel like a quitter.

FWIW, I was last out of the water by a long shot (although
a few were right before, almost everyone else was happily
biking to glory while I was peeling off my wetsuit). I
made up time on both the bike and run and came in feeling
strong and proud of myself for finishing. But I'd sure
like to feel calm in the water. I don't care if I'm slow,
I just don't want another panic attack in the water. No
wetsuit next time, that's for sure. (I really didn't need
it, but was worried I would so I wore it.) I'd only
trained with it twice and I'm sure that was part of the
problem.

Thanks in advance.

TK, Follow the advice of rtk, she is the expert here when it
comes to swimming.

Ken

"T K" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I did my first triathlon today (literally My First
Triathlon) and I

panicked

Quoted message said:

on the swim. I want to not ever do this again! Help!

Background:

I'm a relatively new athlete, just having graduated from
being a World

Class

Quoted message said:

Couch Potato in the last two years. Definitely cursed with
"adult onset athleticism". I am fine on the bike and the
run and have the stamina of a bull. (I am not super speedy
by any means, but I feel good on both of

those

Quoted message said:

legs and had done a great deal of brick work, so was
ready there.)

I can swim, but I'm not a confident swimmer. I know I
won't drown because

I

Quoted message said:

know how to swim, but I also feel inadequate.

I've been swimming 2-4 times a week, never less than my
tri length,

usually

Quoted message said:

more. Last Thursday I swam three times the length and felt
great, would

have

Quoted message said:

done more if I had had time.

I mainly crawl as the other strokes aren't strong ones for
me. I know I

need

Quoted message said:

to learn more strokes. Today I mainly did side stroke and
back stroke.

That

Quoted message said:

left me way off course, panicking, having to have a kayak
help me back

into

Quoted message said:

the course...at which point I'd go way off course again.

I don't want to quit, but I am darned freaked out about
getting in the

water

Quoted message said:

again. I have another sprint tri in a month and right now
I'm not sure if

I

Quoted message said:

want to go through with it...but I know if I don't I'll
feel like a

quitter.

Quoted message said:

FWIW, I was last out of the water by a long shot (although
a few were

right

Quoted message said:

before, almost everyone else was happily biking to glory
while I was

peeling

Quoted message said:

off my wetsuit). I made up time on both the bike and run
and came in

feeling

Quoted message said:

strong and proud of myself for finishing. But I'd sure
like to feel calm

in

Quoted message said:

the water. I don't care if I'm slow, I just don't want
another panic

attack

Quoted message said:

in the water. No wetsuit next time, that's for sure. (I
really didn't need it, but was worried I would so I wore
it.) I'd only trained with it twice and I'm sure that was
part of the problem.

Thanks in advance.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I did my first triathlon today (literally My First
Triathlon) and I

panicked

Quoted message said:

on the swim. I want to not ever do this again! Help!

Staying on course: It helps to breathe on both sides and
it's a good idea during practice to lift your head a couple
times per length, paying attention to not interrupting your
breathing while you do it.

Panicking: Start very slowly, count 100 strokes, paying
strict attention to being very relaxed and making yourself
comfortable. At the end of the 100 strokes, you will have
switched into an aerobic system and should have no physical
distress. Then you ask yourself if you want to pick up the
pace or perhaps stay with anyone to your left or right, but
don't get into race mode until you're out of the water.
You'll make up for it. If possible, it's a good idea to get
in the water for a few minutes before the race, for the same
reason as doing those slow 100 strokes.

rtk

Consider yourself, Ken, the recipient of a big slurpy
smooch.

Ruth

IMKen said:

TK, Follow the advice of rtk, she is the expert here when
it comes to swimming.

Ken

"T K" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:_ynIc.724$Qu5.566@n-
ewsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...

Quoted message said:

I did my first triathlon today (literally My First
Triathlon) and I

panicked

Quoted message said:

on the swim. I want to not ever do this again! Help!

Background:

I'm a relatively new athlete, just having graduated from
being a World

Class

Quoted message said:

Couch Potato in the last two years. Definitely cursed with
"adult onset athleticism". I am fine on the bike and the
run and have the stamina of a bull. (I am not super speedy
by any means, but I feel good on both of

those

Quoted message said:

legs and had done a great deal of brick work, so was
ready there.)

I can swim, but I'm not a confident swimmer. I know I
won't drown because

I

Quoted message said:

know how to swim, but I also feel inadequate.

I've been swimming 2-4 times a week, never less than my
tri length,

usually

Quoted message said:

more. Last Thursday I swam three times the length and felt
great, would

have

Quoted message said:

done more if I had had time.

I mainly crawl as the other strokes aren't strong ones for
me. I know I

need

Quoted message said:

to learn more strokes. Today I mainly did side stroke and
back stroke.

That

Quoted message said:

left me way off course, panicking, having to have a kayak
help me back

into

Quoted message said:

the course...at which point I'd go way off course again.

I don't want to quit, but I am darned freaked out about
getting in the

water

Quoted message said:

again. I have another sprint tri in a month and right now
I'm not sure if

I

Quoted message said:

want to go through with it...but I know if I don't I'll
feel like a

quitter.

Quoted message said:

FWIW, I was last out of the water by a long shot (although
a few were

right

Quoted message said:

before, almost everyone else was happily biking to glory
while I was

peeling

Quoted message said:

off my wetsuit). I made up time on both the bike and run
and came in

feeling

Quoted message said:

strong and proud of myself for finishing. But I'd sure
like to feel calm

in

Quoted message said:

the water. I don't care if I'm slow, I just don't want
another panic

attack

Quoted message said:

in the water. No wetsuit next time, that's for sure. (I
really didn't need it, but was worried I would so I wore
it.) I'd only trained with it twice and I'm sure that was
part of the problem.

Thanks in advance.