Should I keep swimming?

[Deleted]

I've been running races for about 7 years. Two years ago, I started doing triathlons. At the time, I couldn't even do the front crawl properly in swimming, so I had to learn how to swim. In the first year of swimming, I made big gains, to the point where I'm not the slowest swimmer in my races, but I'm definitely in the bottom quarter. I've been taking group classes for swimming for 1.5 years now, but have only made the tiniest of gains in that time. 

While I love doing triathlons, I don't like swimming.

I've done a couple duathlons in the last couple years and I enjoyed those. 

For this tri season, I'm debating whether to just sign up for duathlons (there are far fewer duathlons available in my area, but there are enough to fill up a summer). However, I'm also debating whether to sign up for an Olympic tri, so I clearly haven't made up my mind.

I'm not sure whether I should stick with swimming or give up on it. Added to this is that swimming is logistically harder to manage. I have a home gym and a full gym at my office, but neither has a pool. 

Swimming is awesome exercise, but I'm wondering whether I'd be better off dedicating training time to biking and running, since I'm "better" at those sports and am more likely to make gains in those sports.

Any advice?

[Susie]

There are good reasons to go either way.

Within my tri club I am friends with and train with a group of wonderful ladies who are all runners or cyclists first, and then triathletes.  They have never considered themselves "swimmers," and they complain and moan and groan about the swimming endlessly.  I <3 them, but as a swimmer it's annoying.  The swim doesn't inherently suck, you just don't like it!  Which is fine!  But why do it if you don't like it when there are so many other options!  Life is too short to train for things you just don't like to do.

On the other hand, it's easy to dislike things that are hard, things that are new, things that you're not adapted to yet, and quitting too soon could mean missing out on something you could eventually enjoy doing.  Only you can make the call as to whether you're still in this phase (if so I'd try a couple lessons to jump start things) or whether you've gotten through this phase and have realized you just don't enjoy tri's and the swimming they entail.

The only other thing I want to mention in the pro-swimming column is that it really is a great alternative when you have an injury, or to change it up to prevent an injury.  It's more different from running than most other forms of XT.  When you run, injuries pop up over time, and it's good to have something to slide into to avoid that "I can't run, what do I do now?" lost feeling.  That may not be enough of a reason to keep at the tri/swim racing thing, but might be worth keeping a toe in it.

I would also disagree that you are more likely to make gains in the sports you are better at.  I actually think the opposite is true.  With lessons/coaching and consistent effort, I think it's easier to make improvements at your weaknesses than your strengths.  You'd have to want it, though.

[Deleted]

Thanks, Susie

I probably just don't like swimming right now because it's hard. I could see myself enjoying it eventually. It's been frustrating working for over a year with almost nothing to show for it (compared to running, where I find gains are more easily achieved).

You make a good point with swimming and injuries. It would be nice to have a workout to fall back on when injured. 

[ebeth]

if you don't like swimming I don't see any reason to continue doing it.

I guess it depends on why you don't like it. if you don't like it because you think you suck or something I would try to stick with it awhile longer. if you don't like it because you just generally hate it. . .life's too short man. don't torture yourself.

[mainewifey]

I would probably look into a few private lessons before giving up on the swimming if you like doing the triathlons.Swimming is very technical, and you might need some personal attention paid to you stroke in order to make further gains.

And do you dislike the swimming because you feel that you aren't good at it? Or do you just not like swimming, so it's something you don't want to invest a lot of time in training for? If its because its hard and you feel as though you aren't good at it, I'd definitely say keep at it, and get further instruction.

It's one thing to quit because something just isn't for you, or your not enjoying yourself, and another to quit because you aren't good enough at it. I don't think that quitting on the latter note is that great of an idea.

I feel your pain though. I dislike running so much. I'm so not fast, at all. I hate that my best leg is the swim, and there's just no way for me to make up enough time in the swim to compensate for my running.

[mrs.jacinthe]

I understand the thought process, but I think before you give up, maybe you should switch it up. Do you have a masters program nearby? It could be that you've plateaued either because a) you've reached the end of your coach's ability or b) there's nothing left to learn in the "group lessons" setting.

I would seek out a legit masters program and begin workouts, letting your coach know what you are hoping to gain from the program. Maybe you just need a more aggressive coach.

I'll give you an example. Last year when I decided I was going big on my goals, I increased my speed from a 1:45/100 to a 1:25/100 with hardly any change in my stroke, just because my nighttime masters coach had me working on speed work FAR more often. This translated out to a big gain in open water, too. I became more efficient by nature of *having* to become more efficient from all the speedwork. I don't think I could have done that change on my own or with my more casual morning coach. But the more aggressive workouts in the evening made a HUGE difference.

[Deleted]

Feb 4, 2014 15:50:04 GMT -5 mrs.jacinthe said:

I understand the thought process, but I think before you give up, maybe you should switch it up. Do you have a masters program nearby? It could be that you've plateaued either because a) you've reached the end of your coach's ability or b) there's nothing left to learn in the "group lessons" setting.

I would seek out a legit masters program and begin workouts, letting your coach know what you are hoping to gain from the program. Maybe you just need a more aggressive coach.

I'll give you an example. Last year when I decided I was going big on my goals, I increased my speed from a 1:45/100 to a 1:25/100 with hardly any change in my stroke, just because my nighttime masters coach had me working on speed work FAR more often. This translated out to a big gain in open water, too. I became more efficient by nature of *having* to become more efficient from all the speedwork. I don't think I could have done that change on my own or with my more casual morning coach. But the more aggressive workouts in the evening made a HUGE difference.

I think a good group/coach would help a lot. The group class I'm doing now isn't very good (the instructors just write down a set and that's pretty well it). Hopefully I can find a better one for next fall.

[katinthehat]

Why do you like triathlons? Is it because it gives you a break from all the run training? Do you enjoy the cross training aspects of it? I've never enjoyed swimming a lot but at the same time I never found it quite the hassle that a lot of adult onset swimmers do. I mean, I complain about it a lot and got frustrated with it, but once I got in the water, I almost always enjoyed myself.

I just never wanted to quit triathlons because I didn't want to lose the ability to bike in a competitive setting and knew I'd never really be able to road race.

Then I found track cycling and realized I really, really loved that and one of the things I liked most about triathlons was the cycling portion. Before getting knocked up, I'd already decided to not do any tris this summer and focus just on the track.

Anyway, all of this to say, if you enjoy the whole aspect of triathlon but are just frustrated with not making any swimming gains, switch it up. Find a new coach or a new training plan. But if you honestly don't enjoy any part of it, there are always alternatives and it might be worth exploring some of those.