COMMUNITY: First step in triathlon is the water

Editor's note: Jason Clark of Iowa City is a group exercise instructor at North Dodge Athletic Club and an active participant in the Eastern Iowa race scene, competing in runs, duathlons and triathlons.

By Jason Clark, community contributor

There is nothing quite like pre-race jitters.

You are standing on the shore with a bunch of other people wearing the same color swim cap waiting for the race to start. At the T-minus one minute mark, your gut starts to feel like you're on a roller coaster.

There is an incredible amount of tension in the air and then in one moment, the gun goes off and the jitters disappear in a rush to get into the water.

Inevitably, there is a lot of jostling in the water. Elbows, hands, and feet are everywhere. Within the first 50 yards, most of the contact is over as everyone finds their own piece of the lake.

One of the most common responses I get from people when I challenge them to do a triathlon with me is a quick, “Oh, I don't swim.” What they are really saying is that they don't swim like Michael Phelps (so what? Nobody else does either) or that the thought of swimming in a lake scares them to death.

Being a good swimmer takes a lot of practice, but you don't have to be a collegiate level swimmer to successfully complete a triathlon.

The best way to gain confidence in the water is to actually get in the water and start swimming. Come to the pool prepared with a good pair of swim goggles (be prepared to pay $20 or more). As opposed to competitive swim goggles, triathlon goggles tend to be a little bigger to afford the wearer a wider field of view. Also, if you need them and if they will give you a boost of confidence, bring ear plugs and even a nose plug if you haven't mastered the art of breathing out of your nose while swimming.

If it has been years since you have been in the pool, consider taking some lessons. If you are a tentative swimmer, just focus on being able to swim 500 yards without stopping using whatever stroke or combination of strokes works best for you.

I started swimming right after college as a way to rehab a sprained back. At the time I started, I couldn't swim the front crawl for even one length of the pool. I swam mostly side stroke and breast stroke. I slowly began to teach myself how to do the front crawl appropriately and within six months was fairly proficient.

My point is you don't have to do it all at once. Work your way up to it. If you are comfortable in the water, learn how to use training aids such as flippers, kick boards and paddles. These tools with help you work on small technique issues and help you to get faster. There are many good websites that can provide you with swim specific workouts to break up the monotony of swimming laps.

Keep in mind that, according to USA Triathlon rules, any stroke may be used during a race. This means if you never get very comfortable sticking your face in the water or if you have problems breathing while swimming, you still don't have a good excuse not to enter your first triathlon.

I've seen breast strokers, back strokers, and even an occasional side stroker. What matters is that you finish.

Thus far, I have been writing about swimming in pools with clear water and perfect visibility. However, the vast majority of triathlons in Iowa occur in lakes. That means that you will need to spend some time getting used to colder water with limited visibility.

If you have access to a wetsuit, use it. You may use a wetsuit in a race if the water temperature is below 77 degree. A wetsuit will keep you warmer and, importantly for most swimmers, will provide additional buoyancy.

Being comfortable swimming in open water before your race will go a long way to ensuring your success. Before my first triathlon, I went out to the Coralville reservoir and swam back and forth along the buoy line. I found the experience a little unnerving at first but I eventually got used to it and as I jumped into Lake Killdeer to start my first triathlon, I was immensely glad that I had done it.

Getting jostled around will happen. If you don't want to mix it up, wait for 10 seconds or so after the gun goes off before starting your race. Alternatively, go to the outside. You may end up swimming a little more distance but being comfortable with your swim is more important that having your goggles knocked off or getting a belly full of lake water.

If you hit someone, don't worry about taking the time to apologize. We all know you didn't mean it. That being said, I do want to apologize to the guy I nailed squarely between the legs as I swam up behind him at Lake Geode last year. I'm sure that wasn't a very pleasant experience.

Another issue you will face in a race is finding your way around the swim course. Most swim courses are triangular or out and back. There are no black lines painted on the bottom of the lake for you to follow. This means that you will need to learn to sight.

Before the start of each race, I get in the water and look for a landmark (a uniquely shaped tree, a house, etc.) that lines up with the buoy that marks the turn-around point. As I swim, I look up about every six strokes to make sure I am still in line with my landmark. Sometimes, if you get off course, it is helpful to take a few moments and pick a different stroke that will enable you to see where you are going until you get back on course.

If you get in trouble while on the swim course, there always are plenty of rescue boats around. As long as you did not use the boat to make forward progress, you may continue the swim once you are calm and ready to do so.

At the end of the swim, a lot of competitors are tempted to put their feet down as soon as they can and slog their way into the beach. Instead, swim as close to the beach as you can, stand up when you are in water that is about knee-deep and celebrate a successful swim.

When my wife finished the swim portion of her first triathlon, she stood up in the water and exclaimed, “I made it. I didn't drown!” The crowd laughed and cheered her on.

Now a third of your race is over, but there still is plenty to do. Next month, I'll write about transitions and the bike portion of the race.