IRONMAN SWIM TIPS...relaxed open water swim, swimming smarter, and more

In 2008 I watched a horse called "Big Brown" win the Kentucky Derby and it gave me the inspiration to write this page on Ironman swim tips.

To me it was the perfect example how to approach the Ironman swim and how a new triathlete who is not comfortable with the swim should approach the Ironman swim on race day.

The similarities between how Big Brown was positioned in the Derby are strikingly similar to how I would suggest a novice triathlete should approach the Ironman swim if their biggest concern is to just make it through the Ironman swim the best way they can.

There were 20 horses in the race and Big Brown was the furthest from the rail and was on the far outside in the #20 post position.

AVOID THE HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS

Assume for a moment that the rail on the inside of the race track is the equivalent of the Ironman swim course markers. When the race started, most of the horses converged toward the rail.

It became crowded very fast and any horse that was a bit slow got pushed to the back, bumped into other horses and had trouble relaxing into a smooth pace because for most of the race, there was mayhem all around them.

POSITION YOURSELF PROPERLY

Just like the Ironman swim, there is nowhere to really go once the gun goes off. Remember this Ironman swim tip because it will be vitally important on your Ironman race day.

If you are positioned improperly at the start, it's too late to do much about it once the race begins.

SWIMMING A BIT FURTHER IS NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING

Big Brown stayed on the far outside of the mayhem and in the jockeys own words after the race....."ran nice and smooth with nobody in the way, just like it was a morning training session."

Even though Big Brown most likely ran much further than most of the other horses in the race, he easily broke away from the field in the final straight and won by a HUGE margin.

He managed this because he conserved his energy through-out the race and was never in any traffic trouble. That meant he was relaxed, performing well within his ability, and had tons of energy left at the end.

That's exactly the thought process you should have in the Ironman swim.

MAINTAIN A SMOOTH, RELAXED STROKE

Stay wide of the main pack, keep moving unimpeded by others and maintain a long, smooth, relaxed stroke during the entire swim.

So what if you swim a bit further by swimming wider? You will easily regain the time ten-fold by having more energy left by the time you finish the bike and put on your running shoes.

It seems that many a novice Ironman has the impression that being pushed, hit, swam over, and frustrated are a necessary and unavoidable part of the Ironman swim. That is NOT true!

Have a swim plan that will allow you to stay relaxed, out of traffic and in control, and you will give yourself the best possible chance at having a successful Ironman day.

These Ironman swim tips are for those of you who are not fast enough to get out with the leaders(swim 50-60 something minutes for 2.4 miles).

If you are not going to be among that group of front-runners, then the inside is the wrong place for you and has bad news written all over it.

If you start on the inside and then decide to go to the outside, it's not going to happen. You will be trapped on the inside and are about to have a swim from Hell.

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Make use of these Ironman swim tips. Go into your Ironman swim with a workable plan. Don't wait for the gun to go off to decide. That's a really bad idea. I know because I did it far too often before I finally woke up.

IRONMAN SWIM STRATEGY

I have put a swim strategy in my book and on this website that has helped many first time ironman triathletes make it through their Ironman swim with ease.

It emphasizes what I just talked about and will walk you through just how to pull this off and how to have an Ironman swim you can enjoy and look forward to and not dread.

Sometimes all it takes is a few Ironman swim tips from someone who as been there many times to help you realize that you have options out there and can develop your own sound Ironman swim strategy instead of going into the race without a plan and hoping for the best.

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