Tell me the truth: 500 yards, 30 minutes...

[colby]

Yeah, as you can see, the difference between 50 yards/meters does add up over 500 meters (457 yards) but it's less than 50 yards difference, so it's not hugungous. And, if you did that twice in one day, that's awesome.

I swim with said friend that completed her first tri after not really swimming to that point, and I'm sure she would exude maximum sympathy for you swimming with someone fast in your lane or nearby. She has used the "literally swimming circles" phrase before. You may be slow relative to THEM, but think about all those people who don't even get in the pool, or people you don't see because they don't swim in the pool at the same time you do. And, it's possible those two people were a) competitive with each other, or b) swimming fast laps on purpose, which makes you seem even slower. Also, when you do kicking or pulling drills or vary your stroke, you'll feel slower, too. I, too, use these tricks myself to keep from competing with people in nearby lanes, or getting down on myself for being "slow". Almost everyone is slow compared to someone!

[katluvr]

Were the lanes set up the LONG way (length) of pool and the the "width" of the pool? Then it is 50 meters (one length)--as that is how most competetion pools are set up.

I did my first tri...my swim time was almost 15 minutes for 1/4 mile.
I know when I timed myself in the pool I did 400 yds in a little over 13 min.
I am slow. But steady. And thus room for improvement!

[channlluv]

Were the lanes set up the LONG way (length) of pool and the the "width" of the pool? Then it is 50 meters (one length)--as that is how most competetion pools are set up.

I did my first tri...my swim time was almost 15 minutes for 1/4 mile.
I know when I timed myself in the pool I did 400 yds in a little over 13 min.
I am slow. But steady. And thus room for improvement!

Good question. There were ten lanes, so it's a wide pool, too. I'll ask when I go back tomorrow.

Thanks for the encouragment, everyone. I do have room for improvement. Indeed.

Roxy

[witeowl]

Almost everyone is slow compared to someone!

Momentary Threadjack! Yesterday I was prodding middle school students to hurry along to class. I told them, "C'mon. I've seen turtles moving faster than you. In fact, I've seen dead turtles moving faster than you." No, they didn't speed up, but I did hear echoes of "dead turtles?" from their lips and were giving me wider berth than they normally would have, otherwise.

Back on topic. That's not outrageously slow. Is it slow? Perhaps, but think about your goal. It's far better for your growth as a swimmer to go at a slow and maintainable pace now and build from that. Pay attention to the fact that endurance and the ability to recover quickly are in many ways more important in a tri than speed. At least, that's what I tell myself as swimmers left and right are zooming past me.

[tulip]

Who cares about speed? You're out there swimming! Congratulations on getting going!

[sfa]

That's about how I started last October, only there was no way I could have done that distance my first few times out! And I didn't get comfortable with swimming laps without resting between them until the spring, and I wasn't able to do the whole distance of my race without resting until about three weeks before the race! Give yourself time and don't worry about the speed.

Sarah