So I swam laps today....

[Veronica]

Just do it! As my mom would say, "For sh!ts and giggles." A phrase I still don't quite get.

Veronica

[blumensh]

Do it!

[GLC1968]

You should do it. I know exactly how you feel though. I felt that way going into my first Tri and I'd been training for months (sort of). I just KNEW that I was no where near my potential...so I really, really hesitated. If I hadn't committed to so many other people, I might have backed out. I knew I could do the distances and I knew I wouldn't be last...but I also knew that I wasn't going to be happy with my own performance and that ate at me leading up to it.

BUT, now that I've done it, I'm glad I did. It was a GREAT experience. Besides the three sports, the rest of the event was something to learn from as well. I had no idea how jacked up I'd get at the start. I had no idea how weird I'd feel after the swim. I had no idea how bizarre it felt to be putting on biking clothes while soaking wet. I had no idea how hard to push on the bike because I had no idea how hard a 5K was going to feel after biking. And when I got to the run...I again didn't know how hard to push because I didn't know if my body was going to give out at any moment or not. It was all so foreign feeling (and exciting!).

Anyway, looking back, I count that day as 'baseline' and my goals are to perform to my own perceived potential the next time.

You should do it for the experience - results be damned.

[Tri Girl]

You know not one of us is going to talk you out of it.
Definitely do it!!! You probably won't win- but who cares? Every race I do is a struggle- even when I'm well-trained. I do it because I can, because it's fun and because I enjoy it. It doesn't matter that I'm almost always at the back of the pack, or that I only beat the old women and men with walkers- but who cares? Do it for fun and for the experience.

And great job on the swim today!!

[salsabike]

Yes ma'am, you should do it. Gotta start somewhere. And seeing how much faster your swim becomes NEXT time, or next year, or whatever, will be very gratifying! Everyone--okay, not everyone, but most people, have a strong and a weak area in triathlon, and for plenty of people it's the swim. So knowing you're strong on bike and run, live with being not so strong yet on the swim and do it anyway. You'll have a ton of fun and want to do it again and your swim will improve.

[colby]

Yes ma'am, you should do it. Gotta start somewhere. And seeing how much faster your swim becomes NEXT time, or next year, or whatever, will be very gratifying! Everyone--okay, not everyone, but most people, have a strong and a weak area in triathlon, and for plenty of people it's the swim. So knowing you're strong on bike and run, live with being not so strong yet on the swim and do it anyway. You'll have a ton of fun and want to do it again and your swim will improve.

I'm with salsa. Since you've swam the distance once, albeit inhaling the pool in the process, you will kick yourself if you don't do it. Worst case you get hooked and want to do it again, and imagine your improvement if you actually cared more. (If it is sold out, chances are you can get someone's spot transferred, too.)

[rocknrollgirl]

Go, Go, Go, Go and DO IT!!!!!!!!!! What have you got to lose. You will NOT be dfl....I can promise you that!

Go have fun.

[OakLeaf]

I'm signed up. I must be out of my frickin mind.

I'll definitely be poring over the first-timer threads here in the next two weeks. Those, and the manual for my Garmin.