Triathlon

Triathletes and competitive swimmers often mix well, especially in open water settings 

Be sure to read the new feature article on this blog about open water swimming.

Triathletes and masters swimmers are often invited to improve their swimming with competitive swim team coaches. Programs can boost outreach, good will and perhaps income with ongoing opportunities to the athletes who aim for a triathlon experience.

Share the opportunities you've made available within your programs in the comment section below. Triathletes can sound off too about some of their good and bad dealings with swimming. Let's also use the swim pool activities as a way to amp up the socialization among members as well as the outreach with the club to other teams and groups around the region.

Some options for consideration:

• Monthly Mile Time Trials
  Get a group of people to do monthly one-mile swimming time trials. The challenge is to do one per month for an entire year. Pools and teams can offer some lane space for those who RSVP with an online entry. Lane space can be at different pools around town on different days to be flexible. Perhaps the first week of every month. Offer some organizational communications for posting results. We'll accept results from people who opt to do this on their own at a pool elsewhere. Offer discounts or else free passes for memberships of a local Tri Club. Non-members can pay, either a drop in fee or else join with a subscription. Aim to get 24 or more people involved. Use a wireless electronic timing system such as that from AutoCoach with a display timer and button pushes and the potential to get splits.
• Do a monthly class for Triathletes and Master Swimmers to compare notes on wearable swimming devices. Have an 
  option of reserving the use of a wearable computer, such as the Platysens' Marlin or the AutoCoach One. These devices, as well as some smart watches, are good for counting laps, providing splits and more. Give time for those in the class to share their experiences with each other with their devices. 
• Offer a class for swimming with an iPhone. The iPhone can be handy in the pool. Having a few pointers makes it far more enjoyable. 
• Do a time trial, but only for kicking. Or, hold a time trial for those who want to do it with whatever type of equipment they may desire. How fast can you swim a 500 free, or more, with paddles? What about fin kicking? What is your 1K with a snorkel doing freestyle? What about a 1-mile time trial, not freestyle.
• Host a Sponsor / Vendor Saturday at the pool. Invite the local Tri Clubs, running clubs, masters teams and other fitness folks, perhaps even PE teachers, to the pool for a swim along with a vendor fair for the sponsors and business folks who support these teams and races. Low key, fun, networking, bring your own tables. Suggest you do a vendor fair once or twice a year. Gather members and friends. Be sure to hold a drop in swim, mini-expo, swap meet, and even a post event visit to a local outdoor track for all interested. There is plenty of room around the pool deck at most facilities. Or, use the hallways of the school.
• Compete with the swimmers and triathletes and guardians, but in fun, weird ways.
  Men vs. Women.
  Adults vs. Kids
  Triathletes vs Lifeguards
  Cyclists vs Triathletes
  First Responders vs anyone
  Masters Swimmers vs College Students
  Adult Sports League Participants might enjoy a challenge to go to the pool one time.
  Or on the youth side, get Scholastic Athletes of another sport to buck up and play a SKWIM game with the marching band kids, or, the triathletes.
• Do 4 x 100 relay race on the track. Then go to the pool and do a 4 x 100 yard swim. Then the third event could be a SKWIM game, a team sport. 
• Open Water Clinics, partner coaching, bring your own workout and ask-the-coach-anything lesson.
• Flip turns. Adults need help with those pesky turns. Many places hold in-door triathlon events in the early season and the flip turn practices might be motivational for some new visitors.
• Play water polo. Or, play Underwater Hockey.
• Host a Lifeguard Certification classes for Triathletes and their friends.
• Try to form an aquatic booster sub-committee to help launch efforts and give support when practical among the multi-sport athletes and the swim program and its coaches. Some may volunteers and step-up for delegated responsibilities, record keeping, recruiting, promotions, etc.