Do you have any advice to overcome my fear of the water?

By Heather Fuhr

I am a runner thinking about starting my first triathlon. Swimming is my weakest event (and a bit scary to me). Do you have any advice to overcome my fear of the water? Is it worthwhile to take lessons? Do they have swimming lessons for adults?

I can certainly relate to your concerns. When I first started to do triathlons I could not swim a length of the pool. Swimming is a sport that is very technically oriented, so it is best to do things correctly from the start. I would suggest that you do go and take some lessons. This will not only give you the confidence you will need to complete the swim portion of a triathlon, but will give you a strong technical base to work from. Most pools will offer some swim lessons for adults. Once you overcome your fear of the water and become a more efficient swimmer, you can then look into some Masters swimming programs to further your fitness and skills.

Heather has been racing in the sport of triathlon for the past 17 years. Throughout her career she has specialized in Ironman distance racing. With 15 Ironman victories to her credit she is second only to the great Paula Newby Fraser on the all time Ironman Win List. Included in those 15 Ironman victories is a World Championship title at the 1997 Ironman World Triathlon Championships in Kona, Hawaii.