I have been training for 2 months and have 1 month to go for my first sprint tri. I am at the point now in my swimming where I can do 50m at a time before I am out of breath. Because of my body type I sink instead of float. Should I invest in a wetsuit so I can be able to swim longer?

Seth from Pennsylvania

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Seth,
Thank you for contacting TriathaNewbie.com!

A wet suit will not give you the ability to swim longer. A wetsuit is for the sole purpose of keeping your body warm in cold water temperatures.

The average time it takes to train for your first triathlon is 6-9 months because you really need that much time to perfect all three legs of the race individually and then combine them. Having taught swim lessons to "sinkers", we all agree that, for safety reasons, you consider taking more time to perfect your swim and compete when you are confident in your swimming abilities.

Remember, you will still have to bike several miles and run several miles after you swim; so you'll need to be strong coming out of the water.

Be sure to check out Outside The Box: A Total Immersion Swimming Program For Success In Open Water with Terry Laughlin It will help you swim much more effectively and give you more energy for the bike and run.

You can click here to read an excerpt .

We realize that is probably not the answer you wanted to hear, but our biggest priority is to keep our readers safe even if we have to email tough answers.

Be well.
~Jack