From Runner To Triathlete: Why Swimming Feels So Hard & How To Fix It

If swimming feels harder than running, it’s not you. It’s how you’re training.

Most runners bring this into the water:

• push harder
• go longer / do more
• fight through it

And that’s exactly why they end up here: “After 150 or 200 meters I feel like the CO₂ is building up…”

They're out of breath, gasping and have no control.

Even if they can swim 1000 meters or more in the pool… on race day, everything falls apart. And they're left wondering:

“I thought I was ready. Where did all that training go?”

What most athletes don’t realize is this:

📍 Swimming doesn’t reward effort or just show up the way running does. It backfires.

Together with Coach Vineta and Valerie, in this epsiode, I’ll break down:

• Why swimming feels so hard, especially coming from a running background
• Why doing more yards isn’t fixing it
• What’s causing that “out of breath” feeling and how to fix it so you can finally feel in control in the water

Using Valerie’s story as an example: After a year of swimming and being able to do ~1000 meters nonstop… she still felt like she was “gasping” after 150–200 meters. As soon as she took action and dialed in the way she trains, she was able to swim non-stop 1500 meters continuously feeling “relaxed and strong.” Her confidence went up. Swimming started to feel easier and she got faster.

But this episode is not just about Valerie. It’s about understanding why you can do the distance but still feel out of control.

If that’s you, this episode is for you.