-turned-triathlete and the author of The Triathlete's Training Bible (VeloPress, 2004). "Swimming tends to stretch you out, whereas running tends to compress you." Running, of course, is a high-impact, primarily lower-body activity, while swimming is a full-body activity that

Most triathletes come from a running or biking background, so it's no surprise that the swim is usually the part of the race triathletes like least. Pool swimming generally poses few problems but taking to the open water is another matter

Most triathletes come from a running or biking background, so it's no surprise that the swim is usually the part of the race triathletes like least. Pool swimming generally poses few problems but taking to the open water is another matter. There

will have built up your swimming fitness in the pool and you should now be working to overcome the technical and mental challenges of open-water swimming.Specialist swim skillsBill Black coached the GB men's triathlon team at the Sydney Olympics in 2000