I'd like to add that I do believe that open water swimmers are the toughest of the bunch and they could be categorized as triathlete. I remember seeing a pic on Slowtwitch of a lifeguard on duty for an Ironman competition taking a woman out of the open ocean due to what seemed to me to be 8'-10' swells, well above average adult human height, that were crushing down on the shore and were simply too much for her while others were just hell bent on going right through them, and they did.
I personally have yet to begin swim training of any kind but I remember of seeing that pic being scared, very, and a feeling of being terminally small. Cycling and running have never gotten to me like that.
I personally have yet to begin swim training of any kind but I remember of seeing that pic being scared, very, and a feeling of being terminally small. Cycling and running have never gotten to me like that.