Congratulations on your desire to join the Triathlon family!! I was in your shoes just a few years ago! Now I love swimming! Swimming as it relates to triathlon,is very much a technique based sport, more so than a power based sport. The idea is to go thru the water as efficiently as possible. That means you need to be extremely streamlined. I would highly recommend that you pick up the "Total Immersion Swim" DVD. Somewhat dorky in it's presentation, but the information is spot on!! To get a idea what the DVD contains, go to YouTube where you'll find lots of videos.

If you decide that you really like the sport, access to a lake for OWS (open water swim) is extremely helpful!! I would say essential for long term success. You can't duplicate race conditions in a swimming pool. Once you start doing OWS's a quality, properly fit, triathlon specific wetsuit is very advantageous. First it let's you swim in much colder water. Secondly it provides strategically placed flotation so that your hips and legs stay close to the surface of the water. This let's you swim much more efficiently and thus quicker. Also the added flotation let's you relax in the water since you won't sink! Relaxed swim stroke means faster swim! Also the wetsuit makes you very slippery, decreased drag in the water, thus faster swim!

As OldTryGuy stated, the Finnis snorkel is very useful. It let's you concentrate on technique and not worry about drowning!! You can relax in the water and concentrate on you body position, arm catch ect. Also it let's you build up your swim specific muscles that you didn't know you had! When I first started, I would begin my training swim with the snorkel working on skill sets and getting completely warmed up and relaxed in the water. Than I'd dump the snorkel and concentrate on head positioning and breathing out thru my nose. After about 6 months, I no longer needed the snorkel.

PS: Throw out your bloomer swim trunks !!! Their like a boat anchor! I would recommend a tight fitting pair of Speedo Jammer swim trunks. The difference between the two is dramatic!!