If this is a triathlon racing season for you, chances are good that you've already competed in a race this year. It's also likely that you've stood at the starting line, feeling those open swim jitters, wishing you had entered yourself in a duathlon instead.
Here's the good news: you are far from alone. According to Mike Plumb of USA Triathlon, only 15 percent of triathletes hail from a swimming background, leaving you in the vast majority of people who "hate the swim portion." This is something you probably know from talking to training partners. But at the start of a race when everyone looks sleek and serious in their wetsuits, it is easy to feel intimidated.
So it's time to get more aggressive in your swim and there's no reason not to. By conquering just a few techniques you can gain confidence in the water before the season is over.

The Start
Unless you are a beginner and are unfamiliar with the starting gun kicking melee, move toward the front to become a leader. Given that 85 percent of triathletes are on a relatively level field in the swim, don't hold back when the gun goes off. Feel empowered to enter the water among the first several rows of athletes. After all, standing on the shore while your competitors swim away is like walking, not running to the finish line.

The Race
Though you are attempting leadership, it's not beneath you to draft. After all, it's legal! The best drafting technique is to stay in the bubbles of your competitor. Align yourself at their side so your hand enters the water next to their knee. By doing this you dramatically reduce drag in the water and maximize distance per stroke.

True aggressiveness during the race ironically means that you need to relax. This can be difficult since being in a large body of murky water can incite nervousness and anxiety. Unfortunately, these responses elevate your heart rate, thus detracting from your bike and run. Focus on the efficiency of your stroke, keeping it long and strong. In the meantime, take deep breaths and exhale completely in the water.

Breathing is the most important factor in an aggressive swim because it can make your course shorter than your competitors'. Alternately breathing to the right and to the left as well as occasionally to the front helps you to swim in a straight line. By doing this you minimize zigzag swimming and save fifty or more unnecessary yards!

The Finish
As the shore comes closer, relief sets in and so does an unconscious slow-down. Be sure to maintain or even slightly increase your pace until your hand touches the bottom and you can stand up. Congratulations. Now you can focus on the parts of the triathlon you like the most. But be careful, successful swimming is highly infections - take it from me, one of the 15 percent!