When Cristian first dipped his toes into triathlon training October 1st, 2023, after an injury sidelined him from football, he had little swimming experience—no goggles, no technique, and no clue where to start. He contacted me and in just six months, he went from barely being able to catch his breath in the pool to swimming 1.2 miles in open water at his first 70.3 triathlon, Oceanside 70.3, 2024.

“Swimming was a completely new challenge for me,” he shared. “I started out sending videos to Wendy, talking about what felt off and where I was struggling. I didn’t even know what a buoy or paddles were at first!” But through dedication, persistence, and some helpful tips along the way, Cristian steadily improved.

The turning point came when he visited Romania. His cousin, a seasoned swimmer, gave him some key insights. “Even after all that time, I was still gassing out after one lap. But with my cousin’s help and regular practice, I started to feel more confident in the water.” He stopped skipping swim workouts, trained consistently, and worked on technique.

One of Cristian’s biggest breakthroughs was learning how to calm himself in the water. “Breathing was a major hurdle for me,” he explained. “But once I could keep my face in the water and focus on staying relaxed, things started to click.” The drills Wendy recommended, like the punching drill for high elbow catch and learning proper rotation, became essential tools in his progress. “I remember one day, everything came together, and I swam 500 yards non-stop. That’s when I knew I could tackle the 1.2-mile swim.”

Cristian’s first open-water swim was a learning experience. Training with a neighbor who was also doing the same 70.3, he realized how different it was from pool swimming. “It was freezing, and sighting was tricky. I hadn’t practiced it enough, and the sun and splashing made it hard to see. But I just kept going, and finishing the swim was a huge accomplishment.”

Now, Cristians is gearing up Indian Wells 70.3 in December after getting some more experience in sprints and Olympic distance events. Armed with a new level of confidence and a lot of lessons learned from his journey. “I’m excited to apply everything I’ve picked up since then. It’s been a wild ride, but I’m grateful for every step.”

Stay tuned for updates on his next race.