The swimming and triathlon communities grieve the passing of Terry Laughlin, founder of Total Immersion Swimming.
As reported in Slowtwitch:
Terry Laughlin, the innovative swim technique pioneer whose Total Immersion system taught swimmers of all abilities and ages to swim in a slipperier, more fishlike manner, died Friday of complications related to his two-year fight with metastatic prostate cancer.
In a release on behalf from Laughlin’s wife Alice and daughters Fiona, Carrie and Betsy, the family wrote: “After living with metastatic prostate cancer for two years (about which he blogged widely), Terry passed away on Friday, October 20th, 2017, of complications related to his condition.
303’s own Rich Soares had interviewed Terry a couple of times on his Mile High Endurance Podcast over the last year and has this to say about Terry:
“Terry Laughlin liked to be referred to as the Chief Optimist Officer at Total Immersion. He loved to share his passion for swimming and he generously shared his passion with the Mile High Endurance audience on a number of occasions. Terry described swimming like some people describe an Italian sports car or fine art, or how a foodie describes their favorite dessert.”
In Episodes 62, 71, and 82Â Terry took the audience through the Total Immersion methodology, the importance of bi-lateral breathing for open water swimming, and a convincing explanation of why it is possible to take your swim to a new level by finding your ideal stroke rate.
Enjoy the interviews and the legacy our dear friend Terry leaves with us. Happy swimming Terry!
T100 Alcatraz and Boulder 70.3
[iframe style="border:none"...
Early on in my triathlon career I was working in upstate NY for IBM, mostly swimming indoors at the local Y. I’d read recently about Terry’s round Manhattan swim but knew nothing much about him or total immersion.
One Tuesday evening I decided to head to the mid-hudson Valley triathletes club open water swim. I’d met the club President, Mark Wilson, who later went on to be the founding Rae director of the HITS triathlon race series, at the Hudson Valley tri the summer before.
I was close to my best swimming back then, we started easy, made it across a cold, deep and dark lake, treading water while waiting for the canoe and last swimmer. I’d been 3rd to the turnaround.
I quietly surveyed the competition, a slight woman who’d been a length or so ahead, and a guy who looked about my age, I figured I could beat him…
We left to return back to the shore, I gave it all I had, they were both way behind me, within the last 20-yards, the guy came effortlessly stroking by me. Back on the shore we stood watching and waiting for the others to get back. I was gasping for breath.
The other guy complimented me on my stroke, I said I was impressed how smooth his stroke was. He said he’d a lot of practice recently, he’d done the round Manhattan swim an was taking it easy tonight. At that point, I felt like crawling under a nearby stone.
RIP Terry, a brilliant swimmer, an a great man.