Going forward...
...I plan to inflict some serious ass-kicking on myself in the pool. I know, I know, I should have adopted this attitude a while ago. But somehow I slipped into the mindset that 1 or 2 semi-decent swims a week and 2 or 3 sessions of diddling around doing backstroke kick would be enough to help me improve. Plus I was getting so frustrated with bad workouts at our pool in Incline, and frustrated with my lack of improvement all winter, that I decided to just stop struggling with it and save the tougher workouts for Carson City, where it's possible to swim more than a 150 without dying. It's definitely helped my workouts be less stressful, and I have improved a bit over the past couple months, but it's time to get a bit more proactive and agressive about it.
The outdoor 25 meter pool here in Incline just opened, so that should help, but if I have to drive down to Carson three or four times a week then that's what I'll do. I'm really sick of sucking.
Also I have a bunch of new swimsuits and pool accessories arriving this week, a prize from my win at Silverman last year! (And yes I am secretly hoping that a new suit will help, my current suit is so stretched out and saggy that it's sure to be slowing me down, right?)
The outdoor 25 meter pool here in Incline just opened, so that should help, but if I have to drive down to Carson three or four times a week then that's what I'll do. I'm really sick of sucking.
Also I have a bunch of new swimsuits and pool accessories arriving this week, a prize from my win at Silverman last year! (And yes I am secretly hoping that a new suit will help, my current suit is so stretched out and saggy that it's sure to be slowing me down, right?)
Labels: enjoy the blog, goggles
posted by Courtenay at 5/27/2008
5 Comments:
whoooo!
the summer does feel like a good time to really focus on swimming.
(just say yes about the suit slowing her down, please)
I got some new suits in the winter--one of them was from Splish and it had a bunny on the front and said Fast on the butt. I felt like if it said fast on it I had better swim fast so I didn't look like an idiot. I had a major breakthrough in my swimming after I got my new suits. Part of it was that I was ready for one, part was an increase in the number of days I was swimming, and part was the fact that my suit was not sagging and practically falling off and causing a ton of drag.
I moved up to 5-6 days of swimming a week in Dec-Feb with 3-5 days of hard swims (3 with a coach there usually yelling to go faster or critiqing technique). It cut into my biking and running a lot. My biking has suffered a bit but my run is doing as well as ever. I took off 3 mins from last years best 1500. Last year I swam 2-4 times a week with 1-2 times hard and took 1.5 mins off my 1500 time with the same coach (when he first started coaching me so I made the most improvement in technique).
The extra effort makes a big difference, but it is also important to get the constant stroke correction.
Sorry for the super long reply, but for years I was afraid to put too much time into my swimming because I was worried my bike and run would suffer to much, but I am racing at my best now that I have taken the time to work on my swim. I still have a long way to go, but I have already seem great improvements in the last 6 months. So can you!
I swim 3 days a week with quality workouts at masters and I find it makes a huge difference than when i did 2-3 workouts on my own. There's something about just not taking it as serious if there's no coach yelling at you.
We did reverse freestyle drills today. OMFG. You swim 'backwards.' As in...push off the wall with your hands, don't kick, and arms go in opposite direction. Crazy. And hard! Makes you remember to rotate those hips.
And yes, a saggy suit will SURELY slow you down! Those new suits are going to zoom!
Old saggy suits! YES - that WILL slow you down. There is NOTHING like having a wonderfully tight new suit, smooth legs, and a new cap and goggles. Makes you feel like a million bucks. And really FAST in the water. Have a blast - you'll do great!
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