Swimming with a Plan
Thanks Wes! I finally have a swim plan and my first structured pool workout behind me. Getting in the pool is an important step to reach my 2008 goals. I am eyeing a very short sprint tri at the end of May and time in the pool will determine if I can build enough base to sign up. With only 2 months before the decision must be made and some pretty weak swim endurance, I have some work to do!
As per the plan, I swam 20 pool lengths with a 20 second rest between each, give or take 5 seconds per pool length. Sometimes I felt graceful, sometimes I felt like I was fighting the water, always I was amazed that I was swimming again. It is not as easy as I remember as a kid. Tonight the muscles in my hips ache. Since I am waiting for re-employment before hiring a swim coach, I went back to my swim book to read the description of the freestyle kick to see if I did something wrong. I don't think I did but will be more conscious of the kick at my Thursday swim.
I do have a couple of questions:
-Do all goggles leave raccoon eyes or are mine too tight?
-Do other people have issues with water trapped in their ears? I have tried alcohol, Auro-Dri AND peroxide but my left ear does give up the water easily. Guess it goes without saying that I suffered with swimmers ear every summer as a child.
Running is my favorite sport and always on my schedule so I went to Cherokee Blvd (close to my house and safe) before the swim to put in 5.2 miles (out 2.6-miles and back). I ran the upper and lower sections, which translates for 3-miles of rolling terrain and 2.6-miles of hills, actually two major hills. The effort was slow and quite pleasant!
2 comments:
Mmmmm... You're goggles are too tight. Get some of those ear plugs for your ears. Most sporting goods stores carry them.
As far as your kick goes... We only get 10-30% of our power from the kick. As a triathlete, it is recommended that you try to kick as little as possible. We like to save the legs for biking and running (but I've seen loads of triathletes that kick alot).
For now, practice pressing your chest down into the water. This will force your hips up to the surface, then flutter kick with your legs to keep them on the surface and not dragging.
Later, when you hire a coach, he/she can probably help with your form better than I :-)
Cant help much with the swim.. but Wes has you covered on that one! Like you running is my fav sport and I've just branched out into cycling.
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