« Still Recovering | Main | I Like to Run »
May 23, 2007
I Have a Theory
So I've been thinking some more about my swimming and have come to the following conclusions:
1) I am getting faster. I took a look back to last summer and compared my workouts to what I'm doing now. I have indeed improved. A lot. So it's not as if my work in the pool has all gone for naught. I just need to be patient (and we all know I am SOOO good at being patient). I improved A LOT at first but now the improvements are coming slower. Of course that is natural.
2) I think I've been doing my workouts a little too hard. I have HR guidelines for my swims just like my runs or cycling workouts but I'm not nearly as good at sticking with them because...well...it's really hard to do HR in the pool. Obviously you can't watch it while you are actually doing intervals and HR monitors just don't work as well in the water. It's tricky. So I really think I've been pushing too hard - especially on my long swims, when I should be doing some of the workouts at a more moderate pace.
3) I'm thinking I need some help with my mechanics and stroke technique. I've never had anyone help me with that and since I was never on a swim team or anything of the sort I'm not really sure where I learned how to swim. This can only mean one thing - I probably have some sort of inefficiency in my stroke that is slowing me down.
So after assessing the situation I've come up with a plan:
1) Quit worrying about it. Everyone has a weakness. My swimming will come.
2) Take my longer swims easier by swimming my long intervals on time intervals vs aiming for a certain time for each repeat. For example my workout today discussed below. I also have 2 moderate swims each week which I plan to make a little more moderate and then one speed session that I will hopefully be able to hit really hard since I'm taking it a little more relaxed in my other sessions.
3) I'm taking swim lessons! I am lucky to know this guy who is a pro triathlete and a swimming coach at Pitt. He is starting a coaching service. I am in need of some hands on swimming instruction. It's a match made in heaven. :) Really what I'm looking to do is improve my stroke mechanics. As my coach said - it's the single most important thing to work on with swimming. He thinks my mechanics need to catch up with my cardiovascular fitness. My first swim class is next Tuesday. :)
So that's my course of action right now. We'll see how it goes. I also finally bit the bullet and practiced changing a tube last night in the case that I flat in a race. I'm not fast or efficient but I am now pretty confident that if I do flat I will be able to change my tube and finish. It helps that my new tri bike has tires that are MUCH easier to deal with than my old road bike. Yeah! Next on my list of things to do is practice transitions. I have that scheduled some for next week and pretty much every week thereafter until I get it right. I'm just so slow with getting off and on my bike. Easier said than done but some practice has got to help right? Just trying to take care of all the little stuff...
Anyway, today's workouts:
AM swim:
4500 yds at YMCA
wu: 300 easy, 3x150 pull w/paddles w/30 sec rest, 5x50 w/20 sec rest
ms: 3x100 on 1:30, 2x200 on 3, 2x400 on 6, 1x800 on 12:30, 1x400 on 6, 2x200 on 3, 4x100 on 1:30
Instead of trying to swim my repeats in a particular time and then taking the prescribed rest I just developed time intervals to swim on. This is easier mentally because I don't feel like I have to swim my 400 in 5:20 exactly, etc... I have give and take - I can swim a little easier and get less rest, etc... I'm not explaining it well but trust me, this is must easier on me physically and mentally. Regardless, it felt good to get in the water and do something other than an easy 500 or 1000!
After work I came home for an easy 30 minute jog in 85 degree heat! It's smoking hot here now! I ran nice and relaxed and slow. And then I ate pizza. And then I was happy. :)
Good night all!
Posted by beth at May 23, 2007 9:28 PM
Comments
Great self-analysis, Beth! I hope this new take on swimming and your swim lessons are exactly what you need to bring your swim times down even more!
Meghan
Posted by: Meghan at May 23, 2007 10:28 PM
I was reading your plan of attack to improve your swim, it's late and I'm tired. . I swear I thought it said quit work. . instead of worrying. . I thought boy, this gal really is serious!
Posted by: Dawn at May 23, 2007 11:17 PM
I was reading your plan of attack to improve your swim, it's late and I'm tired. . I swear I thought it said quit work. . instead of worrying. . I thought boy, this gal really is serious!
Posted by: Dawn at May 23, 2007 11:17 PM