4.06.2011

Swim Observations

You have some time to think when you have your face in the water for an hour. You also get to make some observations while hanging onto the edge of the pool for dear life gasping for breath like a fish out of water.

Observation 1: People who look like they have zero level of fitness are often some of the best swimmers in the pool. How is it that the lady who is like 60 years old and looks like she hasn't worked out since she was 25 is able to swim up and down the pool 80 times?

Observation 2: Watching people swim makes it seem like a peaceful activity. Swimming, on the other hand, is somewhat loud and mind numbing to the person doing the swimming. Or is that just me and my flailing?

Observation 3: Swimming 25 meters is now not an issue. 50 seems a lot longer than just "going back where you just came from" while 75 seems like an eternity. Yet that last 25 in a 100 is usually somewhat okay until the last 5 meters. That's probably just me though.

Observation 4: There is some really gross stuff at the bottom of the pool sometimes. Eww.

Observation 5: If you want to share a lane, just ask. Don't stand there glaring down at me like I'm going to jump out of the pool and cede the lane to you. I have 1800 meters to swim, dammit, and I am staying until it is done.

Observation 6: I wish I could do my actual triathlon swims with a pull buoy. I love that thing. I could swim for days using that bad boy.

That's it for now :-) Oh, and I swam the full 1800 meter workout for the second time! On Saturday I managed to do the full workout the very first time - took an hour and seven minutes. This wasn't 1800 straight, but 1800 total - warmup, drills, sprints, and cooldown. I did a different workout, but still 1800 meters, yesterday and managed to finish it in 55 minutes. Woot! It's still the hardest thing I have to do every week, but I'm getting there!!! Masters swim is one of the best things I have done in my training so far!

6 comments:

Big Daddy Diesel said...

To add to #5 "By me asking you if you if you will share your lane, its me politely telling you that you are sharing your lane"

You can always spot the triathlete at the pool, they try another stroke and its looks horribly wrong

Nice job on the swim

M said...

There are other strokes? What are these strokes you speak of?

Unknown said...

You are going to be a swimming stud soon!

Christi said...

Tip #6 don't share a lane with the back stroker!

Great job on the workout!

Anonymous said...

"My Lane"

Someday, you may be one faced with a pool full of active swimmers. You can't really ask if you can join their lane, as a swimmer can't really hear you if you talk to them nor do they want to stop and chat about which lane for you to jump in.

Rather than wait for an empty one or trying to interrupt another swimmer, you just join in a lane. Pool etiquette is such that if someone joins a lane because there are no empty ones, you just stay to the right. You try to join a swimmer that appears to be your speed.

If you find that you are faster, you can just pass (just like driving a car). Or, if you notice that you lane-mate is sticking behind you, you can always pause at the end of the lane and let them in front of you.

At the pool, it is exercise, not a race. Incorporating different swimming strokes into your workout will work a wider range of muscle groups and give you an overall better workout.

M said...

Thanks for the comments, anon. I have no problem sharing "my lane" nor do i have a problem jumping in to share a lane with another. There just seems to be an issue at the pool I attend where a swimmer will just stand at the end of a lane and stare at the swimmer! Maybe I should print your comment and post it at the pool! As for other strokes, i honestly have no idea how to do anything but freestyle. What other strokes should I consider using?