My emphases in this macro cycle (#2 of 5 training cycles leading up to Ironman Florida) are to work on improving my swimming performance as well as boosting my core strength. Naturally that involves putting in more sessions at the pool than I was previously, and doing lots of crunches and other torso-strengthening exercises.Holly and I just signed up for a Swim Technique Clinic in February. That should help! I'll work for the next month ramping up my distances and swim endurance and general comfort level in the water, and then the clinic should help improve my biomechanical efficiency, I expect. What's more, is they will take an underwater swimming video of us and give us the footage on CD, so hopefully I will be able to email those files down to Yurtie in Australia for him to critique, too. That will save me a lot of messing around with the camcorder and video files, etc. But Flatman, I seriously doubt I'll permit those swimming-porn images to be posted on the Internet. Sorry. Maybe Holly will?
After that I need to continue working with a live swim coach periodically, or attend one of the local weekly stroke clinics, or get together with a Master's swimming group regularly for a few months. I know that optimally I would be swimming 3 or 4 days per week, but with my two little time commitments I doubt if I'll be getting in the water with that frequency very often. (Unless I can count laps chasing my girls across the baby pool next summer).
I'd also really like to find some different pools to swim in - though the little 3-lane one at the club is the closest one to our townhouse right now. I sure would love to find a 50-meter pool with a lap swim that's not super-crowded. But then everything will change in June after our local outdoor pools open for the summer, but unfortunately not in time to get me ready for the Columbia Olympic-distance triathlon and Eagleman half Ironman.
Meanwhile . . . in other disciplines, I'm still maintaining my running base with 10 or more miles per week, doing some baseline time on the trainer, and getting outside on the road on Buttercup whenever the weather and the baby-minding situation favors it. I'm starting to think that (with the babies around) I'd be able to run more consistently if I bought a treadmill, but the cost and the space requirement in the house is still putting me off of that idea.
7 comments:
Thanks, mipper!! If I could manage to actually jog with the jogstroller that would help a lot too, but it seems way off balance to me.
I did a one day swim clinic a few years ago. Not only was it fun, but I improved instantly - like that same afternoon! It always helps to have someone watch you swim (or run or bike) and tell you how you can improve.
You know, I really can't stand swimming more than 2 times a week. 3 is really pushing it. Swimming over 2500yds each session is fine but getting in the pool 3-4 times per week?
You are a dedicated triathlete for thinking such thoughts.
LOVE THE PICUTRE!!! LOL!! Priceless!!
But.... might it have been psychologically more positive to have pictured an otter????
The Manatee.... the swimming counterpart to the Penguin....
I'm with Ellie, full marks on the picture. Cracked me up - my fav water animal by the way.
Seems you are heading in the right direction with the swim - lessons and videos helps heaps and the swim is one event where technique alone can save you 20-30% in terms of time/effort (in my cae probably more thanks to my lousy kicking).
On a much more frivolous note, I am afraid I got tagged, so now you are it! (http://kewlnitrox.blogspot.com/2006/01/5-strange-facts-about-myself.html)
a swim clinic, cool. Have fun with it.
Our Parks and Rec (city based) has a program called adult lap swim. It meets in school pools M-F. Basically it's just a lifeguard, no swimming help, but it isn't very crowded and the pools are decent because they are maintained by the schools. Can you check with you city to see if such a thing exists?
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