Cr@p Swimmers R Us - Page 5 - Triathlon

DJ's Papa

04/09/2004 at 16:17

Twiglet Legs,

Likewise, I too draw some small comfort in learning that others are the same ability level as me(albeit a low one)!

However, I think it's better to class ourselves as 'improving' rather than 'struggling'. 'Cos let's face it I'm sure you must be better swimmer today than when you first started to learn?

My big achievement thus far has been overcoming my aquaphobia. I'm realistic enough to know there's still a fair way to go, but now I've come this far there'll be no turning back! The only issue that still really worries me though, is I've been learning in a pool that's has no deep end (it's 1.5 meters deep all the way). So, what happens when I eventually swim somewhere that's out of my depth - and I run out of energy & need to stop!

Answers on a postcard tied to a brick please!

Anyway, that's more than enough about my cr@p swimming.........good luck with yours!

TTT.

DJ's Papa

04/09/2004 at 16:34

Dan Dan,

Thanks for kind words of encouragement, your advice that -

'the more effort you make, the slower you'll go'

This 'less is more' idea is now firmly fixed in my memory. It seems to make more & more sense when I think about it, that it's obviously not the quauntity of swimming strokes - but their quality that's most important.

Thanks again for your help.

TTT.

Smitch

04/09/2004 at 19:28

Greetings swimmers...well I went to the pool yesterday and did a couple of lengths breast stroke. I have now purchased some swimming goggles though, in preparation for swimming lessons..eek!

Blisters

04/09/2004 at 20:26

Eek Smitch, that sounds like the starting point of an investment! You'll be buying a cossie next.

Having been for an ickle run this morning before the cloud burned off (good idea), I took the family out, plus hanger on children, to Cheltenham Lido this afternoon.

Wife looks after smallest, and I did 400m in 11 minutes. SLightly less slow than last time, but still no more than 25m crawl.

Then I look after minion, so she can knock out 800m.

One of the peeps in the lane I was using wasn't trying, but still carved out 400m in 6 minutes. That is why crawl is for all.

Velociraptor

04/09/2004 at 22:18

Got my swimming lessons booked :oS

05/09/2004 at 13:13

Virtual non-swimmer here! I can do a few lengths of head-out-of-the-water breastroke and that's about it. Boring and no good for fitness.

Our running club newsletter had an interesting article recently from a woman who's won medals at national level. She had a completely different outlook on swimming (fairly obviously!!) but said that she'd been taught to "feel the water caressing [your] body" and that swimming was the nearest thing to flight that humans could experience.

I found it quite inspiring and decided that I wasn't going to try and swim until I'd reached a point where I wa comfortable in the water so now go and float, do slaloms and swim in circles - playing, basically. (Confuses the eal swimmers no end!) Then I'll work up to putting my face in the water and start swimming lengths. (I can do it but have lost confidence)

I'm a contact lens wearer, so wear goggles when I swim in case I get splashed. Does anyone have any idea if I'd be ok going under water?

Smitch

05/09/2004 at 16:10

K2 I wear lenses all the time, and they are fine for swimming with underwater. The only time (I think) that they would fall out is if you get air behind them, if you see what I mean.

05/09/2004 at 17:01

See my last post, third para, middle line - should read "real" not "eal." They're good, but they're not that good.
Must check before posting.

discodragon

05/09/2004 at 18:12

ooooh k2 hope you're not doing your playing in the medium lane. gotta say i do curse people who are playing or near drowning in the medium lane and i have to swim around them. i'm not a "real" swimmer but do attempt to do laps with a semblance of self-taught style.

i saw a picture of thorpe in the Observe Sports Magazine and saw that this upper arm almost touches his head when his arm is fully extended forward in crawl and don't think i do that. gonna give it a try.

05/09/2004 at 18:40

The pool I use is divided into four lanes - fast, medium, slow and a nameless one next to the slow one, so presumably slower than slow. Guess where I go! I don't like it when people get in my way either - very frustrating.

XFR Bear

05/09/2004 at 20:05

Oops - just realised I posted as Vrap while I was staying up in Brum.

K2 - I have some Zoggs goggles that I really like - I've had trouble finding ones that fit but they're great :o)

05/09/2004 at 20:22

XFR Bear - thanks for that. I think my own might be ok (don't get my face wet yet!) but will bear Zoggs in mind (wasn't meant to be a pun, honest).

Tiger

05/09/2004 at 20:42

I got some Zoggs goggles as well, took them on holiday this summer, they're great I can actually put my face under water now :-) No water leaking in at all.

Better get down to the local pool now for further practise ....

Blisters

05/09/2004 at 21:48

I had a cra* pair of gogggles that leaked. My daughter decided to play with them, now only one side leaks, the other doesn't have a lens. Cheers mate.

Ed McK

06/09/2004 at 11:30

I had lessons - loads of them. The instructor ended up giving me a pair of flippers and saying that he never wanted to see me darken his door again. He got a specialist kick coach in (this was in Australia where they have such things) to have a look and I baffled them both. He gave me a kick board and started me off a few feet from the end of the pool but I just couldn't reach it - I go backwards.

MMmmm Universal Twinkler

06/09/2004 at 12:00

hum, Colin Jackson did that on superstars when Mark Foster was supposed to be training him...

Its all down to yer ankles being too tight and not flexible enough (apparently)... Try relaxing them next time... and make them go floppy

Ed McK

06/09/2004 at 12:11

That's what my instructor said - 'floppy feet' and 'relaxed kneecaps'.

I can accept that years of x-country running have tightened up my ankles but quite how he worked out my kneecaps were tense I'm not sure.

Now that I know I'm in the same position as Colin Jackson I don't feel so bad about it - maybe I'll swap from marathon running to 110m hurdles.

06/09/2004 at 13:39

Hey - you lot have worked wonders already! Went to the pool, gave myself a stern talking-to, put my face in the water, pushed off and glided. Did that a few times then did one (short) length of not-very-streamlined breast-stroke with face in water when required. (Thanks for that idea, Nessie)

Also saw while I was down there that they're are some "Swim to Fit" sessions starting - and at a time that I can make!

Cake Man - Just don't try the "floppy feet and relaxed kneecaps" technique when you're running....

MartinH

06/09/2004 at 15:28

I want to join in.

I decided not to enter my local village triathlon as I was scared of being embarrased - the swim was only 250 metres!

I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons
I will take swimming lessons

......honest

Gobi

06/09/2004 at 16:20

feel better everyone

1hr 16 mins for 1.9k at llanberis in half ironman 2002

wet suits do not work with breaststroke

I have improved but am still not fast, take lessons learn freestyle