Cr@p Swimmers R Us - Page 7 - Triathlon

Wabo

10/09/2004 at 16:31

Hi quimby, am off for a swim sat morning myself. Must get earplugs, now got a swim cap, don't like goggles cos I feel like they suck eyeballs out, if I get a noseclip (thinking of it) I will be like a real swimmer!
Oh no I wont, I still be cr@p!
on a serious note though I probably could do with goggles, any recommendations for ones that don't suck eyeballs out?

quimby

10/09/2004 at 16:39

I don't mind eyeball suckage, but I like my Speedo Futura Ice goggles. Couldn't swim without goggles, eewwwww. Don't need a swim cap really as I have v. short hair. There are Aquasphere goggles that are more like masks that many triathletes recommend. I think you'd get some funny stares in them initially, but I think they'd definitely not suck your eyeballs.

SusieBee

10/09/2004 at 16:49

Cheers, XFR! I’ll read it all when I get a mo!

XFR Bear

13/09/2004 at 22:57

Just been to try out the tri club - great fun, and we did some total immersion drills. Very interesting stuff! Probably not a good idea to do at the same time as my other swimming lessons as that isn't TI, but it's well worth a look. It made me think about the individual bits of the stroke which was probably what I needed.

quimby

14/09/2004 at 07:52

If I think about anything other than breathing, I end up not breathing, then suddenly realise I must breathe *NOW*. "Now" is always when my nose and mouth are totally and completely under water. That reminds me, I was going to try the nose clip again, must go and find it and put it in my gym bag.

XFR Bear

14/09/2004 at 08:44

Yes, I decided to go and get a nose clip.

The interesting thing about TI is that it builds up gradually, and starts just with leg kicks and breathing, then builds in a very basic arm thing that isn't the full stroke, but does get you used to the timing on the breathing. I have the book on order - can't wait for it to arrive :o)

quimby

14/09/2004 at 09:18

I have the book, I was hoping the technique would pass through osmosis from touching it, but I guess I'm going to have to read it?

TishyMouse

14/09/2004 at 09:26

My name is TishyMouse and I am a cr@p swimmer.

I swim 1-2 times per week, typically about 50 lengths, without stopping, doing bilateral freestyle, taking about 33 mins. So I have reasonable endurance, but I am so-o-o-o sl-o-o-ow. My 1km time hasn't improved AT ALL in the past 6 months. I did the open-water swim leg of an Oly tri in August (part of a relay) in 38 minutes. Not quite last but not many people behind me!

I went for a trial swim session with my local tri club last night. My first coached swim ever. It was good fun though hard work. I was in the humiliating position of being slowest in the slow lane but luckily I have already had plenty of experience in being over overtaken by flowery-capped ladies doing breaststroke so my confidence was only slightly dented and I plan to go back next week.

One thing I noticed was that while my stroke rate seems to be OK compared to the other novices (approx. 22 strokes per length) it takes me about 60 seconds to do 50m compares with their 50-55secs. Does anyone have any tips on how can I work on improving my cadence while maintaining the stroke length? Might it be to do with the strength of my arms (which admittedly are somewhat weedy)? Should I be spending more time in the gym rather than the pool?

XFR Bear

15/09/2004 at 07:22

Good lesson last night - it's starting to all come together. I do need to keep working on slowing down and not getting out of breath, and working out the best pattern for breathing.

Stroke rate for a length has definitely come down - I was over 40 last week for a 33m pool, last night I was in the mid 30's :o)

How's everyone else doing?

quimby

15/09/2004 at 07:50

Managed 8 whole lengths of crawl in my session yesterday lunchtime! The rest was 20 lengths pure breast to warm up, then the rest of the mile a combination of 1 breast/1 crawl, with the occasional attempt at a number of crawl lengths, culminating in the mighty 8 lengths (that's 200m, 25m pool). Wore my nose clip and it certainly helped with the breathing, but I still desperately need to sort out some lessons, I'm sure my technique is dreadful. I feel as though I'm really twisting my whole body to get my mouth far enough out of the water to take a breath - that can't be right, surely?

XFR Bear

15/09/2004 at 11:22

One thing I found in the bit of TI I did Monday was that that was exactly what did happen, but I think it might have been exaggerated to drill it in. I don't know.

Last night the non-TI coach said that you didn't need to - you make a trough as you cut through the water so you don't need to turn much to have your mouth above the water, even if the water beyond the trough would higher. Hope that makes sense!

Jose.

15/09/2004 at 11:29

Hi peeps,

I Did 1,900 mts in 1hour and 3 minutes (including transition 1) on my first Half Ironman distance triathlon. 98% breastrsoking and 2% "own free style". (actually I also walked some part).

I recognised that I didn't do better or didn't use a bit more the crawl thing because I was "a bit" scared.

Keep practising, there is always hope.

quimby

15/09/2004 at 12:33

XFR, I have some way to go before my stroke manages to make anything approaching a trough into which I can direct my breathing! But I shall investigate at lunchtime...

A. Plodder

15/09/2004 at 12:40

Did my second sprint distanc tri on Sunday and actually managed to do over half the swim in crawl (well my version of it anyway!). When I had some lessons a while back I was taught that your whole body should turn to the side as you reach forward - I can just about manage it on one side when I'm desperate for breath. I still haven't managed to make anything vaguely like a trough to breath in.

quimby

15/09/2004 at 12:51

Ooh, maybe I am doing it right then? I really must look at that Total Immersion book. And work on my troughs. Is a sprint distance swim usually 750m?

Wabo

15/09/2004 at 12:56

quimby I believe sprint is 400m.

XFR Bear

15/09/2004 at 14:12

It seems to vary, the one I did was 400m.

I was taught the turn right to the side for TI.

quimby

15/09/2004 at 15:13

Coo, I'm closer to the distance than I thought. Although I can still do it faster with breast stroke.

A. Plodder

15/09/2004 at 15:50

Both the tris I've done have been 500m, but I think the majority are 400m.

Dangerous Dave

16/09/2004 at 11:50

Open water sprints are 750m - London, Windsor, Ironbridge etc. There are a few open water Supersprints like Eton and a few others I think.