I just started seriously doing lap swimming and joined USMS at the first of this year. I even did my first swim meet at Colonies Zone in April just to see what they are all about.
I do all of my training alone and I started with doing only 400m total a workout and now I up to 850m. I am adding gradually each month. But I am still the same speed - horribly slow (about 1:00 for 50 free) so I have purchased a Masters workout card.
I figured that I am not getting any faster despite swimming almost every day because 1) I don't know how to improve, and 2) maybe being in a workout will speed me up.
Now I am nervous about 1) showing up and being with swimmers who qualified for Nationals, and 2) having a coach who sees how slow I am.
I have signed up for some swim meets in October/November - mostly 50/100 back, 50/100 free, and 50 fly - and I would like to see my time drop somewhat. Or should I not compete until I see my times in training drop?
Swimming with a masters team is fun and not so fun at the same time. My coach has us do things I would NEVER push myself to do when swimming alone. The workouts he writes on his board average 5000-6000 yards. Our last practice he had us do seven 200 yard swims on intervals of our choice (3:00, 3:15, 3:30, 4:00). I did the 3:15 interval and was cursing under water the whole time. But when I finished I was smiling ear to ear. The practice before that it was eleven 150 yard swims on intervals. No way I do that swimming by myself.
All the yardage I have been putting in plus the pointers I get have been invaluable. I have improved more in the 10 months since I joined than in the 2+ years prior. This morning there was no practice so I swam on my own and did a 500 yard free warmup at a very relaxed pace in 7 minutes. That 500 yard warmup used to easily take me 10 minutes. There have been few AHA moments, but better technique has somehow diffused into my swimming. Same with my other strokes.
Swimming with a masters team is fun and not so fun at the same time. My coach has us do things I would NEVER push myself to do when swimming alone. The workouts he writes on his board average 5000-6000 yards. Our last practice he had us do seven 200 yard swims on intervals of our choice (3:00, 3:15, 3:30, 4:00). I did the 3:15 interval and was cursing under water the whole time. But when I finished I was smiling ear to ear. The practice before that it was eleven 150 yard swims on intervals. No way I do that swimming by myself.
All the yardage I have been putting in plus the pointers I get have been invaluable. I have improved more in the 10 months since I joined than in the 2+ years prior. This morning there was no practice so I swam on my own and did a 500 yard free warmup at a very relaxed pace in 7 minutes. That 500 yard warmup used to easily take me 10 minutes. There have been few AHA moments, but better technique has somehow diffused into my swimming. Same with my other strokes.
