Anyone give up on swimming to the pace clock and find comfort in just lap swimming for exercise? I have never swam any other way than intervals even after a 20 year layoff.
But I have been on a three month downward spiral. I'm so far out of shape that the couple of workouts I tried were so discouraging that I just want to quit. Yet I swam in a lake last week and felt pretty good. Went to the pool today and intended to just try to swim for 30 minutes straight but damn that clock - swam 6x200 on 4:00. Three months ago I could do 10 on the 3:30 in my sleep and 10 seconds faster per. I just don't want to do this anymore at least not now to even get back to that point. I wouldn't mind just trying to swim a 5k this summer nice and slow instead of competing. I pretty much just need the exercise to lose some weight and be healthy. Yet compteting was what always had motivated me even if it was just against myself and the clock.
So did anyone take this tact and live to tell me how awesome it is? You burn more calories, no more flip turns, no more clock, just swimming.
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Former Member
I agree with Celestial that there is a time and season for everything. Right now I am not really training, I am staying fit. So I do the whole workout, 4500-6000 yds, all of the IM stuff, but I don't worry too much about the interval or the clock. Instead of :05, I'll give myself :15-:20. I still check the clock to make sure I'm staying on PACE, but I'm not racing (at least till the end of the workout, then I usually pick it up.) I don't need to. Dammit, I'm a 45-yr-old woman, I think I have earned the right to swim for the joy of swimming some days. I can still chase my friends another day. Which is ALSO fun (my friends are a hoot) but, dang, nothing feels so good as that water rippling along on a beautiful weekend afternoon and you just feel strong and GOOD. Who cares if it takes me another 15 mins to finish the workout? 1.75 hrs is just as good as 1.5.
Now, I swim for ME.
I agree with Celestial that there is a time and season for everything. Right now I am not really training, I am staying fit. So I do the whole workout, 4500-6000 yds, all of the IM stuff, but I don't worry too much about the interval or the clock. Instead of :05, I'll give myself :15-:20. I still check the clock to make sure I'm staying on PACE, but I'm not racing (at least till the end of the workout, then I usually pick it up.) I don't need to. Dammit, I'm a 45-yr-old woman, I think I have earned the right to swim for the joy of swimming some days. I can still chase my friends another day. Which is ALSO fun (my friends are a hoot) but, dang, nothing feels so good as that water rippling along on a beautiful weekend afternoon and you just feel strong and GOOD. Who cares if it takes me another 15 mins to finish the workout? 1.75 hrs is just as good as 1.5.
Now, I swim for ME.
