Ok...just returned to competitive swimming...doing pretty well (31.3 in 50 METER free, and I'm 54), but think I can do better. At 18, I swam low 28s...Yes, I'm much older, but back then, we never lifted weights (we were told it would make us sink or make us "tight"), and I actually used to smoke cigarettes (not heavily, but at parties) and weed pretty routinely. Would love to get under 30, or under 27 in yards.
I have met my goal of getting in shape, losing weight, and trying to stave off the onset of type II diabetes (was told I was borderline), but in order to be REALLY good, I realize I am going to have to put in more yardage and get some coaching on starts, turns, and mechanics. I've been doing 1/2 to 3/4 mile 3-4 times a week, with the occasional mile and even more rarely, maybe 2000.
I already work a full time job as a school administrator and I also teach college two nights a week. I have a g/f, 3 cats, and a full life (no kids)...suddenly, I have this new passion which I am excited about and it's good for me, but it seems like it will be hard to find time to put in the 3-4 thousand yards 5 or 6 days a week that a lot of folks seem to be doing. How do you find the time? And is it just a small minority who are really that committed? Do I really have to become a fanatic about this to be more successful?
PS...I would also like to the 100 at some point, but I know I need to build up my stamina a lot more for that.
:nono: Keep the cats, only they will bring you peace :thhbbb:
I remember this joke...
"There's good news and bad news for cat owners."
"What's the good news?"
"People who own cats live longer than people who don't own cats."
"That's sounds great! What's the bad news?"
"They have to live with cats."
(PS: we own a cat who is well loved -- mostly -- so this is all obviously tongue in cheek.)
Life is full of choices. Being fit and healthy is a choice that takes commitment and time. "Those who find no time for fitness and health must eventually find time for sickness and despair."
I basically swim when I can. If I'm tired or stressed from my workday and not in the mood to swim I try hard to remember how happy and re-newed(mentally/physically/emotionally)I'll be if I go to my workout; even if that means I'm gone that day from 6:15 a.m. till 9:00 p.m.
I don't think I can ever remember a workout I regretted participating in, well at least when it was over. :agree:
we own a cat who is well loved -- mostly -- so this is all obviously tongue in cheek.
I think you mentioned that before. Dogs do have a different personality ...
www.socialpaws.com/.../Dogs-Vs-Cats-Meme.jpg
If I can do it, you can too. Three kids under six, a surgery resident (80+hour work weeks), married to a marathon runner, plus life (volunteer work, church, extended family, social calendar, sports for my eldest, school activities for the kids, etc).
You just wake up and grab your sh*t and go to the pool. You choose to be proud of every workout rather than lament the ones you miss. The next day, you do it again. 2-3 x per week, be happy with what you can handle. Swim in the mornings. Put some extra food in your cats dish....
Re: How Do You Find the Time to Train?
I like the answer that you have to make the time. It's so true and it should never be looked upon with any feelings of guilt. Setting aside several days out of each week with an early morning time slot is the best way to stay consistent.
Benefits of having a cat.
Thanks for all the feedback. Well, one thing I forgot to mention is that I usually do intervals and I go pretty hard in most of them. I've never understood getting in the pool and doing a soft pace for 2 miles...but I think I can continue to go hard AND add yardage. I usually concentrate on technique and breathing and pulling hard. In breaststroke I am working on mastering the wave style, which is still pretty new to me (I grew up doing the flat style).
I live in Brooklyn and work in Manhattan. The 63rd St Y is not too far from work, and I do most of my swimming there, although on weekends I sometimes hit the Park Slope Y.
The good news is that the Park Slope Y is building a new 25 yard pool and there is some talk of starting a masters team. I am planning to speak to the aquatic director.
I already did 2000 on Friday, and it didn't seem very hard. I increased my warmup from 300 to 500, then did set of 100s and 50s, all pretty hard. I did a serious dryland workout Saturday with my personal trainer (those deadlifts are leaving me with serious soreness today). Today I didn't get to the pool or the gym.
If the 63rd St Y isn't far, then you're probably not far from John Jay College. TNYA does some workouts there (I can't remember where else).
I swam with them while I was in NYC over the summer. It is a great group, a variety of swimmers from some rather casual pace, to some super fast people.
There's a couple of forumites from NYC, check out swimsuit_addict. She knows swimming and knows where to swim in the city...and does a bit of pool tourism so should know the best pools too ;)
And no matter how hard I may think I'm swimming on my own, my solo workouts don't come near the intensity I get from team workouts.
I "found" time to train ... my lunch hour. I get about 45 min in the water ...
I "found" the same time! At lunch I am in the water for only 1000 yards, less than 30 minutes, but I've found lots of useful things to do in that time. I like to figure out puzzles, like “How can I swim a 4IM/200 fly?”, or “How can I train myself to even-split a 200 back?” (I'm still working on that one.) It's also good for high-intensity. You can warm up a few hundred, blast out something fast, and you're done.
I was doing a lot of yardage for two years. I could do 1,000 butterfly or 3,000 free non-stop. I recently switched to doing 25 yard sprints as hard as I can. The timing and the challenges are much different. I do 4 warmup laps, then 16 sprint laps, cool down and get out. Recover between laps, I float on my back to recover. This workout is quick, intense and very effective. They say if you want to swim fast in a meet, swim fast in practice. I am 58. I don't compete. Just my thoughts.
