Hello All,
So I've gotten back into swimming as part of my fitness regime and had a question many might think is basic, but I'm interested in your thoughts.
I usually do longer swims as opposed to interval training. My go to swim is 2000yds which is usually around 40min, give or take. 2 weeks ago I clocked 39:25 which was great - during the next swim a couple of days later I thought "I might even beat that" only to finish with a 46:20. I was really surprised (and bummed). The next swim was 40:35. So I was thinking...
I may have lost count and added a couple of laps to the longer time or dropped a couple on the shorter. I had a lap counter watch which got moisture inside and stopped working a while ago, and frankly was kind of a pain to hit the little button at the top of each lap - I found it distracting.
My question:
What do you do to make sure you're accurately counting laps on longer swims? I'm going to move to 2500yds soon and fear that may be more of a count problem.
Thanks in advance for your time and any help you can offer.
Cheers,
Chris
you could take pennies, and after every 100 yards, slide a penny from one pile to the next. or if your pool has small tiles, you can line up a kick board and move it back a tile after every 100 or 200 yards to keep count.
Some people slide the beads on the lane rope. Watch out for waves or devious lanemates sliding the beads back when you are not looking though. I find that watching the pace clock (if there is one within view when swimming) is quite effective. I'll check the clock nearly every 50 or 100 yds. If I miss a look, or get confused, a quick calculation reveals whether I have completed 50, 100 or 150 since my last look. This should work unless your pace is very erratic.
If you have a digital clock within view you can periodically (every 200 yards) check the time. I know that my pace will be within 10 seconds of a given 200 pace (in your case 4:00). This way you can be certain that you are on the correct lap (adjusting the expected time every 200).
If you have a digital clock within view you can periodically (every 200 yards) check the time.
Doesn't even need to be digital. Analog pace clocks have minute hands, too.
I count internally and make up little games in my head. E.g. I think about how many laps I've done, what that divides into, how much I have left, and that seems to cement it in my brain. Sometimes I'll say the number sort of out loud.
What other people have said about having a pace and checking that on the clock is also good.
Without having intervals you could also do something different every fifth length, 7th length, or whatever (better if it's an odd number--keeps you alert and going in a different direction than the last one helps you remember). Examples: backstroke, fingertip drag, breathe every third, kick harder, go faster, etc.
I have that same lap counter Elaine linked to and love it. I just click it at one end of the pool every time just before the turn. Between that and a rough estimate on time on when I should be at a certain place, and it all falls into place.
Cracks me up when some of the guys will stop and look at me to see if we're done yet knowing I'm the only one with a counter.
You could buy one of these. They are relatively cheap, extremely accurate, have a whole host of other features other than lap counting and you don't have to push a button at the end of each lap. I have been extremely satisfied with mine since I got it a year and a half ago. My only criticism is that the strap is now showing some signs of wear and tear and when it breaks eventually, I don't know if it can be fixed. I remember seeing this complaint from someone else. I need to look into soon because perhaps they have a solution now.
I do math in my head, figuring out the percentage of the swim I have finished, and, if possible, simplify the fraction: 35/80 = 7/16, etc. The simplification helps to keep the lap number in my head.
