For me, it's now going on four weeks since my last swim. We were in Turks and Caicos March 7-14 for spring break where I was doing daily open-water swims along the beach. My last swim was a 3-miler on March 13. When we got back to the U.S., we had to go into mandated 14-day quarantine so I wasn't able to get out to go to the pool before they all closed. Who knows when I'll swim again...either open-water warming up (I live in RI), or pools opening again. I am maintaining fitness with bike rides, and a run here and there. And I know I there is other 'dry land' training I could be doing. But my concern when returning to the water is injuring myself because of doing TMTS. I'm just that kind of athlete. Raise you're hand if you think you're a candidate for a TMTS injury too.
Dan
But in reality, for me, tethered swimming is akin to ... stick(ing) an ice pick in my templeCompletely agree. I tried it years ago when I had a 'play pool' and it was miserable. I'm staying dry and learning how to do things like pushups, planks, squats and crunches. I even did some curls with weights yesterday.
The tether I have is the one at this link which, interestingly, is listed as "currently out of stock."
www.swimoutlet.com/.../
Dan
My next door neighbor has a backyard heated pool, and he's offered to let me use it, and I looked into a tether, but came up short with all of the, "out of stock," on nearly every website.
It would be convenient, I could just walk over, and they don't use the pool early in the morning when I'd want to.
But now that I've found some lakes, I'm set. :applaud:
... I looked into a tether, but came up short with all of the, "out of stock," on nearly every website.
You can fashion one DIY. It's really nothing more than tying yourself (feet/ankles) to something anchored on the side of the pool. It just has to be something that doesn't cut into skin too much. I've used a towel tied around my ankles, and then tied off to the side of the pool with a regular piece of rope, or a bunge cord(s).
Dan
Once we do get back, it'll probably be more important than ever to work with a coach who can help throttle the urge to go all out in the beginning (TMTS). I worked a few plays in the fall and wasn't able to swim much and when I did get in the pool, i overdid it. With nearly everyone in the same boat, hopefully we'll work together to get ramped back up slowly.
In the meantime, I've been walking a ton and doing yoga by the fountain in my back yard. Hope to come out of this a little leaner and stronger.
At least the shoulders and whatever else finally get a break (unrelated to injury).
Just been doing a basic body-weight dryland routine, split between upper and lower body. Takes no more than 12 minutes to accomplish.
The only swims accomplished are the following, with Mar 3 being last day of an available pool:
Mar 3: 60 min LCM
Mar 30: 2 min Ashely river (open sewer)
Apr 6: 13 sec/one length of a pool
Have had a few interesting swim dreams too
You can fashion one DIY. It's really nothing more than tying yourself (feet/ankles) to something anchored on the side of the pool. It just has to be something that doesn't cut into skin too much. I've used a towel tied around my ankles, and then tied off to the side of the pool with a regular piece of rope, or a bunge cord(s).
DanYou can also get stretch cords meant for dryland resistance work and do the same. Those will be more plentiful than swimming specific stretch cords.
As for me, I've done swimming with resistance cords in the past and found it miserable. I'd rather be dry than do it. But, YMMV
I live in Pittsburgh. I ride a bicycle for my main transportation. Sometimes rent cars. 9Usually I have a choice of urban pools, but not now.
The good swim lakes are all about 60 miles from where I live. I'm not an athletic bicyclist.
So, I'm starting to think with excitiment (and justified trepidation), about swimming in the rivers. I use to do that once a week with the triathletes, but it was sometimes daunting. Probably unwise.
I could probably figure out healthy river habits, though. It would require that I become very knowledgeable about water cleanliness (or lack thereof) - day to day, over all, from mile to mile.
I'd also have to know about currents, water temp, water/shore access a d a whole bunch of other stuff that I could only guess at.
A few miles from me, there's a small river called the Youghiegheny. The bicycle trails from Pittsburgh to Washgington DC, follow this river 70 miles, past the semi-famous Ohiopyle Rapids rafting/kayaking stretch. I've biked the whole trail a few times, so I've pushed up past the stream and chased the water down it, too. Far enough up, it's as clean as it gets, but I don't know how far that is.
I haven't camped for years, but I might start soon. Stay one night, swim two days.
For dryland cold-water training how do I do that? Cold showers? Sleeping without blankets?
I could probably figure out healthy river habits, though. It would require that I become very knowledgeable about water cleanliness (or lack thereof) - day to day, over all, from mile to mile.
I'd also have to know about currents, water temp, water/shore access a d a whole bunch of other stuff that I could only guess at.
You might want to contact the folks who put on this swim:
www.darren-miller.com/.../
I know a few people who've swum it. They each have kayak support, and there are boats on the river while they are swimming too. There used to be a few others from the Pittsburgh area on these forums, and I know they had some local swimming holes for o/w, but I doubt they are warm enough right now. I'm originally from the other side of PA, and water doesn't get warm enough (without a wetsuit at least) until mid-May, at earliest.
That 3 rivers marathon seems like a great event, but at this point, a mile is a stretch for me. They might have some good ideas for practice spots, but I'd likely be a hindrance ast any group oracgices.
