Swim Log

Doug - Absolutely! Keep a log. I tell all my new swimmers to keep a log. I love to tell the story of Herb Howe, who retired from competition a couple years ago (although he still swims!). He's 90. I think it was last year that he called his circumnavigation of the world finally completed. He started his log many, many years ago - I've even seen it! The only way he could have made that claim is by keeping a log. I once asked him whence he started his circumnavigation. At various times he started from Providence, RI and went south - the polar route, or west from Providence, following the setting sun on the equatorial route, which of course is longer. I asked him when he started and he gave me a year which was before he was born. I pointed this out to him and he said, "I started swimming in my mother's womb." But, he was a slave to his log and, as far as I know, he is still recording his daily swims. The only way to check your progress is to keep a log. Besides just logging the yardage you should also record timed swims, sets you swim, as much as you can. It's kind of interesting to look back and note your progress. It can lift you up when you're feeling like a slackard. For several years I used a simple little calendar, like a pocket-size Girl Scout calendar: the little squares were large enough to put in lots of data. Of course you can put the information on an Excel spreadsheet. I think there are some programs for doing just that. Contact AllAmericanAquatics.com they have a program called Swimpact that can do this. Good luck in your new swimming career! *** Pitman, Madison

Doug - Absolutely! Keep a log. I tell all my new swimmers to keep a log. I love to tell the story of Herb Howe, who retired from competition a couple years ago (although he still swims!). He's 90. I think it was last year that he called his circumnavigation of the world finally completed. He started his log many, many years ago - I've even seen it! The only way he could have made that claim is by keeping a log. I once asked him whence he started his circumnavigation. At various times he started from Providence, RI and went south - the polar route, or west from Providence, following the setting sun on the equatorial route, which of course is longer. I asked him when he started and he gave me a year which was before he was born. I pointed this out to him and he said, "I started swimming in my mother's womb." But, he was a slave to his log and, as far as I know, he is still recording his daily swims. The only way to check your progress is to keep a log. Besides just logging the yardage you should also record timed swims, sets you swim, as much as you can. It's kind of interesting to look back and note your progress. It can lift you up when you're feeling like a slackard. For several years I used a simple little calendar, like a pocket-size Girl Scout calendar: the little squares were large enough to put in lots of data. Of course you can put the information on an Excel spreadsheet. I think there are some programs for doing just that. Contact AllAmericanAquatics.com they have a program called Swimpact that can do this. Good luck in your new swimming career! *** Pitman, Madison