Has anyone completed the 1 hour postal swim yet? If so, how did you do?
I missed 5,000 yards by 4 yards! So officially, since we have to "round down" I got 4995 yards.
BTW I am a 51 year old guy. What's weird to me is that I swam much better (well, 60 yards better) than last year, when I felt I was in significantly better shape. I also didn't get nearly as tired this year as last year.
Let us know how you end up doing. I have a theory that each human body has its own unique hull speed. This would explain why the year to year variation on something as long as an hour swim would result in distances that are still very close despite seemingly whopping differences in effort. For example, in my own year to year comparison, it seemed like I was going a lot further this year than last year, but 60 yards is only 1.2 percent further over a distance close to 5,000 yards. This could be explained merely by the different swimming suit I wore--a new aquablade body suit this year; a somewhat older fastskin last year.
Hopefully I'll do it next week. I'll let you know how I do.
Last year was my first year back after 10+ years out of the water. I'm in much better shape now, so I better swim significantly farther! If I go 5,200 that's almost a 5% improvement.
My coach is encouraging all of us to participate in the hour swim this year. I did this event a few years ago and it was the LONGEST hour of my life and the thought of doing it again makes me cringe. How do people deal with the ennui? I have a hard enough time doing repeat 500's. Maybe I just have a short attention span. Any suggestions?
-GG
A postal swim is one where you, or your team, swim on your own then mail your results to a team that compiles the results. The one hour postal swim is, as the name implies, a postal swim where the goal is to swim the maximum number of yards in a one hour period.
Here's the entry form:
www.usms.org/.../1hrentry.pdf
The swim must be done sometime during the month of January.
Hey, Kirk. Nice swim considering the circumstances. I find I get leg cramps if I walk too much--especially hills--the day of practice.
You could always repeat the hour swim -- you got the rest of the month, I am pretty sure. Though I can understand why the prospect of doing this more than once a year is daunting at best.
Anyhow, you get my vote for "National Postal Champion With Cramps."
Keep on swimming.
I hae gotten cramps both times I have done this event. I think it has to do with how well hydrated you are when you start. At the pace you swim there is really no time to drink during the event, so you need to start drinking lots of water well in advance - the day before is good. This is especially true if your pool is warm (anything above 80 degrees.)
